By Matt Fotia
Men’s
Overview
Following their dream run to the 2019 Grand Final and the relative levelling out of the competition, many saw 2021 as Blackburn’s big chance to take the next step as a Premier Division club, but the late pre-season departure of ruckman Lachlan Howe was a hole the Burners could never quite fill as they played out a so-so Premier Division campaign.
Blackburn failed to win at home in 2021, with sides capitalising on their relatively weak ruck department, as Kyle Dove and Lachlan Harry went up against some of the League’s best, including three former AFL Listed big-men and Vermont combination of Wale-Buxton and Ross.
If you were going to pick a year to not hit your straps though this year wasn’t a bad one.
Best Win – Blackburn 15.8(98) def Doncaster 5.8(38)
At the time it seemed a run of the mill performance by a then premiership contender against a near-certain relegation fancy. But as the season rolled on the Burners 10 goal win at Shark Park got better and better, with Doncaster proving themselves a more than adequate adversary – especially on their home patch.
Blackburn controlled the game after half-time, kicking eight goals to none in the second half. Pleasingly they found multiple avenues to goal, with makeshift forward Daniel Arangio booting four to lead the way whilst Michael Dunn was yet again the lynchpin down back.
Worst Loss – Blackburn 7.14(56) def by North Ringwood 10.8(68)
Coming into the fixture with a 3-4 record and needing an easy kill to both keep pace with the leaders and get the ‘yet-to-win-a-game-at-home-after-the-new-rooms-had-been-built’ monkey off their back, things were looking good for the Burners when they led by 24 points at the first change.
But they could muster just three more goals for the afternoon as an inspired North Ringwood side powered home, taking advantage of the Burners poor kicking. The game was pretty much a metaphor for Blackburn’s year.
Every time they thought they’d got things going, they’d trip up and take another step back.
Star Player
After debuting just three seasons ago, Mackenzie Doreian has firmed into one of the League’s star players.
The nippy winger averaged 5.6 Inside 50’s per game in 2021 to go with 17.3 disposals and 4.5 tackles across the 2021 season.
He brings genuine X-Factor to the Burners outfit as a player who can make things happen on the inside and the outside of the contest. As he matures he’ll only add more strings to his already impressive bow and could be the next genuine Morton Park talisman for years to come.
Off-Season
As alluded to in the ‘Overview’ the Ruck situation is one that needs addressing, even if it is just a stock-gap player to fill the void for a few years. But given Blackburn were well and truly in the Premiership conversation at the season’s beginning, getting an experienced ruckman in makes even more sense.
Outside of that it comes down to what Brendan Allen and his crew think 2021 was. Was it merely a blip, where nothing went right and once they get everyone on the park they’ll be fine? Or was it something more, a sign that the game plan or the personnel aren’t quite at the level?
That’s for brighter minds than I to figure out.
Women’s
Overview
2021 might well be the start of a long running period of dominance for the Blackburn Women’s Program, with both its senior sides enjoying very successful seasons.
Their Premier Division side went through the year undefeated, totalling over 100 more points than anyone else in the Division and finishing up with a percentage of over 250.
Meanwhile their Division Three side fell just short of making it a Minor Premiership double, falling 29% short of Chirnside Park despite being the Number One ranked defensive outfit in the competition.
Best Win(s) – Prem – Blackburn 8.4(52) def Chirnside Park 8.2(50)
Blackburn arrived at Chirnside Park early in the season ready to take on the Panthers Juggernaut, ready to take their mantle as the best in the East.
The Burners held Chirnside scoreless in both the First Quarter and the Third Quarter before managing two key goals against the run of play in the last to stave off the fast-finishing Panthers.
Serena Kuo was on song from siren-to-siren polling three votes come season’s end, whilst partner in crime Amelia Dawborn found the big sticks on four occasions as Blackburn climbed to the top of the tree in the Premier Division.
Division Three – Blackburn 6.6(42) def South Croydon 3.4(22)
Blackburn came out firing in their early season encounter with the Dogs, having nine scoring shots to none in the first term, before shutting out the GirlDogs in the last as they ran out 20-point winners against their fellow finals’ contenders.
Sarah Hobson was the star on the day, whilst Ash Gleisner and Renee James kicked a pair of goals each.
Worst Loss(es) – Prem (N/A)
Division Three – Blackburn 6.5(41) def by Chirnside Park 7.6(48)
In the end it was the loss that cost them the Minor Premiership. They kicked four goals in the second quarter to hit the front at the main break before fading in the second half to go down by seven points to the eventual Minor Premier.
They had just three goal kickers as well with Gleisner, Chrissy Lagos and Terri Price all kicking two goals apiece
Star Players
Premier
She’s already grabbed a mention for her performance in the Burners big win over Chirnside Park earlier in the year, but Serena Kuo’s year was so good she needs a further shoutout.
She booted 14 goals to be the sides’ leading goal kicker and finish second in the competition to go with her podium finish in the Premier Division Best and Fairest. A destructive player Kuo was named Best on Ground by the umpires twice, a key cog in the Blackburn machine.
Division Three
Just like her Premier Division counterpart, Mia Chadwick finished second in the League Medal, polling 15 votes to fall just four short of Croydon North MLOC’s Hailee Stokes.
Chadwick kicked five goals across a season with including four three vote games, including three in four rounds (Rd 4, 5 + 7) as she led the count at Round Nine.
Off-Season
The main thing for Blackburn is to remain sustainable. They’ve got incredible numbers which will no doubt grow as their juniors come through into the open age groups, but they must resist the temptation to grow too quickly.
Keep to the path and become the female football powerhouse they’re promising to be.