By Josh Ward.
It's set to be a historic year for the Bulleen Templestowe Football Club as they begin life in the Eastern Football Netball League.
The Bullants will compete in Division 4 of the EFNL this season after coming across from the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), a league where they won six senior premierships and reached its top flight in the late 1980s.
Last season saw them finish at the bottom of the VAFA’s fifth tier (Division 2), securing four wins plus a draw along the way.
Its senior men’s side has been led by club stalwart Andrew Verga since 2023 while Greg Chivers is currently the club’s president.
Verga says its move to the East has brought a buzz and a renewed sense of enthusiasm across the entire club.
“It’s definitely a fresh start for us. It gives us an opportunity to rebrand and have a look at ourselves in a different competition,” Verga said.
“Gives us an opportunity to strengthen our ties with our junior club as well. It’s just a great opportunity, and we thank the EFNL for giving us this opportunity.”
The move to the EFNL has seen Bulleen Templestowe juniors return to the club, including Balwyn premiership duo Jake and Josh Sticca.
Forward Tom Davis also comes across from Balwyn while Matthew Jessup returns to the club having last played for their 2022 Under 19 premiership side.
“We’re a young group, we’ve managed to keep it together through our under 19 program.
“To be able to put some experienced and high calibre players around those guys, it’ll only make them better going forward.”
Majority of the group is made up of that U19 Premiership side from three years ago, with most of them signing on heading into the season.
“It goes to show what we’re building, it’s a fully inclusive club where we encourage guys to be themselves.
“And it’s not just about football, we have a pretty holistic approach about our footy club. We don’t know anything, we’re all learning and we’re all learning together.”
There’s plenty of talent amongst the group too, including 2024 leading goalkicker Corey Shiels, 2023 senior B&F winner Jack Anderson, Owen Watts and Jamie Cortese.
“We’re just built (on the fact) that it’s 22 players down the field and a whole club mentality.”
With the entire Bulleen Templestowe Football Club set to head into the unknown, Verga says that the side will look to have high standards and be competitive.
“And if we compete hard and if we do the right things by each other, then we’ll be competitive and give ourselves the best shot.
“We just want to do the right things and I think the scoreboard will take care of itself.”
The Bullants will kick start life in the EFNL with a matchup against relegated side Warrandyte on their home deck of Ted Ajani Reserve.
“We’re just looking to give it our best shot. But the whole club has got a real buzz about it from supporters to players.”