VAFA 2019: Glen Eira Gryphons confident they’ll handle the rise to Division 2

The last time Glen Eira Gryphons played in VAFA Division 2 they were quickly relegated. But coach John Edgar says the club is better equipped to handle the rise this year.

Glen Eira celebrates after winning the 2018 VAFA Division 3 premiership.

The last time Glen Eira went up to VAFA Division 2 it went straight back down.

This time around president Ivan “Moose’’ Delac is talking about consolidation to avoid a repeat of relegation.

But coach Jon Edgar believes his team is capable of more than staying up.

The Gryphons earned promotion with a 15-point victory over Hawthorn in last year’s D3 grand final, setting a triumphant seal on a season in which they lost only one game.

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They had also defeated Hawthorn in the second semi-final by one point, holding on after losing Jesse Maxfield and Julian Stone to ACL injuries and forward Julius Waras Carstensen with three fractures to his arm.

The experienced Edgar said it was the best win he’d been associated with.

The reserves lost the grand final but the Under 19s also won the premiership.

Edgar thinks “eight or nine’’ of the Under 19 players can push into the senior team this year.

“It’s the first year we’ve seen a significant influx of 19s graduates, because we’ve only had the 19s for two years,’’ he said.

“I can see a couple of them playing in Round 1, definitely.’’

Maxfield — the son of former AFL star Stuart — underwent surgery only yesterday and will not play this season.

Glen Eira coach Jon Edgar.

But Stone had his ACL repaired soon after the grand final and may appear in the late rounds.

Of the premiership team, Edgar said Nick Chapman (overseas) was the only player who had departed.

The Gryphons have also recruited well, bringing in Bryce Judd (AFL Queensland) and his brother Heath (Northern league), Chris Smout (AFL Queensland) and Matt Albanese (Gippsland league).

Bryce Judd, a key defender, played for the Brisbane Lions reserves team as a top-up. Heath Judd is an onballer, Smout a slippery small forward and Albanese a wingman.

Edgar said Under 19s Ryan Cohen, a “small, quick, old-school rover’’, and Callum Drenth, a ruckman-key forward, would see early senior action.

Noting how the club won the 2016 Division 3 premiership, took the drop in 2017 and won the flag again last year, Edgar said “the biggest thing is we don’t get relegated’’.

“But I’m not even talking about relegation. I think we’re better than that, to be honest,’’ he said.

“I think we’ll see some sides that are on a par with what we saw last year.

“No shadow of a doubt we’ve got a better squad than we had last year. A lot more depth, a truckload more depth, and a year into some of the younger guys. We played five guys last year who were in their first year of senior footy. They played 18 or so games and a grand final so they’ll be better for that experience.’’

The Gryphons have formed a women’s team this year and went close to fielding two Under 19s sides.

“We got that ugly number of 40-odd, not enough players for two teams, but too many for one,’’ Edgar said.