By Jared Beanland
After a disappointing year in 2022, Heathmont returned to form last season under new Senior Coach Scott Hamill, narrowly missing out on premiership glory at the hands of Boronia.
A dream run in the finals series was the jewel in the crown of Heathmont’s achievements in season 2023. After struggling through the middle part of the season with injuries, the Jets managed to rise above the pack in the latter half of the year. They gave themselves a chance to strike down the favourites of Division 2, Boronia, but fell short in a hotly-contested Grand Final.
This preseason, Hamill has been focussing on refining the strengths he found at the club when he took his position, while also adding some maturity to the list through recruitment.
“Preseason’s been really good, the boys have come back very fit and healthy. Had a good preseason programme completed, and we’re quite fit at the minute which is good,” Hamill said.
While injuries did hamper their performances in the middle part of the season, the Jets were able to bounce back at the right time, ensuring themselves a good run through the finals series.
“I thought we were fairly consistent toward the start of the year, then we got a few injuries, and dropped off our consistency through the middle parts of the year, and that showed from our results. But as a club we really timed ourselves right with hitting our peak, as finals start,”
“So we got things right at the right time of the year. Obviously we still had a few out throughout the finals series. But I thought the guys who ran out throughout the course of the finals did their job really well.”
“I think our goal last year was to get a consistent list and push for finals footy, and we definitely achieved that. We’re one step closer to what we wanted to achieve.”
Despite losing on the last day of the year, Heathmont has taken heart from their performance. Hamill acknowledges that Boronia are the benchmark of the division, but is confident that the development he has seen in the past few months will make them worthy challenges to the reigning premiers in season 2024.
“If you look at our results last year, and the game against Boronia – full credit to them, they deserved the win on the day – but as a side I felt we prepared really well. We got our match-ups right, we just fell away at a couple of moments in the game where it went their way and not ours’.”
“We’ve recruited some really mature players, we’re quite a young list, so we’ve recruited a bit of maturity this year. And obviously another full 12 months in the job and seeing what we can actually do with the playing list we’ve got will help. We’ve also really developed our kids and the playing list in general as well, which is going to hold us in good stead.”
Heathmont have been recruiting strongly in this off-season and are starting to become a destination club. A number of big-name players from Premier Division side Norwood have come across to bolster the young list, bringing that maturity which Hamill mentioned.
“You look at the likes of the two Feltham brothers in James and Dylan, they’re great additions. You also have Mitch Jones who no one would have seen yet, but he’s a six-foot-five, 90 kilo midfielder. So he’s going to be a great addition to the side. He’s played with the Eastern Ranges, has played VFL footy, and the last few years he’s been playing out at Colac. And you’ve got other guys as well, Dan Young included.”
Dan Young is another player from Norwood who managed 16 games last year, while the two Feltham brothers combined for 35 games and 15 goals. Braden Bird is another former Norseman to join the Jets, who also managed to play consistent footy throughout last year.
Four players who were consistent staples for a Premier Division will add a healthy degree of professionalism to Heathmont, both on and off the field.
“We’ve been really consistent with our recruiting, and become a club where players have actually reached out and come to us as well, which is great to see.”
There are outgoing players from the Jets also – the Burleigh brothers, Wade van Leeuwen, Campbell Evans, Harry Isaacs, and Jed Hansen. However, the crop of younger players will be the focus of Heathmont’s improvement at HE Parker this year, and those include some exciting names that have already shown off their talent at senior level in years past.
These players will be joined by boys graduating from the under 19s side to get their chance in the senior team this year.
“The younger kids who played last year, they’ll play more consistent football this year. Have a look at Paddy O’Connor who came in about round 6, and didn’t take a step backwards, and held his spot for the remainder of the year,”
“Jack Davidson who missed the majority of last year with a knee reconstruction from the year prior, he’s in good shape at the moment. It’s exciting times at the moment,”
“We’ve got a handful of under 19s, so we’ve got about 30-odd players pushing for senior selection at the moment.”
The game plan already in place throughout season 2023 led to some dominant performances over many of the stronger sides across Division 2 while Heathmont was at full strength. Hamill is intent on maintaining that fast-paced ball movement, honing the strengths already there, while also making sure to focus on areas that need improvement – such as the side’s contested possession game.
“When you look at last year we got our defensive pressure right, and we were able to score on the back of turnovers. It’s something we focus on as a fast, quick-running side. We’ve also really worked on our contested footy. We’ve just really refined everything, to be able to compete with Boronia.”
Division 2 proved to be a very close competition last year, with Boronia out in front. Seven teams could have easily fit into the top 5, and Hamill predicts that this season will be similarly tight.
“We’re not specifically just looking at Boronia, I think it’s going to be a very close competition. I think anyone one their day could beat anyone this year, as they probably could have last year. You definitely look at Boronia, obviously they’ll go in this year as favourites, deservedly so after winning it last year.
Promotion was not on offer last year, due to the league’s restructuring effort, and as such Boronia were not promoted. The case is different this year, with the division’s premier being moved up to Division 1 for season 2025. Hamill reckons that the club is in a good position both on and off the field to make that jump.
“That does play its role, but I think to win it no matter what, it’s always a great entitlement, and something you definitely strive for, promotion or non-promotion. But Div 1 is definitely where the club wants to be, the club’s well set up off field, so if we were able to win it this year, I think it would be a seamless transition into Div 1.”
Hamill is confident that his team will surpass the high standard set last year, and that as long as the Jets give themselves every opportunity, there is no reason to believe they will be true contenders to Boronia once again.
“We’re confident with where we’re at, we know our best is good enough, it’s just a matter of us turning up each weekend and bringing our best across the game each week. Ideally, I think we’re in a great position. But this time of year, every club thinks they’re in a great position.”
The Heathmont senior men’s side will open season 2024 with a night match under lights against The Basin at HE Parker Reserve on Friday, April 5th.
Once again in season 2024 a women’s team will be coming out of HE Parker. The Jets girls had a difficult season on the field last year, unable to win a game for the year, finding themselves in Division Three. Stepping into the senior women’s coaching role this year is Adam Sullivan, who is optimistic about this fresh start, and the buy-in he’s seen from the squad he’s taken over.
“We started early November, averaging around 15 to 20 players for the first few weeks, and then it obviously dies off towards Christmas time, but it picked back up to that 15 to 20 mark not long after we came back after Australia Day weekend, so it’s been good. The girls have really bought in from the start, organising extra running sessions without me pushing it, so that’s been really impressive.”
Sullivan has had experience as an assistant coach with the Nunawading women’s side, but this is his first foray into a head coaching position.
“My partner plays, and she was looking to make the move, so she reached out to Heathmont. They caught wind that I might be looking to coach, so I ended up doing the interview process, and landed the job.”
The move Sullivan made to Heathmont was not taken lightly, and was even helped along by recruiting one of his mates from Nunawading to play for the Heathmont senior men’s side.
“It’s been really easy to be honest, especially with my partner in the playing group and also I managed to get across one of my best mates to the club, Ryan Hardy, so he’s jumped on board as assistant coach. And then after a few long chats we ended up getting him on board as a player as well, so that made the move a lot easier. Obviously being at the club (Nunawading) for seven years, you’ve got some pretty good friendships, so it’s a bit hard to leave, but with those two coming across it was a fairly easy decision, and has made the transition pretty easy.”
Despite struggling throughout the past couple of years, the Jets girls have maintained the hunger to improve, and that is something Sullivan has confidence in from what he’s seen from the playing group so far.
“Obviously they’ve had a couple of rough years, these past two years, with only two wins in two seasons. What impressed me from the outset was the fact that they had five of the girls come in for the interview process, they really went on about how dedicated they are to improving, and wanting to get better. That can only mean so much until you see it, but like I said, player retention has been pretty solid in my eyes. I think we have 22 from last year’s list stick around, so I think it’s pretty clear that they all want to get better, and get a few wins under their belt this year, and go from there.”
The relegation from Division 2 to 3 means big changes for the team’s context this year. While it will be a lower quality of football, it by no means follows that the competition they will face is any less fierce. Sullivan and his girls are keen to meet those challenges head-on.
“I think the girls are quite excited for the new challenges this year, I think Division 3 from what I can see is probably going to be one of, if not the most competitive divisions. You’ve got three teams coming up from Division 4, who are by no means there to be underestimated at all. And then you’ve got the Eastern Devils who are back-to-back grand finalists. So it’s really shaping up to be a good healthy division, and the girls along with myself and Ryan are pretty excited for the challenges ahead.”
A couple of players have really caught Sullivan’s eye during the preseason, and he’s excited to see what they can do once they don the Jets jumper once again.
“One from last year is Emily Eversteyn, our big ruck, from the minute I got the role as coach she was reaching out, asking what she can do to improve her short distance speed, her ruckcraft, her work around the ground,”
“We’ve also got Haley Morrow coming back, she’s recently had a baby, and is joining her sisters Aimee and Kyla. From what I can tell she’s 100% committed to the role, she’s made it clear whatever she’s needed to do she’ll do. In our first practise match a couple of weeks ago she made a statement on what she can do, and she’s here to make it pretty tough for some of the league’s best players. So those are two that have really stood out to me this preseason,”
“Also Hailey Ferris will be back from an ACL, she missed all of last year, and she’ll just add another level of potency to our forward options. So she won’t be back until midseason, but I’m looking forward to her getting out on the park.”
The Jets will be fielding some new blood this year, with one big name coming across with Sullivan from his former club.
“There’s Miranda Marshall who’s come across from Nunawading, she was their captain there last year. Bit of a friendship tie there that made it a bit easier. So she’ll add some valuable on-field leadership, and some exciting dash from half back. Then there’s a bit of a surprise packet, Bronte Arnott,”
“In all honesty we don’t know much about her, but if she plays the way she trains, she’s going to have a big impact on the team this year. She’s come down from Canberra, so really looking forward to seeing her out there.”
Coming into a new club, Sullivan has observed the way Heathmont has played in past seasons, and in his mind simplifying the game style has been his main priority when it comes to their on-field performance.
“I think big things for me was just developing the roster, building the list size a little bit so we can create competitiveness for list spots each week, and establishing a playing style that resonates with the players. From what I could tell it was a lot of get the ball, trap it on your boot and go from there,”
“So I think we’re just trying to simplify the instructions while creating structured plays so that everyone on the ground knows what their roles and responsibilities are.”
Sullivan has also observed how healthy the integration of a women’s team into Heathmont as a club has been.
“The women’s team here has been up and running for a while. And just speaking to some of the girls, they’ve been impressed about how welcoming the club is to the women’s team. A lot of clubs you might go to, and the senior mens team is the priority. But they’re all about equality at Heathmont, and making the girls feel welcome, and valuable to the club.”
The value of the women’s team to Heathmont has been emphasised by the club pushing to schedule a feature game for them in Round 2.
“The club has done a great job of shining a spotlight on the women’s team this season. We’ve been lucky enough to lock in a blockbuster twilight game against Coldstream on Saturday the 27th of April.”
The Heathmont women’s team will start their campaign in a new division in an away match against last year’s runners up. The Jets will play the Eastern Devils at Mulgrave Reserve on Saturday the 20th of April.
