Boronia
Ladder Position: 8th (1-7)
Percentage: 39.43%
Points For (Rank): 181
Points Against (Rank): 459
Leading Goalkicker: Delta Greenhalgh (5 Goals)
Last year’s Division One reigning premiers have been challenged back in the Premier Division competition. Their one win from the season came back in Round One when the Hawks held onto a memorable six-point win over Vermont.
With some of their key stars retiring after the 2023 premiership as well as missing the likes of Rachael Slater and Ali Gottliebsen to VFLW commitments at different points of the season, it’s been a less experienced side out of the field.
Another player they’d love to get back into the line-up is Rachael Quirk who has been outstanding in her first five games of the season.
One player that has taken her game to another level is midfielder Delta Greenhalgh, not only winning plenty of the footy but also kicking five goals across the season. Also another big improver has been Amanda Cellante, seven times in the best from seven games.
Prediction: 8th
Eastern Devils
Ladder Position: 1st (8-0)
Percentage: 451.09%
Points For (Rank): 618
Points Against (Rank): 137
Leading Goalkicker: Shelley Beggs (20 Goals)
The back-to-back reigning premier are setting their sights for a third consecutive premiership, undefeated after eight rounds.
The Devils are averaging 77 points per game while only conceding an average of just 17 points. Across the overall season, they’ve won a total of 29 quarters from a possible 32, undefeated in first terms.
Stars on all lines of the field, last year’s league best and fairest winner Olivia Aing has been outstanding from the outset.
Their forward line although led by Shelley Beggs who has 20 goals from eight games, is not reliant on one or two options for their goals. Ashleigh Allsopp, Nicole Price and Hayley Thompson all sit inside the top ten leading goalkickers of the division.
Ashleigh Allsopp has been in great form in recent wee consistently kicking multiple goas per game, her season tally now up to 16. Playing just seven games last season, Allsopp is yet to miss a game in 2024.
Their closest result of the season came in Round Four against South Croydon, just 20 points separating the two clubs.
Prediction: 1st
Mount Evelyn
Ladder Position: 5th (3-5)
Percentage: 90.72%
Points For (Rank): 264
Points Against (Rank): 291
Leading Goalkicker: Mackenzie Adams (9 Goals)
A young Mount Evelyn side are on the right track forward with a great transition of their Under 18 Girls side into the senior group.
The side started off the year very impressively, winning two of their first three with the one loss a one-point defeat against South Croydon away from home.
Since then, their form line has fluctuated a little more with the team having several injuries with key players out of the side.
Defensively, they’re one of the strongest teams in the division, only Eastern Devils and South Croydon have had less conceded against them.
Mackenzie Adams and Beth Cruickshank have been their best targets up forward, they’ve kicked 16 goals between them. The side will be looking to have a few more contributors in that area in the second half of the season to match it with the best sides.
A super tough month of games will decide whether or not Mount Evelyn can make the 2024 finals series. South Croydon this weekend, followed by Whitehorse, South Belgrave and the Eastern Devils. All top four teams, must take a couple of scalps, particularly the Saints who sit just one game above them.
Prediction: 5th
South Belgrave
Ladder Position: 4th (4-4)
Percentage: 89.04%
Points For (Rank): 268
Points Against (Rank): 301
Leading Goalkicker: Olivia Flanagan (15 Goals)
Last year’s Grand Finalists have recovered well from a slow start to the season, dropping their opening two matches. Since then, they’ve managed to win four of the next six, including two crucial wins against Whitehorse and Mount Evelyn.
Olivia Flanagan, the former VFLW star has been outstanding once again this season, 15 goals to her name, including two bags of four.
Ashlea Foster has provided the side with another great target up forward when playing there, she’s had two games with multiple goals, one coming against the undefeated Devils.
A reasonable run home sees the side with every chance of not just holding their spot in the top four, but potentially challenging those above them. We saw what they were able to do in last year’s finals series, one of the teams to watch out for as a dark horse.
Prediction: 4th
South Croydon
Ladder Position: 2nd (6-2)
Percentage: 211.06%
Points For (Rank): 458
Points Against (Rank): 217
Leading Goalkicker: Taylah Black (26 Goals)
The Dogs have been back to their best in 2024, six wins from their first eight games sees the club in the box seat for the double chance.
Scoring power has been a huge plus for the Dogs this year, having scored over 160 points more than the Pioneers, below them on the ladder. Taylah Black has been key in that area, 26 goals for the season, the leading goal kicker of the division.
Black has been well supported from the likes of Tanikka Martin and Amy Grimwade. Martin played just the six games last year, not missing a game in 2024 so far.
Nicole Garner has been the biggest inclusion for the South Croydon side this season. After 13 games with the Box Hill Hawks in 2023, Garner has entered the Bulldogs side, having seven games where she’s feature in the best.
At this stage, the biggest challenger to the Eastern Devils, they pushed the side earlier in the season, falling short by twenty points.
The Dogs have a challenging three week run but at their best, we know they’re capable of winning all three matches.
Prediction: 2nd
The Basin
Ladder Position: 6th (3-5)
Percentage: 41.21%
Points For (Rank): 190
Points Against (Rank): 461
Leading Goalkicker: Danielle Brotto (16 Goals)
It’s been a year full of positive signs for the Bears, winning three games in the first half of the season as they enter a new division.
The Basin have defeated Vermont in a thriller as well as Boronia twice after facing off against the Hawks in last year’s Grand Final. All three wins have been decided by less than a goal.
Things quickly changed early in the season as Senior Coach Adam Grant stepping aside with Skipper Julia Baker taking over as the Senior Playing Coach.
The likes of Caitlin Grimmett and Jess McDowell have taken their games to another level this season.
Danielle Brotto has been outstanding up forward, 16 goals for the season, having four games where she finished with three goals or more.
Joining the club this year, Nicole Swan has found her place nicely, four times in the best, playing all eight games this season.
Prediction: 7th
Vermont
Ladder Position: 7th (2-6)
Percentage: 70.59%
Points For (Rank): 240
Points Against (Rank): 340
Leading Goalkicker: Madison Buszano (13 Goals)
After dropping the first five games of the season, Vermont have improved in strong measures since the start of the year, winning two of their last three games of the season.
A big sign of their improvement can be shown by their two clashes against Mount Evelyn. The Round Six victory was a 59-point turnaround from their Round Two Match of the Round contest.
Skipper Ciara Reid has led from the front, a consistent season so far, also having the ability to hit the scoreboard as well. Others such as Ashleigh Ackland and Alice Campbell have been other consistent stars in the line-up.
Madison Buszano has already kicked 13 goals, the number of majors she finished on at the end of the 2023 season.
The fact that the side’s two wins have both come against sides above them on the ladder means finals isn’t out of the question for Vermont. If they don’t make the four, they’ll be a side that can shape it.
Prediction: 6th
Whitehorse
Ladder Position: 3rd (5-3)
Percentage: 95.78%
Points For (Rank): 295
Points Against (Rank): 308
Leading Goalkicker: Roxy Maslin (10 Goals)
An improved Whitehorse outfit are back in the top three after with a great opportunity to play their first Premier Division finals series.
There’s been great even contribution from the playing list with no reliance on any player, even their VFLW listed stars. Amanda Tessari has been massive for the group, saving her best performances to their most important clashes against South Croydon and Eastern Devils.
Roxy Maslin’s form over the last month has been outstanding, nine goals in her last three matches.
The Double chance is still a possibility but with the percentage gap between the Pioneers and the Dogs, it means a second with over South Croydon is a must.
Prediction: 3rd
