By Matt Fotia
Whilst an enforced fortnight hiatus from action was never in anyone’s ideal planning, the competition break has given clubs time to take stock, look at what’s working, what isn’t working and figure out how they can hit the ground running when the EFNL returns.
And if you’re outside the inner sanctum, don’t stress, cause we’ve done it too in our Deakin University Mid-Season Reviews.
South Croydon
Pos: 1st (Premier)
W-L: 5-1
Percentage: 163%
For (Rank): 96.5 points per game (2nd)
Against (Rank): 59.3(2nd)
Leading Goalkicker: James Wilsen (20)
Best + Fairest Leader: Nick Evans
2021 was the year a few EFNL onlookers had South Croydon sliding down the table, with their successful foray at the top end of the ladder likely to end. A new coach, some new players and a new system could’ve seen them drift, but instead it’s seen them rejuvenate and remind the community they’re here to stay.
The Dogs have harassed and tackled their way to top spot on the Premier Division ladder, with their high-pressure game becoming too much for sides to handle.
On Anzac Day they hurried and hassled Blackburn from start to finish and landed their most impressive win of the season thus far.
Their defensive unit work well as a team, rarely allowing one on one’s inside their defensive 50. It’s a different story at the other end of the ground, with recruit James Wilsen proving too big and too strong for a lot of defenders.
The burly number 10 has 20 majors for the year.
It’s all falling into place for the Dogs in 2021.
Grade – A+
Photo – Cassidy Captured (Facebook)
Upper Ferntree Gully
Pos: 10th (Division One)
W-L: 0-7
Percentage: 53%
For (Rank): 49.5 (9th)
Against (Rank): 91.7 (9th)
Leading Goalkicker: Thomas Lovell (16)
Best + Fairest Leader: Liam Gellie
A tough opening fortnight and a bad loss to Wantirna South have exaggerated the failings of Upper Ferntree Gully in 2021. The Kings have not been anywhere near as bad as their win-loss record suggests.
Their average losing margin throughout Rounds 3-6 was just 24 points and they had more scoring shots against both Montrose and Mitcham.
Unlike Lilydale the Kings still have some star power and experience in Luke Tynan, Liam Gellie and co, plus with Thomas Lovell just 19 years old, there’s another player to build around for the future.
I can see the Kings jumping the Falcons come seasons end, but unfortunately they’ll need to jump Bayswater too.
Grade – D
The Basin
Pos: 2nd (Division Two)
W-L: 6-1
Percentage: 160%
For (Rank): 72.1 (4th)
Against (Rank): 44.8 (1st)
Leading Goalkicker: Jackson Drake (11)
Best + Fairest Leader: Nicholas Hallo
The Basin have surprised everyone, not just me, in 2021.
Justin Stanton has done a marvellous job harnessing the power of youth. The Bears group has genuine desire and hunger, and you can see it in the way they play.
Everything they do is as a group, whether it be dropping numbers back to help the defence or working as a unit to create an out number on offence. Defensively they’re as good as it gets, allowing just 14.8 shots per game in 2021.
Stanton mentioned in the pre-season that he believes the club is well set up to have success long-term. He cited the fact that some clubs have been promoted at the end of a cycle and have fallen back down the pyramid soon after.
With a core group of Hallo, Edwards, Drake, Power and co, the Bears won’t fall under that definition should they achieve success soon.
Power to them.
Grade – A+
Whitehorse
Pos: 8th (Division Three)
W-L: 1-6
Percentage: 78%
For (Rank): 67.4 (6th)
Against (Rank): 86.8 (8th)
Leading Goalkicker: Andrew Padbury (23)
Best + Fairest Leader: Damian Bertacco
The last fortnight before the break will really hurt the folks down at Springfield, with two decent losses to sides – Donvale and Scoresby – they would’ve considered their direct rivals in the pre-season.
Outside of that, 8th is probably a little harsh on them, but such is the strength of the division.
There is a misconception that Andrew Padbury is their be all and end all in front of goal. Yes, he’s their focal point, by Thomas Davis has 12 for the season and Dean Risvanis has seven.
The Pioneers changed coach very late in the pre-season and have bought in several new players for the 2021 campaign, so they’ll take time to settle.
Despite all these caveats, the Pioneers are still just one game from the bottom.
It’s a massive second half of the year for Duncan Jones and his crew.
Grade – C-
Silvan
Pos: 4th (Division Four)
W-L: 3-3
Percentage: 138%
For (Rank): 99.8 (4th)
Against (Rank): 72 (4th)
Leading Goalkicker: Leigh Kimpton (21)
Best + Fairest Leader: Trent Georgiou
Trent Martin indicated that the Cats would keep their powder dry until the finals, with an eye of keeping their key players fresh for the most important time of the year. They’re on track to do just that, but their somewhat shock loss to Chirnside Park has thrown a spanner in the works.
Like Forest Hill, Silvan will be hoping that the Division Four finals series will be played on a smaller surface to help harness their strengths. They have a trio of attacking options at the moment with Kimpton, Low and Lynch, who will benefit from direct inside 50 entries, their midfield is of the inside variety, and they’ve got two very good defensive pillars in Georgiou and Ben Riley.
Their ball movement leaves a little to be desired, and the strength of their bottom six players will be the deciding factor in how far they go in 2021.
They haven’t put their best 22 on the park as of yet, so we’ll hold back our final judgement, but it’s been a middling year so far.
Grade – C+
Surrey Park
Pos: 3rd (Division Four)
W-L: 4-2
Percentage: 180%
For (Rank): 110.1 (3rd)
Against (Rank): 61.1(3rd)
Leading Goalkicker: Matthew Pollock (19)
Best + Fairest Leader: Riley Tempany
Back-to-back finals series is some achievement and shouldn’t be sniffed at by any club, especially one like Surrey Park who have seen the lowest of the low.
The Panthers have built their wins of note – against Silvan and Chirnside Park – off the back of strong defence, allowing 61 and 62 points respectively and they kept Coldstream to 25 scoring shots, the best of any side so far.
They’ll be disappointed with their efforts against Forest Hill, but on the whole the club is heading in the right direction, with their Under 19’s side going well in the Premier division and their inaugural women’s side competing well.
If they can keep most of those youngsters at the club, the Panthers won’t be worrying about Division Four for long.
Grade – B+
Templestowe
Pos: 8th (Division Two)
W-L: 0-7
Percentage: 30%
For (Rank): 33.7 (8th)
Against (Rank): 111.2 (8th)
Leading Goalkicker: Matt Zukiewicz (6)
Best + Fairest Leader: Steven Schwarzer
It’s not hard to sympathise with the Dockers. They lost a fair chunk of their best 22 over the course of 2020 due to relocation and alike and it shows on the scoreboard.
The club were always close to the end of a cycle, but the loss of those players has hit fast forward on their plans to re-build. The youth that are running around are showing signs but given the overall strength of some sides in the Division, it’s very hard to see them ruffling any feathers in the back half of the year.
The aim for the rest of 2021 – get some momentum heading into 2022.
Grade – D
Wantirna South
Pos: 7th(Division One)
W-L: 3-4
Percentage: 95%
For (Rank): 68.1(6th)
Against (Rank): 71.4 (7th)
Leading Goalkicker: Jack O’Keefe (12)
Best + Fairest Leader: Hamish McGowan
If the equation was looking tough for the Devils before the circuit breaker, it’s even tougher now, with the boys in Green and White needing to be almost faultless to make the top four.
The Devils were expected to rise up the ladder in 2021 after a successful raid of Vermont’s depth and have shown signs of it all coming together – but those performances have been few and far between.
They cashed in against Upper Ferntree Gully and Lilydale to boost their percentage but will be more than disappointed with their big losses to Mooroolbark (39 points), East Ringwood (54 points) and Park Orchards (100 points).
Marcus Jordan has impressed in his four appearances, kicking 10 majors, whilst Nick Beames has 11 and is a good foil for O’Keefe. Meanwhile Brook Kainey has been a welcome addition to their half back stocks and Lincoln Wong continues to grow as a player.
If they do make the finals, they’ll be the form side of the competition.
Don’t see it happening in 2021 though.
Grade – C+
Vermont
Pos: 3rd (Premier)
W-L: 4-1
Percentage: 163%
For (Rank): 97.4 (1st)
Against (Rank): 59.6 (3rd)
Leading Goalkicker: Lachlan Johns (11)
Best + Fairest Leader: Lachlan Johns
The Eagles might not be the all conquering side they have been for the last two seasons, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with in 2021 and they’re injecting some youth whilst they’re at it under Adam Parker.
The Eagles could easily be undefeated, with their Round One loss to Balwyn a flip of the coin and they have since put some sides to the sword in empathic fashion.
Liam Wale Buxton and Lachlan Johns have been the real drivers of the side so far, with Johns in particular having a career best year. He’s been in the best players on each occasion and averages 2.2 goals a game to go with his 30.7 disposals – 10.3 contested – 7.7 clearances and 8 inside 50’s.
Defensively the Eagles are looking strong too, ranked first for Intercept Marks. They take 19.8 per game on average and have five players who take two or more per game in 2021.
The jury is still out on whether this younger Eagles side can go all the way again, especially given they’ve only played one top five side, but you’d be a brave person to rule them out.
Grade – A
