Just the five wins for the Falcons in season 2022 while the club’s two netball teams both played off in the finals.
By Ryan Long.
Lilydale
Ladder Position: 9th (5-13, 80.13%)
Best and Fairest: Jayden DePace
Leading Goalkicker: Macauley Beckwith (32)
Summary:
Former South Croydon Coach, Luke McCormick took over the role of senior coach for Lilydale in 2022 in what’s become a new era for the club.
With an overall young list, consistency was always going to be difficult to achieve.
Despite having just one win by the end of Round Six, Lilydale’s overall performances were quite strong. They had kicked themselves out of a few games they probably should have won in hindsight including finals contenders Croydon and Mitcham. Results started to fall their way when they had impressive victories in back-to-back weeks against Montrose and Wantirna South.
However, in the second half of the year, they picked up just two more wins against Wantirna South and Upper Ferntree Gully.
Key Players:
A standout for the club was once again, Beau Mitchener who was selected as the ruckman of the 2022 EFNL Division One Team of the Year. He also managed 21 goals and was the club’s third-best goal kicker. Jayden DePace returned to the Falcons in season 2022 to win the club’s best and fairest just three years after he last won the club award. Mitchell De Francheschi wasn’t too far behind, Runner Up at the B&F, featuring in the best ten times from 18 games.
Macauley Beckwith was important up-forward for the Falcons with 32 goals for the season, averaging two goals per game.
Best Win: Round 8 – Lilydale 13.12 90 def. Wantirna South 11.13 79 @Walker Reserve
In what was a massive day for the Wantirna South Football Club, playing their 1000th EFNL match, the Falcons were more than happy to spoil the party.
Throughout the afternoon, they trailed the Devils who led at every change, trailing at three-quarter time by 14 points. However, the tide turned in the last quarter with the Falcons kicking four unanswered goals to steal an unlikely victory. Isaac Biasuzzo put Lilydale in front 18 minutes into the last quarter and the side was able to bring home an 11-point win.
Best and Fairest winner Jayden Depace kicked three for the game while Riley Clausen took out best on-field honours.
Defeating the Devils twice this year, they extended their almighty winning streak over the club, making it 29 wins from 33 meetings over the years.
Off-Season Focus:
With two sides set to be relegated from Division One at the end of the 2023 season, Lilydale will be under the pump to retain their spot. With multiple key players such as Beau Mitchener, Ryan McNay and Doug Wootton committing to other clubs in the league, Lilydale will need to look at recruiting if they want to see a big rise up the ladder.
The Falcons have picked up Ben Hickleton from East Ringwood, a very handy recruit. Hickleton kicked 26 goals this season in a premiership-winning team. He’ll add a bit more depth to their forward line.
With such a young group, the one thing the club needs is time to allow these players to develop.
Netball Review
Lilydale Falcons (Section One)
Ladder Position: 4th (9-8, 105.93%)
Lilydale had great success in the 2022 Bendigo Bank Netball competition with two teams competing in both the first and third sections. Their top team won nine games throughout the season and just finished above Knox on percentage to make the finals. The Semi-Final match-up was fairly even for the majority of the night but a strong second quarter by the Roos turned out to be the ultimate difference.
The Falcons had two players to make the Premier Team of the Year, Kirralee Luiyf at Goal Attack and defender Lauren Van Der Westhuizen. Luiyf finished inside the top five goal shooters of the league with 394 goals throughout the season. She also tied for the club’s Best and Fairest award with Ash Murphy.
Lilydale Gold (Section Three)
Ladder Position: 1st (13-3-1, 132.06%)
Lilydale Gold competing in Section Three had a dominant home and away season, winning 13 games and a draw. They finished on top of the ladder where they took on The Basin in the first final. Unfortunately, they fell eight points short followed by a tight two-point loss against East Ringwood.
Despite the Finals Series not going their way, there’s still plenty to look forward to from a Lilydale perspective. Maddie O’Donnell won the club’s best and fairest for Lilydale Gold while Zoe Abbruzzese finished third in the section for most goals scored with 271 for the season.
Lilydale Juniors
The Lilydale Junior Football Club fielded five sides in season 2022 with the highlight being the under 11’s side making its way through to the preliminary final. The club fielded good numbers in the non-competitive age groups and entered a team in the EFNL 7s Series, as it looks to re-establish the junior program from the bottom up.