10 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: Lachlan Mitchell
LILYDALE’s youth will be the key to its 2019 campaign as it looks to avenge its Division 2 grand final defeat.
Senior coach Ben Neagle has been impressed with the growth of the club after a 2018 season which saw the club record 13 wins and a grand berth, resulting in a 60-point loss to Doncaster East.
“The young group were able to get over it fairly quickly and they’re a really resilient sort of group,” Neagle said.
“Growth over the pre-season with a young squad with 12 – 14 under-19s making their ways to the Lilydale senior side has really shown the growth of the club.”
Lilydale has picked up a key trio worth keeping an eye on this season according to Neagle.
22-year-old Liam Jeffs joins the club from East Ringwood after a stint with VFL outfit Box Hill in 2016, while Seville duo Gareth Fraser and Josh Neal have also linked up with the Falcons.
“(Liam Jeffs) has been terrific since coming across – he’s a bit of a utility (and) can play midfield and forward,” Neagle said.
“(Gareth Fraser) is a solid body midfielder with a lot of class and definitely one to look out for.
“Josh Neal has kicked a lot of big bags of goals and has kicked 80 goals over the past two years.”
However, the club has seen the departure of one of its biggest names in Ryan Harvey.
Explosive midfielder Ryan Harvey is a key out for the Falcons. PHOTO: Lilydale FC Facebook page.
Harvey left the club at the end of last season after 53 senior games from 2015-2018 to move down to Ocean Grove for lifestyle reasons.
“(It was) only natural he was going to play football while he was down there (Ocean Grove),” Neagle said.
“He is a great player and best and fairest winner at our club – terrific guy off the field (and it’s) never easy when you lose guys like that.
“(We’ve) covered him with our recruits but off-field (and) what he brought was fantastic.
“We will certainly miss him.”
The depth at the Falcons has been evident with their under-19s finishing second in the Division 2 competition before being bundled out in the first week of finals to eventual-premier, Park Orchards.
“Our average age at the club is 20-21 and we understand that we need to pick-up and go considering we still have time on their side,” Neagle said.
Neagle has his sights set on finals but he hasn’t set a cap on what his side can achieve this year.
“Hopefully there is finals there but we have to earn the right too,” he said.
“We’re going to be competitive again and if you win early games, (you) give yourself the chance to play finals . “
“(Their) best footy is still ahead of them as we continue to tap into the young guys and who knows what can happen this year.”
Lilydale opens its season against Doncaster East at the Lilydale Sports Oval on Saturday, April 6.
