By Davis Harrigan
Beaconsfield enter the Eastern Football League as newcomers backed by a lot of excitement and the element of the unknown.
But they’ve also got an ace up their sleeve when it comes to EFNL experience.
They will line up in Division One, and with former Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty leading them and should be right up there to contend with the top five.
Fogarty is ready to come back to the EFNL and is keen to be competitive.
“We’ve been tracking along nicely in pre-season, we’ve been able to recruit some pretty good players in regard to setting ourselves up in the EFNL, so our pre-season’s been pretty strong,” Fogarty said.
“Great to be back in a terrifically run competition, a competition that gives you the chance to play the best footy you can, it gives our juniors and our whole club a real opportunity to be able to compete in one of the best metropolitan competitions in Victoria.
“We sit nicely in division one, I think that’s probably where we should’ve gone and where we’ve landed, so we will look at the division with lots of excitement, and I can’t wait to get started.”
There’s been some big player movements down at Holm Park, but that’s just become part and parcel of the club adapting and finding the best ways for everyone to work together – and it’s looking rather enticing.
“A couple of significant outs no doubt, losing Brandon White, also Nick Battle, Jamie Plumridge, and we also lost Jake Cameron.
“At the end of the day, we can’t do anything about that now, but we’ve got some really good ins,” Fogarty said.
Beaconsfield have also picked a couple of very handy players that are ready-made and bring a wealth of experience to the side, including a former VFL-listed North Melbourne player.
“We’ve got another tall defender in Casey Thompson, he’s a good size for us and we probably lacked a little bit of height in defence last year, so he gives us that and can play on the big full forwards if needed.
“Tanner Stanton is a ready-made senior football and Declan Everett, from Wodonga, he’s an exciting player and has terrific speed out of the contest.
“Another one from Tasmania in Josh Huizing, he looks like a real tough hard on-baller, and we’re excited by his ability to impact as well, so that’s a plus.
“We’ve also got a lot of kids coming through from our under 19s, and seven of them played games last year for the seniors.”
With only limited time with the players during the week, the focus and priority is about working on the basics and getting them up to the level expected. Although match simulation is an important part of preparation, so is getting the make-up of the side right.
“We’ve only got them twice a week, and I think it’s important we get our press setup and structure right, we get numbers behind the ball, and keep our focus on those things,” Fogarty said.
“We do a lot of match sim stuff which is important; obviously, you can’t replicate the real thing, but it’s pretty good.
“We’ve worked a fair bit on our style, they players have adapted well to the plan of what we stand for. When the real stuff starts, that will be a good guide to see where we are.
Fogarty described himself as someone who would deliver what was needed up front when it comes to communication but is also getting a 100 percent reception from the players and is always there to be approached and create a positive environment.
“I’m probably the easiest bloke to talk to, straight down the line, let them know what it looks like, and they give back as well,” he said.
“The most important thing in is coaching is having the players, if you don’t have them, your game plans and everything else just don’t work. It’s about creating a strong understanding between yourself and the players and making sure you’ve got a terrific relationship regarding where they stand, and you stand.”
Coming into a new league, a new division, and against 10 teams both the side and Fogarty haven’t seen before (or at least for a little while), the main mantra is going out there each week to play the best Beaconsfield footy possible. That means creating a culture that everyone feels a part of.
“Just to enjoy themselves after the last couple of years, enjoy the league and a new environment, and we just want to establish ourselves in the EFNL,” Fogarty remarked.
“If you’re losing, you’re probably not enjoying yourself, but at the end of the day, we just want to get out there, play footy and play 18 games.
“Where that takes us, it will, and just making sure we’ve established a really good culture and habits at our footy club.”
Making a competition move is always significant, and perhaps the biggest move will be how much more intensity there will be against sides like Croydon, Mooroolbark, East Ringwood, and Mitcham.
Fogarty is keen to see Beaconsfield take it right up to their opponents and is confident they will be able to stay in the game from start to finish.
“The consistency of the other teams being in the game longer, and not falling away early.
“With the ladder positions and what it looked like in Division One last year, we’ve got just to be in the game for four quarters and making sure we have consistency and effort.
“We won’t go that well if we haven’t got that, and the sides will be more even, and we’ll be in games a lot longer than we were at Outer East.”
Women’s coach and club president Troy Robinson also shared Fogarty’s thoughts regarding the move over to the EFNL.
“Having a guy like Mick and his coaching staff, gives us a lot of intel, and having a close relationship with guys like Glenn Gambetta from Berwick, bounce a lot of questions off him and get positive feedback,” Robinson said.
“We got the opportunity to have a good foundation and understanding exactly what the competition structure was all about. That was one of the biggest things that attracted us, having the ability just to have that sort of intel on the comp was important for us strategically.”
Even if the results aren’t going their way, or if the scoreboard isn’t reflective of the game itself, the effort, dedication and staying in the game all the way is something that has reflected very highly for Robinson.
“The girls have learned just not to give up. Regardless of scoreboard, the relentlessness of just continually playing with their heads up and keeping in high spirits is critical for us,” he said.
“I think the challenge and excitement about them, is they’ve learned to adapt to just play footy and enjoy it. They’re very respectful, we teach a lot of it, and when they walk out there, they’ve always got their heads high, and they’ll encourage the opposition as well.”
Player wise, the future is bright, and there is a huge amount of talent coming through the side.
Robinson highlighted a couple who are stepping up from the junior ranks are already making a resounding mark at the next level.
“I’ve got three running around in the VFL system, I’m not sure how much I’ll see them, but Katie Angelis is always going to be an absolute star. Lauren Hojnacki is excellent through the midfield pushing forward as well,” he said.
“There’s a couple of young girls that are just coming through; Bianca Magleriari, who’s come through from our junior program. She’s got a huge aerobic capacity, and another one coming through the ranks would be Georgia Malkoun.
Big wraps on particularly Bianca and Georgia as the future of our club long term, they’re where I see a lot of our football going.”
Development has been a focal point for the side, from the first gamers to those with experience, making them better as players and to get them accustomed to the roles and work they are asked to do.
“A lot of things we talk about is learn your own role, to me, it’s all about the individuals learning the roles and objectives they have as part of the team. To be able to teach the girls how to play footy, to be able to teach them the accountability of what their role is about, that’s the important stuff,” Robinson said.
“That’s the important thing of them developing, but also having the ability to speak up and I say I thought that was really good, we need to try that, or that didn’t work, and we promote a lot of on field coaching between themselves as well.”
“Our measurement of success is not how many wins and losses we have, it’s about the girls learning the craft of playing footy and the enjoyment of having the game, going down by 10 goals, but everyone showing up at training next week, forgetting all about it and getting ready for the next game,” Robinson said.
“My measurement is keeping the girls enthusiastic about playing footy; that to me is my win-loss ratio right there, and make sure I’ve got a whole team at the back of the end of the season, they’re absolutely loving it and looking forward to playing next year again.”