Why the VAFA flag race is so open in 2024

One VAFA Premier coach has declared up to eight clubs could win the flag this season with the premiership race expected to be wide open. Here’s why.

Collegians’ Jim Bazzani celebrates during last year’s grand final. Picture: Andy Brownbill

There’s a consensus across the Victorian Amateur Football Association that the race for the Premier flag is as wide open as it’s ever been.

So much so, St Kevins coach Anthony Lynch believes his group’s biggest competitor this year is the competition itself.

Lynch can see “seven or eight” teams capable of winning the flag.

“I am a VAFA person, I am always promoting the competition, I think it’s the strongest comp outside of the VFL,” he said.

“I love the fact that it’s an even competition, I love that it’s a genuine competition where you think seven or eight sides could win it.

“There’s not many local competitions where that happens, you get very strong teams at the top and then unfortunately weak at the bottom.

“Our biggest competition is the competition, the other teams, we don’t focus too much on the opposition but you hear about other clubs.

“The competition looks to be stronger again and we’re incredibly thrilled to be a part of it.”

St Kevin's are looking to go one step better. Picture: Andy Brownbill

New Old Xaverians coach Dan Donati shares the same opinion as Lynch.

He’s built in an expansive coaching panel, including Jeff Gobbels, Pat Hawkins, ex-AFL gun Dan Hannebery and Louis Tiernan to assist his young crop in competition that offers no time to smell the roses.

“I think with anything, you have to realistic and I think this is the toughest competition in Victoria now or the most even anyway,” Donati told this masthead in February.

“You go into every season, where if you get things right, get the right culture, get the right people … there’s no reason why you can’t contend.

“Having the right people around to instil the belief in this group, I say there’s young, there’s a truckload of young boys but there’s good experience here too.

“I think with that mix, you have to generate the belief they can do it and that’s the aim of every club and any footy coach.”

Despite the competition being as strong as it’s ever been, Lynch’s St Kevins is destined to be at the pointy end again.

Lynch said St Kevins – which has played in the past five grand finals – has evolved to sustain its status as a contender.

“The thing that gives me confidence is that through all of those years, there’s been player turnover which is normal for any club,” Lynch said.

“We’ve had four or five of our experienced players retire or travel this year but it’s exciting for me to inject new players into the team.

“I think that’s what the club needs to evolve and get better, it’s an exciting time for us.

“This time last year we’d come off a premiership, I am not suggesting we weren’t hungry but I can tell you after having lost one the group is incredibly hungry to go one better.”

Collegians won last year’s grand final. Picture: Andy Brownbill

As for how St Kevins will evolve this year?

The answer is simple: offence.

“I think there’s a few ways to evolve, I think one is introducing new players, which we’ve certainly done,” he said.

“With younger players comes a different skill set, there’s speed, high-level skill coming from guys out of Coates league and our under-19 program.

“Talent is one but also evolution of our game plan.

“I don’t think our defence-first plan will change but we’ve certainly spent time on our offence.

“I think it will be an exciting brand of footy for our players to play and our supporters to watch.

“We’ve built our game on defence and although that won’t change, we will have real upside in that space.”

This season, a VAFA Premier Division game of the week will be livestreamed on KommunityTV through the Herald Sun website.