By Josh Ward
Men’s:
Overview:
After their drought-breaking 2019 season, it was a dip in form for the 2019 Division Four Premiers as they made the step up to Division Three for the first time in 25 years.
In their 50th year, they only had one win and 10 losses, finishing bottom of the table but surviving the drop to Division Four due to COVID ending the season.
Best Win: Round 13 vs Glen Waverley (Fairpark 13.11.89 defeated Glen Waverley 12.10.82)
0-9 heading into the game and with Glen Waverley, it was pure joy for the Lions as they picked up their first ever Division Three win since Round 13, 1996.
The game was tight throughout and at each break, but Fairpark were too strong in the final quarter after being down by a straight kick at three quarter time.
2019 Division Four Under 19 B&F Winner Mason Byrne was the matchwinner for the Lions, kicking the sealer after roving the pack up forward. However it was superstar ruckman Kyle Hird who was best on, picking up the three votes as well as kicking two goals, with Ben McLeod picking up the one vote.
Luke Walker, Gareth Bailey (who kicked three goals), Mitchell Nied and Efstratios Doulgeris were also named in the best, with Billy Huxtable picking up two votes for Glen Waverley as Fairpark broke a 25-year drought at Fairpark Reserve.
Worst Loss: R11 vs Whitehorse Pioneers (Fairpark 5.11.41 defeated by Whitehorse Pioneers 8.2.50)
It was the second matchup between the two strugglers of Division Three, with Whitehorse the only side out of the two to have a win back in Round Two against Fairpark at Springfield Park.
An arm wrestle of a match, the Pioneers were much more accurate than the Lions as they got their second win of 2021 against Fairpark, this time at Fairpark Reserve, whilst causing more heartbreak for the Lions still searching for that first 3rd Division victory.
Dom Violi and Andrew Padbury each kicked two goals, with Brodie Yapp kicking three for Fairpark and Violi picking up two B&F votes along with Joel Dalgleish with three and Kyle Hird with one.
Hird, Brad and Mitch Nied, Ben McLeod, Gareth Bailey and Cooper Bevis-Chedgey were all named in Fairpark’s best, but it was the Lions inaccuracy which cost them, kicking 11 behinds from 16 shots as they lost their eighth game in a row of 2021.
Standout Player: Kyle Hird
Ever since he came into the Fairpark senior system in 2014, Hird has been one of the most consistent players for the Lions, and this year was no different.
Played all but one game for Fairpark this year, finishing with three best on grounds, and picked up eight votes in the Division Three B&F count, including two three vote games against Glen Waverley and most impressively Warrandyte.
Will be a leader for the Lions in the years to come and will continue to be a valuable asset in the middle of Fairpark Reserve.
Offseason Plans:
This Fairpark side is a good mix of youth and experience, but one thing they do need is an experienced forward. Fairpark averaged a 3rd Division low 53.3 points per game after averaging 110.7 points per game in 2019 (second behind East Burwood).
It didn’t help that they lost superstars James Gough and Alex Mullucks quite literally at the start of 2021, with the likes of Josh Temple, Tyrone Fabrizio and Ronnie McKendry barely playing in 2021 also leaving a fairly big hole up forward
It has potential, and Temple, Fabrizio and McKendry will be back, but the one thing they do need is an experienced forward who can be their main man up there and help guide the younger players.
Women’s:
Overview:
In the inaugural season of women’s football down at Fairpark Reserve, the Lions were solid against some really strong sides in their first season.
Finished fifth in 3rd Division and with a 3-7 record, they won their first two games, but had their struggles towards the end of 2021.
They finished with three players in the Team of the Year squad and will continue to develop even more in season 2022 down at Fairpark.
Best Win: Round 10 at South Croydon Red (Fairpark 5.4.34 defeated South Croydon Red 1.1.7)
In their second consecutive match against South Croydon, this time at Cheong Park, it was Fairpark that pulled off a major surprise with a 27-point victory over the top of the table Bulldogs in this twilight match
Having lost last time around due to South Croydon dominating all four quarters, it was the Lions who returned the favour and dominated the contest, keeping the usually free-flowing Bulldogs to only seven points.
Sarah Birthisel kicked two goals and was named in the best for Fairpark, along with Abbey Croot, Eva Jenkins, Kahlia Sommers & Anne Egan, with Libby McNay named BOG.
However, it was Sonja Throenycroft and Rachael Harriage who picked up three and two B&F votes respectively, with South Croydon’s Kiara White picking up one vote as the Lions got revenge and what would be their last win of season 2021.
Worst Loss: Round 3 at Coldstream (Fairpark 0.0.0 defeated by Coldstream 0.2.2)
2-0 to the start the season and coming up against a side also in its inaugural season, the Cougars managed to pick up their second win, capping off a near perfect day for Coldstream, with three of their four sides getting wins against Silvan and Fairpark.
It was the definition of a scrappy affair, with the only scores of the game coming in the second and fourth quarter on a beautiful yet cold day at Halley Supple Reserve, with Fairpark not even scoring on the day and losing by two points.
Star midfielder Bree Pascoe picked up the three B&F votes for Coldstream, with Holly Duke also picking up the two vote and Fairpark’s Nicole Crivellaro picking up the final vote.
Kahlia Sommers, Sarah Birthisel, Bayley Harding-Smith, Libby McNay, Jacinta Morganella and Abbey Croot were all named in the best as Fairpark lost their first ever game in the EFNL, going on to lose their next six and seven of their last eight.
Standout Player: Libby McNay
There were quite a few consistent players who nearly stood out, but it’s McNay who was consistently a standout for Fairpark in its inaugural season.
Was named in their best six out of nine times, including three BOGs, and was their leading goal scorer with eight and their second highest vote-getter in the Division Three Best and Fairest with five, which includes a BOG performance vs Donvale in Round two.
Was named on the bench in the Division Three Team of the Year and will be a crucial cog for the Fairpark women’s side moving forward.
Offseason Plans:
It could potentially be an offseason of re-signings for Fairpark, but one thing they do need is reassurance down back.
They’re not as leaky as the bottom two, but still conceded 34.4 points per game, which was the most out of the top five sides.
It is a very good side with quite a few good players who will continue to naturally develop, but if they get some reassurance down back it’ll go a long way to them being a contender in 2022.
