18 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: Steve White
2018 was a case of third-time lucky for the Eagles.
Overcoming the demons of 2017’s upset at the hands of South Croydon, Vermont avenged the previous year’s defeat to put the Bulldogs away by 35 points, winning the club’s first premiership since 2009 and returning to the top of the Eastern Football League pyramid.
Heading into his seventh year as a senior coach – and third at Vermont – Harmit Singh has wasted no time in getting the troops to work on chasing back-to-back flags in the EFL Premier Division for the first time since the Vermont treble of 2005-2007.
Captain Lachie Johns and coach Harmit Singh hold the 2018 Division 1 cup aloft. PHOTO: Davis Harrigan Photography
“The boys have come back working really hard,” Singh said.
“We had about eight formal sessions pre-Christmas and since then the intensity hasn’t let off. The commitment from the boys in pre-season has been outstanding.”
Vermont has maintained most of its senior list but there have been a few departures. Jordan Collopy has departed for the North Gippsland league, Shane Davidson has gone to The Basin and Andrew Pretto has left for the Ovens and Murray League.
However, the additions more than account for the subtractions.
Adding to an already stacked line-up featuring Andrew Ainger, Brett Eddy and Liam Buxton among others, the Eagles have gone on a recruiting spree that began soon after the 2018 grand final triumph.
Jarrod Bayliss has joined the club from Park Orchards after two years with the Sharks, leading them to their Division 3 flag over Heathmont in 2017. 2016 Ovens and Murray League fairest and best winner Christian Burgess also joins the club and will take up a pivotal midfield role.
Club-great, four-time premiership winner and three-time Chandler Medal winner Ryan Mullett has returned to Terrara Road after spending the last two years with East Malvern in the SFNL. Ruckman Robbie Ross, a four-time premiership player in his own right, also makes his way back to the club in 2019.
Mitch Honeychurch has also returned to the club he played at as a junior, after 35 games of AFL with the Bulldogs and two VFL flags to boot.
Formidable is an understatement.
Mullett in action during the 2012 Division 1 grand final. PHOTO: Sporting Images
“They’re all such decorated players and have that super competitive edge to their game,” Singh said.
“They’ve all trained hard during the pre-season and I’m very confident they will all have good seasons.”
“I think the competitiveness in our senior list holds us in very good stead for 2019 and all of our players have demonstrated winning behaviours and strong mindsets”
It was not only the senior men’s that brought premiership glory back to Terrara Road in 2018.
The women’s team took home the flag in its inaugural Deakin Uni Eastern Region Women’s Division 1 season, after topping Mount Evelyn in a tense grand final at Lilydale Sports Oval last year.
Head women’s coach Meredith Denvir is greatly anticipating the new season and aiming for repeat success.
“I don’t think anyone said we were going to win a flag in our first season but we got it done and it was a tremendous achievement,” Denvir said.
“We’re super-excited to be back for another year and we’re also super-excited that several girls may have a chance to play VFL this year.”
That includes 2018 grand final hero Jess Elder who is training with Richmond’s VFLW squad and also Marissa Lee, who is training with Hawthorn’s VFLW side.
Lee and Kate Brien will co-captain an Eagles side that features Hayley O’Neill, Abbey Rutherford, NT-recruit Sophie Hatzismalis and 2018 finals’ best and fairest recipients Nicola Junginger and Molly Chamberlain.
Despite the obvious goal of also chasing back-to-back flags, Denvir is also focused on other development targets for 2019.
“I’m really strong on making sure we play as one unit again and to maintain a strong team culture,” Denvir said.
“I also want the girls to enjoy their football, but at the same time give opportunities to those who want to take that next step and play VFL and AFLW.”
A second flag won’t come easy though, as plenty of teams also have their eyes on the prize come September.
“Chirnside Park are an interesting team as they were in a different competition and have a few VFL players, so I’m interested to see how we’ll perform against them,” Denvir said.
“You can’t discount Bayswater and obviously Mount Evelyn will be gunning for us.”
For the first time in club history, the men’s and women’s team have run joint-training sessions at Vermont Recreation Reserve, something both Denvir and Singh are fully supportive of and hope to continue in the future.
“We’re trying to create an environment at the club where both the men’s and women’s teams really enjoy their football, and I think we’ve done a fantastic job so far,” Singh said.
Vermont opens the 2019 EFL season at home to Norwood on April 6, while the women’s fixtures are to be released at a later date.