By Trent Callen
Bayswater
Pos: 9th
W-L: 3-6
Percentage: 85%
For (Rank): 63 (8th)
Against: (Rank): 74.33 (8th)
Leading Goalkicker: Josh Treeby (19)
Best + Fairest Leader: Ben White
The Waters opened their account at the earliest of conveniences but have been starved of success since with a pair of wins to follow coming few and far between. Percentage separates 7-9th on the Division One ladder and with unfavourable matchups forthcoming it spells trouble for the green and gold.
As the talk suggested out of the Bayswater camp pre-season, a finals berth was the goal. Three wins currently sees the Waters a way off of 5th spot, but not out of the race, such is the congested Division One ladder.
The Waters stocks took a hit in the months leading up to the year with Kurt Lopo, last season’s B&F winner, joining Edithvale-Aspendale to link up with them in the MPNFL. This has somewhat halted their preparation in climbing up the ranks, as they uphold a similar position to that of 2021.
The two Galvin brothers have been stalwarts for the Bayswater side with over a decade of footy experience behind Joel and Bryce. 2022 has been no different, with the Waters heavily reliant on the pairs value continuing to hold them in good stead, drawing on their knowledgeable footy IQ.
The rising star in Paul Haasbroek has learnt to further his skills from working at the feet of forward line counterpart Josh Treeby, combining with 30 goals to date so far, with 11 and 19 majors kicked respectively. With the offence sorted to an extent, defending will come under significant scrutiny in the backend of the years’ second half.
Grade: C-
Beaconsfield
Pos: 6th
W-L: 4-5
Percentage: 99%
For (Rank): 64.89 (7th)
Against: (Rank): 65.67 (5th)
Leading Goalkicker: Matthew Johnson (15)
Best + Fairest Leader: Lachlan Valentine
Beaconsfield stumbled out of the blocks gifting four points the way of Wantirna South in their debut game after switching from the Outer East Football Netball League.
With mixed results coming in-between and momentum hard to come by to springboard their year, round six swung around, the Eagles opposed to Croydon on the road. They fell nine points short with inaccuracy costing them on that occasion in front of goal, with 12 blemishes to their name doubling their majors.
As the cliché suggests, bad kicking is bad football and for coach Mick Fogarty, he’d be ruing their chances to grasp fourth spot on the Division One ladder, or at least lock in fifth spot. A host of teams are in line to snatch it as the finals race heats up towards the backend of Season 2022 with Beaconsfield needing to be at their best to feature.
Grade: C+
Croydon
Pos: 4th
W-L: 5-4
Percentage: 94%
For (Rank): 59.11 (9th)
Against: (Rank): 62.56 (4th)
Leading Goalkicker: Riley Britton (13)
Best + Fairest Leader: Joel Koger
The Blues in accordance with last years’ standings have taken not a step forward nor a step back, upholding that fourth spot on the Division One ladder as they did the season prior. A sideways step however was taken in a shock loss to Montrose, falling victim to the Demons who ran out convincing winners in Round Nine.
An area of paramount concern for the Croydon coaching staff is their lack of ability to hit the scoreboard, ranked second last in the competition.
This stat has the alarm bells ringing for the Blues who’d be desperate to make amends on that front and thanking their lucky stars the handful of wins they’ve secured by narrow margins, went in their favour.
Grade: B-
East Ringwood
Pos: 2nd
W-L: 8-1
Percentage: 184%
For (Rank): 86.11 (2nd)
Against: (Rank): 46.78 (1st)
Leading Goalkicker: Trent Farmer (25)
Best + Fairest Leader: Christopher Cerni
The Roo’s have skipped a number of wins clear from their closest rival in Mitcham, making every post a winner bar one en route to 2nd spot on the ladder.
The predicted Grand Final preview so to speak, played out in Round Five with the fast-finishing Mooroolbark side running out 12-point victors to breeze past a valiant East Ringwood outfit. The benchmark of the competition provides a good test and the next time these two sides dual it’ll be a measurable representation of the Roo’s improvement level.
Tall marking key forward Trent Farmer has been a standout as the only Roo in double figures in the majors column, notching up 25 for the year to date and in the hunt on the goalkicking leader board as a result.
Hannin Mundy, the East Ringwood ruckman, has been a regular vote getter drawing the attention of the umpires view by utilising his versatility in covering the ground, along with his marking prowess overhead.
Grade: A
Lilydale
Pos: 7th
W-L: 3-6
Percentage: 99%
For (Rank): 72.22 (6th)
Against: (Rank): 73 (7th)
Leading Goalkicker: Jordan Jaworski (18)
Best + Fairest Leader: Ryan McNay
Lilydale have mustered up a total of three wins alongside their name, bettering the efforts of their 2021 season by a single victory. The For and Against rankings suggest they are sitting in a position that constitutes their level of output to date, low in both accounts.
With time on the side of the Falcons and with room to improve, the latter stages of the season could see them eye off a number of teams within their grasp to prey on.
Two Dales worth noting are the efforts of Jayden Depace working in tandem with teammate Riley Clausen to both feature heavily in the best as regular recipients of votes.
The strong forward line presence led by Jordan Jaworski as the main target and closely followed by Macauley Beckwith, are proving a handful for opposition matchups with the two-pronged attack creating more than one path to goal.
Grade: C-
Mitcham
Pos: 3rd
W-L: 6-3
Percentage: 135%
For (Rank): 82.89 (3rd)
Against: (Rank): 61.22 (3rd)
Leading Goalkicker: Jake Parente (39)
Best + Fairest Leader: Alex Barton-Smith
Tough fixturing meant Mitcham faced the two ladder leaders in consecutive weeks in the opening rounds but with the in-form Jake Parente fit and firing off the back of a 12-goal haul, Mitcham will be counting down the days for a chance at revenge.
Like Croydon, the Tigers also succumbed to the Demons in game six of the season, snapping a four-game winning streak in the process. In spite of this, they’ve dusted themselves off after the minor speedbump and have since strung together a trio of victories, building momentum to do battle in the years second half.
Mitcham have sling shotted into top three contention off the back of a promising return season in 2021, finishing in 6th position on the Division One ladder before the year was cut short due to the COVID lockdown procedures.
Bolstering their stocks with talent, along with Upper Gully’s Thomas Lovell, finals was a front of mind agenda item for the Tigers heading into 2022. They now have the luxury to sit back and watch their headache inducing forward line for opposition coaches unfold as planned.
Grade: B+
Montrose
Pos: 5th
W-L: 4-5
Percentage: 111%
For (Rank): 73.11 (5th)
Against: (Rank): 65.89 (6th)
Leading Goalkicker: Bailey White (17)
Best + Fairest Leader: Benjamin Dessent
Montrose sit on the brink a game outside the four, with wins over Mitcham and Croydon inside that finals bracket. However, the merit placed on their pair of noticeable losses to Bayswater and Lilydale may hold more weight considering their ability at times to match it with the competitions’ front runners.
The difference between the Demons best brand of footy and their worst is compelling, evidenced in the four-game stretch highlighted above. This is a problem area for coach Gary Ayres as he looks to martial his troops throughout the seasons second half.
Young Daniel Chamberlin has provided a spark for the Demons, in only a handful of games the teenager has contributed 13 goals, cementing a spot in the senior side as a result. With his efforts up forward and in conjunction with Bailey White who has 17 to his name to date, Montrose have all the makings of a competitive side.
Grade: C+
Mooroolbark
Pos: 1st
W-L: 10-0
Percentage: 185%
For (Rank): 101.3 points per game (1st)
Against (Rank): 54.7 (2nd)
Leading Goalkicker: Jai Jordan (33)
Best + Fairest Leader: Aaron Mullett
Running out of superlatives to describe the Mustangs at the moment who are busy piloting the Division One competition in full control on a course for a minor premiership.
The Mooroolbark line up is a new and improved juggernaut with smart recruiting working wonders along with the smooth sailing of Brett Lavars at the helm. The giant leap taken this year has catapulted them into the Premier Division conversation where the ceiling on their potential is as lofty as they dare to dream down at Heights Reserve.
With Georgiou and Kennedy in defence, Monkhorst, Noonan, Maki and Smith in the middle and Jordan and Mullett up forward, the Mustangs have A Grade talent on every line.
Mooroolbark have been nothing short of remarkable in their quest for an elusive premiership, looking to further had to their trophy cabinet that holds the triumphant 09’ heroics and propel the club into the EFNL’s top-flight.
Grade: A+
Upper Ferntree Gully
Pos: 10th
W-L: 0-9
Percentage: 29%
For (Rank): 35.56 (10th)
Against: (Rank): 121 (10th)
Leading Goalkicker: Rory Bailey (11)
Best + Fairest Leader: Gregory Lord
2022 has been yet another tough pill to swallow for the Gully, enduring a wooden spoon worthy of a season yet again. Relegation seems a likely next step for Upper Gully as their list of young blood will take time to grow into the mould of senior footballers trying to compete in the big leagues.
It’s not all doom and gloom for the Kings although, they’ve found a handy goalkicker in Rory Bailey who has a total of 11 goals to his name leading the way in front of the big sticks at the halfway point of the year, filling the shoes of Thomas Lovell who in turn has moved over to cross town rival Mitcham.
The Gully managed a solo win the season prior with the youth brigade yet to stamp its mark on Division One football, still finding their feet after the jump up from under-age football.
Grade: D
Wantirna South
Pos: 8th
W-L: 3-6
Percentage: 89%
For (Rank): 74 (4th)
Against: (Rank): 83.56 (9th)
Leading Goalkicker: Liam Hewett (18)
Best + Fairest Leader: David Lang
The Devils are one of three teams sitting on 12 points, but don’t be fooled by the 8th spot they hold in the 1st Division ladder. Losses by the barest of margins have cruelled their season, with one-point losses to both Montrose and Mitcham.
The Devils hide under a façade of form in the standings with only Bayswater and Upper Ferntree Gully beneath them in ninth and tenth respectively. The bad fortune puts them behind the eight ball with a mountain of work required in the second half of the year to attempt to come home with a wet sail.
Wantirna South will look to lean on the likes of premiere ball winners Patrick Wallis and Lincoln Wong to help fulfil their team’s capabilities. Throw the name David Lang in that mix, in company with Luke Grima, who both are a part of the core list, will be of a pivotal importance in the direction their season ultimately heads.
Grade: C-