A mammoth year for the Hawks with the senior men making the Premier Division Grand Final for the first-ever time while the senior women winning the Division One Premiership.
By Ryan Long.
Rowville
Ladder Position: 1st (16-2, 143.11%)
Best and Fairest: Anthony Brolic
Leading Goalkicker: Matt Davey (31)
Summary:
An incredible season finished in heartbreak on Grand Final Day for the talented young Hawks side. After winning just two games in the unfinished 2021 season, expectations weren’t high for Rowville from an outside perspective. They managed to surpass those expectations quickly with the side being the front-runner for the flag all year.
Rowville turned heads in the opening round of the season, knocking off the highly fancied Noble Park outfit by 26 points. They would go on to win the next seven games which included impressive wins over Balwyn, South Croydon and Doncaster East. They had just two losses for the season, coming against Doncaster and then Doncaster East later in the year when they met for a second time.
In what was the game of the year, Rowville knocked off Noble Park out at the Bull Ring in Round 16. The comeback win also guaranteed the club would win the Minor Premiership. 14 wins for the year saw the Hawks finish on top of the ladder, a fantastic achievement for the club.
The two sides met once more in the Semi Final, this time out at Bayswater Oval. The Hawks controlled the afternoon, starting with a seven-goal first term and always having the answer for anything Noble Park threw at them. Matt Davey finished with four as the Hawks ran home 36-point winners.
The following two weeks later, the sides met for the fourth time this year, this time in the Grand Final. Unlike the previous three occasions, it was a wet-weather game that played into Noble Park’s hands who were physically stronger at the contest on the day. The younger Hawks side finished with just two goals, their year coming to an end not the way they would have liked.
Senior Coach Ben Wise was rewarded with the honour of being named the Coach of the 2022 Premier Division Team of the Year.
Key Players:
Winning the club’s best and fairest was star midfielder Anthony Brolic. He showed great leadership while having a phenomenal year on the field, averaging 23 disposals, 5 marks and 5 clearances per game.
Both Lachlan Mcdonald and Cooper Macdonald starred for the Hawks, both members of the Premier Division Team of the Year. Lachlan Mcdonald was influential all season in the midfield, gathering plenty of the ball, averaging 27 disposals per game and almost nine clearances per game. Meanwhile, Cooper Macdonald was one of the competition’s best defenders in just his second year of senior-level footy.
Matt Davey and Mav Taylor were also key for the Hawks, bagging 31 and 30 goals for the year respectively.
Best Win: Round 16 – Rowville 16.4 100 def. Noble Park 14.14 98 @Pat Wright Senior Oval
Game of the Year saw Rowville head to the Bull Ring in the third last round of the season. A top of the table clash looked completely one-sided early on with Noble Park kicking five goals to one in the first quarter and then stretching their lead out to a match-high 39 points by Half Time. Late in the third quarter, the tide began to change with the incredibly accurate Rowville side booting four unanswered goals to cut the margin back to 19 points at the three-quarter time break. In a grandstand finish, a Lachlan Mcdonald set shot goal at the 25-minute mark of the last term won the game for Rowville. McDonald was massive across the afternoon with 31 disposals, 10 clearances and 3 goals.
Off-Season Focus:
After a very dominant 2022 season, there will be plenty of attention on Rowville as one of the teams to beat next year.
The Hawks have added a couple of important names to their list already this off-season, sure to boost their midfield stocks. Jackson McDonald returns to the Hawks as a very handy inclusion, reuniting with brother Lachlan. A former best and fairest winner at the club and a state representative, there’s a lot to be excited about for Hawks fans. Coming off a breakout year in season 2022 for the East Burwood Rams, Matt Martini joins the Hawks looking to challenge himself at senior level.
There’s no reason why they can’t be playing at Bayswater Oval again on the biggest day of the EFNL calendar next year.
Rowville Senior Women’s
Ladder Position: 1st (11-0-1, 396.88%)
Best and Fairest: Jade Wise
Leading goalkicker: Danielle Brotto (33)
Summary:
A great season finished with a premiership for the senior women’s side in Division One. They were the dominant team in the division, not losing a single match in the home and away season. The Hawks had one draw with Park Orchards late in the season, setting up what would be a fantastic final match-up.
They played each other in the first week in the finals with both sides earning the double chance. Just like the last time the two sides met, it was a back-and-forth thriller. Despite having a lead late in the last quarter, last-minute goals by Park Orchards Isabelle Pollock gave the Sharks a one-point win and a spot in the Grand Final.
To make the Grand Final, Rowville met North Ringwood in the Preliminary Final, a side they had beaten comfortably twice during the season. In a low-scoring game, a three-goal third quarter by the Hawks was the major difference, with Rowville winning by ten points.
Once again, they met Park Orchards, the fourth time this year. The Grand Final again was another close battle with the Hawks this time getting across the line by just three points.
Key Players:
Three Hawks made the 2022 Division One to Four Team of the Year, Danielle Brotto, Jade Wise and Logan O’Connell Webb. Having the honour of being named the Captain of that Team of the Year was Danielle Brotto, leading the goal-kicking for the entire division.
Jade Wise’s brilliant season finished with a club best and fairest, kicking 24 goals for the season. Finishing just behind her in the Runner Up position was Brigitte Wolhuter having a great year with the club.
The likes of Bou-Karroum, Bell, Jeffers and Seedsman were all important for the club, all kicking at least 10 goals throughout the season.
Best Win: Grand Final – Rowville 4.8 32 def. Park Orchards 3.11 29 @HE Parker Reserve
The two best sides in Division One met in the Grand Final this year at HE Parker Reserve. Rowville found themselves under the pump early on with Park Orchards kicking back-to-back goals in the second quarter to get out to a 13-point lead. They worked themselves back into the game as the Sharks missed opportunities in front of goal. The Hawks took the lead in the opening minutes of the last quarter through a Caitlin Bell goal. Logan O’Connell Webb then stretched that lead out to eight points before the Sharks kept things interesting, bringing the margin back to less than six points. Rowville held on in the last six minutes to pull off a memorable premiership. Stealing the show was Caitlin Bell who walked off the field with the blue ribbon medal for her best on ground performance.
Off-Season Focus:
Rowville will likely be looking at a new division next season where they’ll get to challenge themselves against some of the best teams in the league. They were dominant all season, losing just once all year so if the club can retain their players, 2023 will be a great opportunity to further develop while challenging themselves at a higher level.
Rowville Juniors
The Rowville Junior Football Club added an extra team in 2022, having 12.5 teams for the season. The Under 12B boys side had a great season, finishing on top of the ladder to then go on to win the Grand Final. The Under 17A Boys’ side also finished as Minor Premiers. However, they were defeated on Grand Final Day by the Glen Waverley Rovers in a tight game.
Oliver Balta had a fantastic season, winning the Under 11B Boys league best and fairest.