By Ryan Long
Overview:
Warrandyte took another step forward in 2021, winning their first minor premiership since 2015. The Bloods finished on top of the Division Three ladder with an impressive record of 8 and 2.
The makings of their minor premiership performance started in the off-season with the major recruitment of ex-Vermont and Upper Ferntree Gully star, Ryan Phillips. The key forward went on to win the league best and fairest, giving the Bloods a very prominent target inside 50.
As dominant as Phillips was as the experienced key forward inside 50, Warrandyte also have a pretty stable back six that played a massive role in why the club were the number one defensive side in the division. Not once did their opposition register a triple digit score against them this season despite hitting the 100-point mark multiple times this season.
Apart from a slip up against Scoresby and a disappointing effort in the final game of the year against the Rams, the Bloods were the clear benchmark of division three.
Best Win: Warrandyte 12.15 87 def. East Burwood 9.8 62 @Warrandyte Reserve
A beautiful Saturday afternoon in May saw the Bloods knock off another premiership contender after trailing early on.
They were challenged all afternoon and the Bloods were forced to move the magnets around at half-time to get themselves back in the game in the third quarter. Warrandyte went into the main break two points down with a woeful 3.12 to their name. It was partly due to East Burwood’s team defence that never left Phillips alone in a one-on-one contest.
Needing a way to bring the key forward back in the game, Paul Donahoo moved Phillips up the ground and opened up the forward line. The Bloods piled on six goals to two in the third quarter with the midfield lowering their eyes and hitting better targets. It was one of Warrandyte’s most even scoring spreads with eight goal kickers, with Meyers, Buckley, Cullum and Brooking all kicking two each.
East Burwood fought back in the final term especially thanks to Braeden Barlow’s five majors but the Bloods had all the answers, holding on for a gutsy 25-point win. Lachlan Buckley was a clear standout for the Bloods, impressing once again and finishing best on field.
Worst Loss: Scoresby 11.3 69 def. Warrandyte 9.14 68 @Scoresby Recreation Reserve
One of only two blemishes for Warrandyte in their minor premiership winning year. A disappointing result at Scoresby saw the Bloods waste their opportunities in front of goal to fall short by just a single point.
The Bloods had nine more scoring shots than Scoresby and weren’t able to recover after their 1.7 second-quarter. Ryan Phillips and Mitchell Buckley combined for six and Richardson, Tout and Johnston all had one each.
At the other end of the ground, the Magpies made the most of their chances, as Tom Sonsie finished with three wile Jack Paravinci kicked two of his own.
In reality, it was four points the club shouldn’t have dropped but also a bit of a wake-up call. The Bloods went on to win the next six in a row.
Standout Player: Ryan Phillips
The clear standout for not only the club but the entire third division, Ryan ‘Buckets’ Phillips, helped convert the Bloods from a finals team to the benchmark team of the division. Phillips finished the season with 35 goals, an average of 3.5 goals per game. This included three bags of five or more and at least one in each of the ten games he played in.
Phillips tied with Scoresby’s Paul Chadwick with 13 votes to win the league best and fairest, the Perc James medal. He was judged best on field by the umpires twice this season, once in round three against Whitehorse where he booted seven for the afternoon and a second time in round eleven against Ferntree Gully.
Off-Season Focus:
There isn’t a whole lot for the Bloods to change this off-season, they’ve got a list in the right age bracket to contend for their first premiership since 2015.
As dominant as Phillips was this season, he will need more of a hand from the rest of the forward line if the Bloods are to go on to win a premiership next season. Michael Cullum finished with 15 goals as the number two go-to forward behind Phillips.
With a season record of 8-2, this isn’t a major issue but just something to consider.
Whether that’s through recruiting or looking at their younger players on the list to take the next step. Their ball movement inside 50 and making the most of their forward fifty entries will be another thing to look at over the off-season. Their inaccuracy in front of goal only hurt them once this season but if they can fix that part of the game, they’ll be even harder to beat, especially at home.