11 DAYS TO GO | EFL Media will be previewing each club ahead of the 2019 season with the #InFocus2019 series, all thanks to Yarra Valley Water & Choose Tap.
By: Daniel Cencic
THE Glen Waverley Hawks enter 2019 as the great unknown.
After falling agonisingly short of a maiden EFL premiership in the 2018 Division 4 decider with a 16-point loss to the Whitehorse Pioneers, the Hawks will compete in the newly-formed eight-team Division 3 competition this year.
Despite the grand final loss, incoming senior coach Con Borg says his side finds itself in a unique situation as it joins a new division, with both grand finalists promoted.
“From that first conversation I had, it (the grand final) was burning a fair bit with them and they felt like they had a bit of unfinished business,” Borg said.
“It’s a bit of a different scenario where it’s a bit of the unknown – with the restructure they’re realistic as well.
“It’s not your usual grand final loss where you usually get an automatic chance at redemption.
“We don’t know the quality of the opposition we’re going to play – we obviously know Whitehorse we match up quite well with.
“It’s definitely burning in the majority of the playing group and they definitely felt like it was probably one they let slip.”
Entering Central Reserve this off-season are onballers Steve Welsford (Mazenod, VAFA) and Will Mutschler (Kilsyth), while defender Harry Miller joins the club from North Shore in the Geelong league.
Young forwards Adam Marchetti (Beaconsfield, SFNL) and Ben Hunt (Scoresby) look set for more senior exposure in 2019, aged 21 and 20 respectively.
Scoresby duo Damon Crawford and Bailey Meyer also join the club along with Jye Driscoll from Fairpark, while Paul Tyler has returned from overseas.
“The one thing I am surprised about is how many players contact the club – friends of guys that are already playing with us, and that’s probably been the most impressive thing where we haven’t had to spend too much time chasing people to be honest,” Borg said.
“They’ve come into the club and it’s through word of mouth (and) all the guys that have come in, they enjoy themselves and it doesn’t take them long to commit to the club which is great.
“Most of them have had a really good pre-season.”
Departing the Hawks is forward Matthew Ferguson (Warburton Millgrove, AFL OE) and onballer Andrew Humphries (overseas).
Meanwhile, Mitch Potts has been named club captain, taking over from the long-serving Jesse Dunne (pictured).
Ben Sullivan will serve as vice-captain with Paul Tyler, Evan Pickering and Daniel Eastman in the leadership group. Borg believes the changing of the guard has been a positive.
“Jesse felt it was probably time for him to hand over the reins,” Borg said.
“It’s been a great decision to be honest because he hasn’t changed.
“He still helps out and he’s still vocal out there and instructing so he probably gives us everything your captain does without having the title.”
The new Hawks mentor says there is no set cap on what his side can achieve this year.
“We haven’t gone down that path at all because it is a bit of the unknown,” Borg said.
“We’re quite confident that we’ll be able to match it with all the sides.
“It’s exciting really, as different as it is that you don’t get that opportunity to have the redemption automatically.
“There’s some confidence there, that’s for sure and there hasn’t been any questions whether we can match it with the sides that’ll be there.”
The Glen Waverley Hawks kick off their season away to Warrandyte on Saturday, April 6.
