EFL Media’s Matt Fotia takes us through five talking points to emerge from Round 4…
Happy times ahead at the Hangar
Relax Heathmont fans, you are in for a good ride over the next few years. The addition of a new pavilion to the already spectacular H.E. Parker complex is just the start of your future joys.
Saturday’s convincing 10-goal win over the Waverley Blues showcased your immense leg speed, clinical ball skills and star power across the ground with great defensive games from Dylan Sverns and Jake Sheriff, whilst Ben “The Viking” Abbruzzese kicked six up forward off the back of a collective midfield effort.
It doesn’t stop there as the Jets showed impressive depth with usual walk-up starts Robbie Savory and John Knudsen toiling away in the reserves thus far for 2018 and of course the number of young stars who showed sprinklings of brilliance on Saturday as well, headlined by former Vermont Eagle Bailey Stevens who finished second best afield.
Other youthful players such as versatile midfielder Ryan Young, tall marking target Fin Brown, nuggety half-back Ryan Burleigh and the skilful Brent Honey all played important hands on Saturday leaving the future in good hands at the Hangar.
Eagles send a message
Despite having the only unblemished record in Division 1 this season, many tipsters across the League fancied a Vermont loss this weekend as it rolled into Mullum Mullum Reserve to face a much-hyped Norwood side.
Well, those tipsters (including myself) were very, very wrong. Vermont showed its sheer class as it cut through Norwood like a hot knife through butter. Its elite skills left the Norsemen at many a loose end in the first half with Vermont kicking 14 goals to two. Brett Eddy finished the day with nine goals, bringing his season tally to 21 from the first four rounds.
Brett Eddy in action. Picture: Valeriu Campan
The scary thought for everyone else involved in Division 1? Jake Best only kicked three, and multiple other 2017 stars have yet to hit their straps thus far this year.
So on behalf of those foolish tipsters, we’re sorry for doubting you Vermont, it won’t happen again.
Big weekend in Division 2
The split round in Division 2 has left us with a couple of big games this upcoming weekend. Mooroolbark and Bayswater both got steadying wins against weaker opposition in Mulgrave and Croydon respectively to bring them back to an even 2-2 win loss ledger in 2018.
They meet each other this weekend at Heights Reserve in an all-important clash. The loser risks losing touch with the top four, whilst the winner could see itself in that all-important four, should Lilydale defeat Wantirna South in the division’s other big clash.
For the undefeated Falcons, this weekend provides another opportunity to show the doubters that they have the mettle to defeat an in-form and well-regarded Wantirna South side. Despite being 4-0 many believe the Falcons have faced a relatively easy draw. Win and they’ll find themselves at least a game clear of the rest heading into their week off. Lose and they could be back with the pack.
On the other hand, should the Devils deliver a home win, it could see them shoot into the top two and bank a fourth-consecutive victory after their shock Round 1 loss to Park Orchards. Lose at home and they heap pressure on themselves when they travel to Kings Park in Round 6.
Adam Amin is the Glen Waverley Hawks’ barometer
The solid Hawks full forward has established himself as his side’s barometer after he kicked eight goals in a best on ground performance in their massive win over Kilsyth at the weekend. A closer look at Amin’s form shows just how important he is to his side.
In Round 1, he kicked three goals but was nowhere near his best as they went down to the Whitehorse Pioneers by 39 points. In Round 2, he kicked a late goal in a quiet performance against East Burwood. They lost by 26.
Last weekend, he kicked just two goals but featured in his side’s best for the first time in 2018. The Hawks? They defeated Forest Hill by 30 points. And of course this weekend saw his best performance of the year in the Hawks’ 46-point smashing of the Cougars.
The Hawks on the whole can be pretty happy with their 2018 so far. They’ve played the top four sides in the competition and come away with two big wins. If they can cash in over the next month they could set themselves up for finals action this year.
The big bag lives
As the AFL continues to become a high-pressure, high-intensity midfielders’ game which is slowly sapping our enjoyment of the sport, local footy keeps on keeping on with one of the best sights of our great game; the big bag. After Leigh Williams’ massive haul of 10 last weekend we had a closer look at the rest of the competition.
Across the League in Round 4 there were a massive 17 bags of five goals plus, headlined by Brett Eddy’s nine and Adam Amin’s eight.
Division 1 saw Jake Tucker (five) and Jake Hammond (six) battle it out in the three-point thriller at Morton Park and it could’ve easily been 20-plus this weekend as nine players fell just short kicking a measly four goals on Saturday.
Division 3 saw five players collect a handful of five or more with Scoresby and Warrandyte having the elusive ‘Twin Towers’ as two of their players kicked five or more in big wins.
So next time you come home from the ‘G disappointed with the brand of AFL footy, remember just one thing; you can always ‘go local for your footy’.
All views expressed in this article remain those of the author and not of the Eastern Football League or its affiliated clubs.
