SFNL 2025: Inside Hampton’s rich vein of form in Division 3

After a slow start to the season, the Hammers have now won five of their last six outings to shape as a Southern Division 3 dark horse. Read what’s clicked.

Hampton player Henry Grenville. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The Hammers are flying high in Southern Division 3.

Hampton’s record was 2-5 after a slow start to the season, but the Division 4 premiers have now won five of their last six outings to storm into fourth spot and are shaping as a dark horse of the division.

“We had a slowish start, we got some injuries earlier on in the year and people were away overseas with work commitments, we sort of took a while to get going,” reflected Hampton coach Shannon Grant.

“Over the last five or six weeks that’s started to change and we’ve started to have a stronger side from week to week.

“Our players are playing well and younger kids that are contributing are doing really well. It’s a good mix and a good blend at the moment.”

Grant said that there had been a teething period as his side adjusted to a new division.

“For Div 3 footy it’s pretty good footy, once we found our groove, we’ve also got a lot of new faces as well this year, to get some games in behind them and get them to understand each other and be better on game day has been quite beneficial as well,” he said.

“The more games this younger group plays together the better off they’ll be.

“Our expectations are that we’re a really young group … that we continue to improve from week to week.

“We’ve got a lot of young kids, a lot of young faces that haven’t played a lot of footy together.

“To be able to get the results they have over the last five or six weeks. I’m really proud of them and they’re doing a great job so far.

“They’ve got a thirst to learn and they want to get better, they put the work in. It’s always easy to work with a group of kids like that who want to improve their footy.”

Hampton player Leo Grenville. Picture: Valeriu Campan

In the past six weeks, Hampton has defeated the high-flying Berwick Springs and finals contenders South Mornington, Black Rock and Heatherton.

The Hammers’ only loss in that time was against the ladder-leading St Kilda City by 20 points.

Grant, who played 301 AFL games and is a Norm Smith Medallist, is in his third year at the Hammers and second as head coach, after initially joining the club as its director of coaching.

He wouldn’t put a limit on what this Hampton side could achieve in its first Division 3 season.

“Footballs’ football, the great thing about it being such an even competition is if you continue to improve you give yourself a chance,” he said.

“But if you’re five or 10 per cent off, anyone in the competition can beat you.

“We’ve had some really good learning curves along the way where we haven’t played footy and sides have beaten us – late in games particularly.

“We’re learning a lot about each other which has been great and the boys are really responding well at the moment.”