Local footy: WRFL Division 1 preview, analysis for 2021 season
We detail the key ins, outs and analyse each WRFL Division 1 club ahead of Round 1 — and the contenders are lining up.
Western
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The gap has closed considerably in the Western Region Football League’s top flight.
The combination of a season off, Deer Park’s departures and strong recruiting across the board means the fight for a finals berth could be as fierce as ever.
As many as eight clubs are realistic chances of featuring beyond the home-and-away rounds, while Point Cook and promoted Yarraville-Seddon will not be easybeats.
It sets the stage for fascinating season, which starts on Friday night as flag contenders Spotswood and Hoppers Crossing lock horns.
Altona
Coach: Corey McCall (new)
2019 finish: Runner-up
The Vikings have finished minor premier in the past two seasons, but have a preliminary final and grand final defeat to show for winning 31 of 36 home-and-away games.
Since the 2019 decider, Altona has secured Mitch Van Den Berg, Josh Bench, Jordon Allen and Michael Giles, while Mitch Norton will be full-time after calling time on his VFL career with Williamstown. Jack Robinson and Billy Ward have also returned to the club to bolster the depth.
It has also retained most of its senior squad, with Patrick Rose, Lee Spiteri, Tom Mundy and Luke Goetz the only departures of note.
With a fresh voice calling the shots in McCall and guns such as skipper Steve Kennedy and Jayden post, expect the Vikings to go deep into finals.
Caroline Springs
Coach: Brodie Holland
2019 finish: Seventh
The Lakers are eyeing a finals berth and could be a big improver this year after bolstering their experience to complement their young stars.
Ex-AFL pair Brian Lake, who has been given the green light to take the field again, and Will Young (North Ballarat City) will provide good targets inside the attacking 50m arc, while Brock McGregor (Keilor) and Jy Lambley (Wyndhamvale) are other important inclusions.
Prime movers Stephen Brewer and Keenan O’Shea will again be vital to their team’s prospects of gaining ground on the competition’s leading sides.
Caroline Springs understandably has high expectations in 2021 after claiming two wins in 2017, four in 2018 and six in 2019 and have a proven coach in Holland.
Deer Park
Coach: Mark McGoldrick (new)
2019 finish: Premier
Seven-time premiership coach Marc Bullen has moved on and the Lions will roll out a new-look side this season, but their rivals should not be comfortable.
While WRFL champions Chris Stewart and Kwame McHarg – the only two players to feature in all seven flags – headline a long list of departures, some serious talent has landed.
Brendan Fevola has returned as a playing assistant coach, while former AFL-listed players Todd Elton and Damien Cavka have also signed on.
Mitch McCarthy, Brent Fairley, Bailey Morrish, Billy Cannolo, PJ Manivong, Nick Alekovski, Ryley Barrack and Lachlan Smart are the other new faces, leaving Deer Park in the hunt for another premiership.
Hoppers Crossing
Coach: Steve Kretiuk
2019 finish: Fifth
The Warriors have finished runners-up twice in Kretiuk’s six seasons at the helm, losing deciders to Deer Park in 2016 and 2018 and qualifying for finals in each year of his tenure.
They will enter 2021 eyeing the ultimate prize after retaining the bulk of their senior squad and adding some top-level talent.
Jack Dorgan, recognised as one of the elite kicks in the VFL ranks, has put pen to paper after 54 senior games in eight seasons with Williamstown, while Seagulls-listed pair Nick Sing and Hayden Walters have made Hoppers Crossing their feeder club. Teenagers Mitchell Holt (Wangaratta) and Lars Vidovic (Altona) are other signings.
If the likes of Jackson Viola and Ryan Kitchen are able to stay healthy, the Warriors are a genuine contender.
Point Cook
Coaches: Brett Jacobs and Michael Boothey
2019 finish: Ninth
The Bulldogs survived their first season in Division 1 after claiming the Division 2 flag in 2018, and retaining their position in the top flight would be a positive result this year.
They have added some experience since the end of 2019, with Matthew Cross, Alex Johnston, Elliott Wood and Michael Szulc adding valuable experience, while Williamstown VFL duo Luke Meadows and Nick Buykx will make a difference when available.
Point Cook recorded two wins two years ago, but with the reliance on its young players reduced, it has reason to be positive in both the short and long-term.
Spotswood
Coach: Anthony Eames
2019 finish: Third
The Woodsmen have completed one of the competition’s most fruitful recruiting campaigns, netting former AFL-listed pair Nick Graham and Reuben William, along with securing the return of leading midfielder Nayef Hamad.
While Hamad and William will both be hoping to play most of the year with Footscray in the VFL, they will make a big impact in the midfield when available.
Western Bulldogs premiership player Fletcher Roberts (Port Melbourne) has also made Spotswood his feeder club, Ben Deller has crossed from Williamstown CYMS and Brydan Hodgson will be full-time with the club after bringing his state league career to a close.
Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney, Charlie Nastasi and Jason Marks have exited, but expect Spotswood to fill a spot near the top of the table under the experienced Eames.
St Albans
Coach: Sam Butler (new)
2019 finish: Sixth
The Saints last contested finals in 2014 and have declared the time has arrived to push into the top five and take on the WRFL’s best.
The club boasts one of the most experienced coaching teams in suburban football, with Butler and playing assistant Josh Hill combining for 339 appearances at AFL level, and St Albans will be hoping the pair can help deliver success in this season.
While 2019 Barry Priest medallist and star ruckman David Kovacevic is a huge out, the Saints have secured plenty of handy recruits, with Tom Pridgeon, Ben Hurley, Stephen Heppell, Nick Amourgis re-committing for 2021. Bol Kolang, who claimed Werribee Districts’ best-and-fairest in 2016, Majok Ngong, Andrew Papazoglou and Patrick Taban have since linked with the club.
The Saints believe they bat deep and the fact they knocked off grand finalists Deer Park and Altona in 2019 shows they should not be taken lightly.
Sunshine
Coach: Heath Scotland (new)
2019 finish: Eighth
The Kangaroos have not qualified for finals since their painful three-point loss to Deer Park in the 2017 grand final.
The acquisition of Scotland represents a major coup for the club, with the former Carlton and Collingwood midfielder fresh out of the AFL system. He is also a proven coach at local level, steering Darley to a premiership four years ago.
Brian Graham, who was crowned the best player in the North Gippsland league three times (2012, 2013, 2015), is the headline signing while Williamstown-listed Tom Mundy will be important when available.
Darren Haby, Haydn Hector, Dominic Iermano, Joseph Tahche, Brenton Quinn, Jarryd Scotland and Jay Gorman are other key ins, while Fabian Brancatisano has exited.
Sunshine should be more competitive in 2021 after scoring just four wins in 2019.
Werribee Districts
Coach: Chris Gilham
2019 finish: Fourth
A changing of the guard has commenced at the Tigers, with the perennial contenders waving goodbye to some of their leading players.
Gun big man Will Sullivan and star defender Caleb Sullivan have retired, along with clever forward Cameron Lee.
Ex-North Melbourne-listed utility Oscar Junker will not take the field, while Nayef Hamad, Judah Dundon, Nick Buykx, Rhyce Prismall and Josh Harris are other notable outs since the end of the 2019 campaign.
On the plus side, Werribee’s Daniel Neilson has joined as an aligned player, while ex-Essendon tall Sean Gregory has recommitted after signing on for 2020. Ben Bowden-Tu’Uta and Jackson Menadue are other arrivals.
If Werribee Districts’ young players can step up – and Gilham is confident they will – then they remain a formidable opponent.
But with a fierce fight looming for a top-five position, the Tigers could slide.
Yarraville-Seddon
Coach: Brad Julier
2019 finish: Division 2 premier
Survival is top priority for promoted clubs. But after four consecutive grand final appearances in the second tier, few have been better credentialed than Yarraville-Seddon to cope with the rise in class.
Finals look beyond the Eagles this year, but if they can win a handful of games and continue to develop their young guns and add experience where necessary, then the future is bright.
WRFL champion Julier has taken charge after ex-AFL midfielder Michael Barlow accepted the top job at VFL outfit Werribee.
Yarraville-Seddon has recruited well, with Ben Taylor, who claimed the Ballarat league’s Henderson Medal in 2016, Ned Lanyon, Mitchell Eade and Angus Eaton recommitting after linking with the Eagles for the 2020 season. VFL pair Jesse Glass-McCasker and Archi Manton have signed, along with Jack Cattanach and Josh Wills.
Andrejs Everitt, Owen King, Michael Tsaloukis, James Backway and Kevin Upton have departed, but expect the Eagles will be far from easybeats.
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