The Glen Waverley Hawks Yellow netball side faced off in a Grand Final while the Senior Men’s side will compete in Division Four next year after facing relegation in 2022.
Glen Waverley Hawks
Ladder Position: 9th (3-13, 64.70%)
Best and Fairest: Andrew Webb
Leading Goalkicker: Evan Pickering (19)
Summary:
It was a new look Glen Waverley side heading into the 2022 season with multiple internal changes such as the new senior coach, Brett Gatehouse.
It turned out to be a disappointing season for the Hawks seeing the club relegated to Division Four next year. Gatehouse moved to Glen Waverley after coaching VAFA side, St Mary Salesian. He brought across several players from St Mary’s such as Daniel Ryan, Louis Holmes and D’Arcy Grant.
Unfortunately, the year didn’t go to plan and the Hawks managed just three wins for the season, with several key injuries and depatures such as the Holmes brothers. They find themselves being one of two teams to be relegated to Division Four ahead of the 2023 season.
Key Players:
Winning the club best and fairest was Andrew Webb, ahead of runner-up Conner Cochrane. Pickering led the goal-kicking for the Hawks with 19, closely followed by Louis Holmes with 17, even after only playing six games for the year. Winning the club best and fairest was Andrew Webb, ahead of runner-up Conner Cochrane. Mitch Potts was one of the Hawk’s most consistent players all year, seven times in the best and had five goals to his name.
Best Win: Round 3 – Glen Waverley 7.14 56 def. Ferntree Gully 7.8 50 @Central Reserve
After losing the first two games by close margins, Glen Waverley entering their Round Three clash against Ferntree Gully as a must-win. The Eagles were just as desperate under a lot of pressure losing their opening two matches as well. The Hawks fought hard all afternoon but only had a five-point lead at three-quarter time due to inaccuracy in front of goal. The game remained close in the last term and Glen Waverley managed to hold on for a gutsy six-point win.
One of the club’s big recruits Max Holmes, kicked three important majors while Evan Pickering ran amuck, with two goals and a best-on-ground performance.
Off-Season Focus:
It’s a new era for the club, the club are in the process of hiring a new coach for the 2023 season as they enter Division Four. They’ll be looking to have a more stable year with what could be a different-looking playing list.
Netball Review
Glen Waverley Hawks Blue (Section 3)
Ladder Position: 7th (6-11, 85.84%)
The Hawks first Netball team were competitive in the third-highest section, managing to win six games for the year. The side had a couple of very strong wins against high-quality opponents in Vermont and East Ringwood who both played in the finals this year.
Ella-Mae Watkins led Glen Waverley’s goal-scoring with 166 goals from 13 games.
Glen Waverley Hawks White (Section 4)
Ladder Position: 6th (7-10, 91.36%)
The Hawk’s second side in Section Four won seven games and finished sixth on the ladder. Despite not making the finals, they had multiple impressive wins including their nine-point opening-round victory over East Burwood. Sarah Miller had a fantastic season, finishing in the top ten goal shooters for the section with 196 goals. Miller shared the best and fairest award with
Glen Waverly Hawks Yellow (Section 6)
Ladder Position: 2nd (3-12-1, 62.23%)
A big season for the Hawks Yellow team, making a Grand Final appearance in 2022. The side finished in second spot, a game and a half clear of Boronia in third. The only club they weren’t able to beat in the regular season was Coldstream, who would go on to defeat the Hawks twice in the finals series including the Grand Final by seven points. However, Glen Waverley did have some success in the finals, defeating Ringwood by five points in the Preliminary Final.
With an impressive season, Carly Hewitt won the Section 6 league best and fairest with 29 votes. It’s the fourth time the star has won the award. Overall, a great season for the side and for the club’s overall Netball program.
Glen Waverley Juniors
The Glen Waverley Hawks Junior club won the Under 16B grade premiership, capping off a great season for the boys. The club also had an Under 13s team and entered a side in the EFNL 7s series. The club will be looking to grow these Under 7s into the Under 8 program for season 2023.