By Ryan Long.
It was quick success for Ferntree Gully in their return to the Senior Women’s competition, Division Four premiers, while the senior men face a transition period with a young list coming through.
Senior Men’s
Ladder Position: 8th (6-12, 78.53%)
Best and Fairest winner: Jordan Church
Leading Goalkicker: Jack Flannery (19 Goals)
A new-look Ferntree Gully side took their time to get out of the blocks in 2024 after making last year’s Division Three decider against Donvale.
It was a much younger side heading into the new season, made tougher with significant injuries to key players including Eagles star Lachlan Kennedy missing another long period of the season at a crucial time of the year.
The Gully hit better form after Round Eight with important victories over Oakleigh District (Round Nine), a seven-goal win over Upper Ferntree Gully (Round Eleven), and a demolition of Warrandyte (Round Fourteen).
Keeping their season alive, Ferntree Gully defeated top three side Coldstream, costing the Cougars a double chance while opening up the door to fifth place. They entered Round 18 needing to defeat Oakleigh District by five goals or more to play finals. They unfortunately fell short after falling away in the second half of that contest.
After a great tenure at the club over five seasons, Brent Kiker announced in July that he would finish at the end of the season, having led a young group to a Grand Final during his time at Ferntree Gully.
Key Players:
Young star Jordan Church impressed in 2024 as he took home the club’s senior best and fairest as well as being named in the EFNL Division Three Team of the Year. Church averaged over 20 disposals and nine contested possessions in 2024, also averaging the most ranking points of all Eagles players.
Featuring in the best a total of 14 times from 18 games, Brodie Harrison was a clear standout for the Eagles.
Continuing from where he left off last year, Ethan Kiker had another great season, averaging 23 disposals per game, more than any other player on the list.
Best Win: Round Eleven – Ferntree Gully 15.9 99 def. Upper Ferntree Gully 7.12 54 @Wally Tew Reserve
As good as their end-of-season win over Coldstream in tough conditions was, knocking off local rival Upper Ferntree Gully by 45 points was one for the Gully to remember.
After a disappointing result to the Kings under lights in Round Two, Ferntree Gully bounced back with a dominant performance. A six-goal to-one first quarter set up the victory.
Skipper Jack Flannery played arguably his best game for the season, leading the way with four majors.
Jordyn Flannery, Callum Pola and Paddy Turner all hit the scoreboard as well with multiple goals on the afternoon.
Off-Season Focus:
The challenges certainly await the senior side next season with what is likely to be a very different list in 2024.
Multiple key players have moved on including best and fairest winner Jordan Church (Boronia), young star Ethan Kiker (Wantirna South), and skipper Jack Flannery (Tooradin).
As well as the list changes, they’ll be under a new senior coach in Patty Garrity, who most recently coached the Under 19s side at Rowville. It’s a big task ahead as he’ll look to strengthen the side with recruits.
Key position recruit is going to be vital, including their ruck stocks with ruckman Brayden Wright returning to Boronia and veteran Daniel De Iseo finished up.
Ferntree Gully has announced the signing of Elliot Triegaardt who has crossed over from South Belgrave. A premiership in 2022 with the senior Saints side was followed by a Reserves premiership this year.
Senior Women’s
Ladder Position: 1st (11-1, 595.80%)
Leading Goalkicker: Breanna Carter (30 Goals)
Summary:
One of the great stories of the 2024 season, Ferntree Gully relaunched their Senior Women’s program with a side that passed all challenges thrown their way.
The Division Four Premiers, Ferntree Gully lost just one game for the entire season. The number one attacking and defensive side in the division, the Eagles averaged 59 points per game, and incredibly an average of just nine points per game.
Qualifying first for the finals, a minor premiership birth was followed by a gritty semi-final victory over Wantirna South. An 18-point win at H.E Parker Reserve saw the Eagles finish with four of the last five goals of the game to advance through to the big dance.
Grand Final Day back at HE Parker saw Ferntree Gully defeat Bayswater by three points in a tight finish. The Gully needed to come-from-behind at Three Quarter Time to secure the premiership.
Key Players:
Skipper Ashleigh Hilder wrote herself not only into the Ferntree Gully history books but EFNL history as well. She became a premiership captain and was also one of the most influential players on the field on Grand Final Day. Her great season was highlighted by winning the 2024 Division Four Senior Women’s League best and fairest on Chandler Medal evening.
A fantastic season, Hilder also finished with 15 goals per game.
The leading goal kicker for Ferntree Gully, Breanna Carter, finished the season after finals with 30 goals for the season, an average of more than two goals per game. It was Carter’s first year at senior level after playing at the Ferntree Gully’s Under 16’s side as well as the Coates Talent League Under 16s.
Both Hilder and Carter made Team of the Year honours as well as defender Breanna Smith. Rock solid in defence, Smith was a key reason for the success of what was an unbreakable defence.
Best Win: Division Four Grand Final – Ferntree Gully 2.7 19 def. Bayswater 2.4 16 @ HE Parker Reserve
Unlike a lot of their games across the 2024 season, Ferntree Gully didn’t have the Grand Final on their terms for the full 80 minutes.
After two convincing wins over Bayswater during the Home and Away season where they held the Waters goalless on both occasions, the Grand Final saw Bayswater jump out of the blocks first with the opening goal.
In the second quarter, the momentum started to shift back in Ferntree Gully’s favour with Breanna Carter converting from a set shot to put the Eagles in front. They owned the quarter but missed a few opportunities which meant they entered the Half Time break with just a two-point lead.
Challenged again in the third quarter. Ferntree Gully’s defence was phenomenal under the pump with Bayswater doing all the attacking. The likes of Krystal Nuku and Nicola Junginger having important quarters with Bayswater owning the territory.
With one final quarter to play, the Gully trailed by a goal, but they owned the final quarter, levelling the scores through Carter’s second of the day at the seven-minute mark of the quarter. Controlling the territory for the remainder of the quarter, three more behinds saw the Gully hold on for a memorable Grand Final win.
Breanna Carter’s performance earned her the Blue Ribbon Medal for Best on Ground.
Off-Season Focus:
After a fantastic season as senior coach, Dwayne Stangherlin has re-signed for the 2025 season. His dedication to the playing group and club has set the Eagles up for more success.
If they’re able to keep the young group together, there are no limits on what they can achieve in 2025 in a higher division.
Mooroolbark have created the blueprint, having won last year’s Division Four Grand Final, followed by a dominant year in Division Three in 2024. No reason why Ferntree Gully can’t follow in their footsteps.
Netball
FTG Blue (Premier): 5th (6-6)
FTG Eagles (Division Two): 9th (0-12)
FTG White (Division Three): 7th (3-9)
FTG Yellow (Division Nine): 5th (7-5-2)
Despite no finals appearance for Ferntree Gully’s netball teams in 2024, the club still possess one of the strongest Netball programs in the competition.
Four teams competed in the 2024 New Balance Netball season, three of those teams participating in the top four divisions.
FTG Eagles Blue won six games in the Premier Division and spent periods of the season inside the top four. They missed out on finals by one position but proved they can match it with some of the best sides. They won their first four games of the season, including a 50-goal win over East Burwood.
Summah Hinchcliffe finished as the team’s leading goal shooter, 264 goals from 11 games.
The Division Nine Ferntree Gully side was also very close to a finals spot, finishing just outside the top four with seven wins and two draws for the season. Hayley Mavropoulos finished with 194 goals, the leading goal shooter for FTG Yellow.
