32 DAYS TO GO | EFNL Media will be previewing each club ahead of the 2020 season with the #InFocus2020 series, all thanks to Yarra Valley Water & Choose Tap.
By: Daniel Cencic
DONCASTER EAST’s long-awaited top-flight debut is just weeks away, headlined by the inclusion of a trio of ex-AFL names.
The Lions earned promotion to the League’s Premier Division after winning back-to-back premierships for the first time in their history last season – the club’s third grand final in three years.
Signing ex-AFL identities in midfielder/forward Maverick Weller, ruckman Zac Clarke and defender Sam Rowe, senior coach Steve Buckle knew the club had to be proactive as it makes the jump from Division 1, particularly with two of the past three clubs to be promoted to the top-tier relegated after just one season.
Weller played 123 AFL matches across Gold Coast, St. Kilda and Richmond from 2011-2019, while Clarke makes the move back to local level after 101 matches with Fremantle from 2009-2017 and a single-season stint with Essendon for nine appearances last year.
Maverick Weller in action for St. Kilda. PHOTO: Getty Images
Rowe reunites with the club after initially aligning with the Lions for last season before being offered a lifeline by St.Kilda as a pre-season supplemental selection, chalking up AFL game 100 in 2019 after 99 games for Carlton from 2012-2018.
“Stepping up to Premier we knew we had to recruit if we want to avoid that ‘yo-yo’ effect … we want to stay there and aim for finals because that’s what we’re playing footy for,” Buckle said.
“He (Weller) has been fantastic and has stepped into a playing-assistant role … he’s been instrumental this pre-season – he’s energetic, has got a great attitude and is a good teacher, and all the young guys look up to him but also Whitey (Simon White), Zac Clarke who’s now finding his feet and started to speak amongst the group, and Sam Rowe too.
“The great thing about all those boys is they’re not just coming down for themselves – they want to teach and the young guys want to learn off them too so they’ve all really bought in and been fantastic.”
Defender Matthew Kakaflikas has also linked up with the club and is set to bolster the back six after crossing from fellow top-tier side, North Ringwood.
A former Beverley Hills junior, 21-year-old Kakaflikas brings Premier Division experience having played 35 matches for the Saints from 2016-2019.
“We identified that with getting those big-name recruits, they cost us six points (each), so we then tried to identify where all our one-pointers were and we had one-pointers all over the place,” Buckle said.
“We had a lot of conversations with ex-Beverley Hills boys and ex-Doncaster East boys trying to get them back to the club and trying to sell what we’re trying to build.
“He (Kakaflikas) was looking for a change, and we were lucky enough to gain his services – he’s put in a big-pre-season, he’s got fantastic hands and reads the game really well.
“We think he’s going to slot in nicely in our backline.”
Returning to Zerbes Reserve is two-time club best and fairest Jack Martin after a season with Balwyn, where he made 13 appearances for the Premier Division outfit.
The 25-year-old previously played 67 senior games for the Lions from 2014-2018, including the club’s Division 2 premiership in 2018, while VFL-listed duo Josh Deluca and Sam McLarty have also aligned with the club.
Deluca – who played with Doncaster East premiership defender Chris Phelan at WAFL club Subiaco – spent time on Carlton’s list last season after being selected in the mid-season draft, and will this year try his hand at the Box Hill Hawks.
Former Collingwood-listed McLarty will again play for Williamstown this season, with the 198cm key defender and former Beverley Hills junior expected to play the bulk of his footy at VFL level, along with Deluca.
Meanwhile, dual premiership skipper Nick Batsanis has stood down from the captaincy due to work commitments with an announcement on the new captain imminent, as two-time premiership player Brock McLean makes the move to the Goulburn Valley Football League after the former Carlton midfielder made 56 appearances for Doncaster East across the past three seasons.
Nick Batsanis and Steve Buckle lift the 2019 Division 1 cup.
“Whoever steps into the (captaincy) role has big shoes to fill – Nick’s been fantastic. Hopefully he can sort his work out and he’ll be back up and running and playing for us anyway,” Buckle said.
“We’re going through the (selection) process at the moment and we’ve got an idea of who’s going to step into the role (but) we’re still working out what our leadership program’s going to look like.”
Awaiting the Lions in Round 1 is reigning top-flight premier Vermont at Zerbes Reserve, and Buckle says his players are looking forward to the challenge.
“Every week’s going to present a new challenge for us (and) we’re aiming to play finals and we know that’s not going to be easy,” he said.
“With what we’ve recruited and the winning culture that we’ve already established, hopefully that holds us in good stead and hopefully mix it with the big boys and we’ll get no better test than Round 1 playing Vermont at home.
“From our perspective that (playing Vermont first up) is great – if we want to take on the best, that’s what we’re there for and at the end of that game, we’ll know where we sit.”
