Recruit, retain: How De La Salle is approaching VAFA Premier return in 2025

De La Salle is gearing up for a return to the VAFA’s top comp and coach Nick Hyland says his side — bolstered by strong retention and three good recruits — won’t shy away from the awaiting challenge.

Jacob Williams looks for a target. Picture: Andrew Batsch

De La Salle coach Nick Hyland says his side is “not going to shy away” from the challenge 2025 poses.

De La enters the Victorian Amatuer Football Association top competition after running second to Old Haileybury in the 2024 Premier B decider.

They have landed some prized recruits and, according to Hyland, have retained “95 per cent” of the list.

Nick Bufalo is returning while Jamie Brooker and Levi Young have looked to De La for a new challenge.

Brooker kicked 45 goals in 19 matches for Division 2 club South Melbourne last season.

“I coached him (Bufalo) when he was back in under-19s, so I’ve got a good relationship with him,” Hyland said.

“Jamie Brooker is from lower division VAFA but we had a number of people reach out during the year and say ‘you should get eyes on this guy’.

“He’s certainly got the talent, he’s looking to develop his game by testing it against better opposition.

“Levi Young, one of the Young boys, they’ve all agreed to join the club in some capacity.

“We’ve been able to get a few and we’re hopeful on a few more.”

Trent Shannon. Picture: Andrew Batsch

With its recruits and retention, De La Salle is confident it can bounce back from the heavy grand final defeat swiftly.

Hyland says the nucleus of the side is yet to reach its peak and will only improve from greater experience.

“I would have liked the contest to be a bit closer on grand final day but that wasn’t to be so full credit to them and Wardy (coach Daniel Ward),” he said.

“How do we bounce back? I think it’s pretty easy to bounce back, really. The nature of our playing group, we have an average age of around 23.

“We acknowledged it, met a few days after the grand final, spoke about the emotions, we didn’t ignore it, we talked about it and processed it.

“I told the boys to go away, freshen up mentally because it’s a long year and come back with an attitude of wanting to get better and I am confident we will.

“These young guys get better every year and they haven’t hit their ceiling yet so I am confident we will bounce back, I am excited by it.”

Picture: Andrew Batsch

De La Salle was in the Premier competition in 2019, when it won five matches and finished ninth.

It lost in the final round to Old Trinity Grammarians to be pushed out only by percentage.

That season and the evenness of the 2024 campaign has De La aware of the challenge but they won’t shirk from it.

“We know it’s a high-quality standard,” Hyland said.

“I understand the level we need to get to and the challenge is that every week seemed to be highly competitive.

“You only had to look at round 18 in A Grade, it could have finished in a multiple of ways.

“We understand it’s even, it’s competitive and it’s good – if you want to be the best you have to beat the best and we’re not going to shy away from it.

“We know it’s going to be a step up but we’ve put ourselves into a position to compete in A Grade and that’s what we will be doing.”

DE LA SALLE

IN: Nick Bufalo (Bentleigh), Jamie Brooker (South Melbourne), Levi Young (Noble Park)

OUT: Campbell Bedford (Bentleigh), Nathan Scollo (Murrumbeena)