This years Division One competition looks to be a very even affair with plenty of clubs on the up, however most expect last years Premiers, Balmain, to be the team to beat once again.
There have been a number of changes to the competition from last year, headlined by the return of East Coast Eagles reserve grade side with their Seniors returning to Premier Division. With Illawarra’s return to AFL South Coast and Penrith’s relegation to Division Two, the other addition is back-to-back Division Two Premiers, Sydney University who deservedly get their shot in the higher grade.
East Coast’s return creates the most interest as to where they will fit in but we expect them to be pretty strong. With few departures from their NEAFL side from last year, this side is essentially the Premier Division of 2014 side who, while only managing the four wins, were quite competitive throughout the season. Who has stayed and who goes from this team is somewhat of an unknown, however. When you consider the likes of 2014 representative players Aaron Savage and Josh Cass along with big man Stephen O’Connor played the majority of last year in Premier Division it does bode well (if they remain). This side will be likely to see young up and comers Jordan McPherson and Lyndon Hupfeld (when not on TAC Cup duties) getting regular games which is a real plus. McPherson was a revelation in 2014 and earned himself a Rising Star nomination late in the season and is one to follow whether in Division One or Premier Division. With now a couple of senior years under his belt, Jake Famularo is ready to take the next step which could see him emulate his Under 18 feats when he kicked over 100 goals in the 2012 season. Expect them to be very well structured, bat deep and be one of the real threats this season.
The second newcomer to this division is the Sydney University side who join the competition following back-to-back Division Two Premierships. They bring similar interest to the competition as the Eagles and should be very competitive in Division One. Being the club’s third grade side does make things tougher for the side in terms of consistency however they have managed this well in the past two years. Should their Premier Division and NEAFL sides have a good run with player availability, there is no reason this side cant be a real threat. They will also boast arguably the divisions best ruckmen in Ryan Kennedy who has played Premier Division football and last year capped his year by winning the Sanders Medal as the Best and Fairest player in Division Two. Add to that, the last two seasons Grand Final Best on Ground winners in Peter Casey (2014) and Jarryd Boyd (2013), there is significant experience to draw from. It’s a side that has played a lot of football together and if they can add a little bit more youth to the experience they can challenge the top sides.
The most consistent side, but always the most difficult to get a read on for close to the past decade now has been UTS and you would expect them to be one of the sides to beat again. Falling just short last year to Balmain, the Bats will be looking for redemption in 2015 and claim this divisions flag for the first time since their seniors won and were promoted to Premier Division. Whether it’s this side, their seniors or their lower divisions, the problem always remains the age of their list. The club is well aware of this and is trying to get this figure down. With this said they do play to their strengths. In saying that, adding more outside run which is what they have needed. Led by the experienced hard nuts in Phil Bredin, Liam Flanagan and James Caica the side rarely get out muscled. Caica himself is an unlikely footballer but proved a real live wire up forward. Combined with Harry Sleigh they were the leading goal kickers for the side. Who will make up the core of this squad is always a bit of a mystery, made even more difficult by always being very active in the transfer market. Word on the street is they have added nicely to their list and as always finals should be on the cards.
The team every one is chasing though is the team that beat the Bats in last years Grand Final, Balmain. After a tumultuous 2013 which ultimately led to the sides relegation from Premier Division prior to the start of 2014, the Balmain club went back to their roots, rebuilt and deservedly claimed a long overdue flag. With firm ambitions to return to the top grade as soon as possible, the Tigers will be hell-bent on going back-to-back to further their case. While internally last year the club expected to be competitive, most opposition teams would have been looking to other teams as the main dangers. Round 1 of 2014 changed all that though when they comprehensively beat the 2013 Premiers Southern Power. From that moment on they became the hunted however managed to hold off all comers to claim the flag.
After the success of last year, you would expect the list to remain similar with the addition of some quality recruits along the way. Heading the inbound transfers is former player Wayd Blackburne who has returned from Western Suburbs. Blackburne was a Development Team member last year and also had a cameo on the reality TV series The Recruit and his return will put a smile on the Tigers faithful. A livewire in the forward line who can also spend time in the middle of the ground, he will provide an extra option in an already deep forward line. The highest profile name however would have to be veteran Troy Luff who has also returned to Balmain after a couple of years at UNSW/ES. Still looking for his first ever senior premiership, the 45 year old Luff is a key addition to the already strong side. 2015 may be his best ever chance to claim that elusive premiership medallion? His versatility is a great addition. There is also rumours of a very handy transfer coming from the Northern Territory but we will have to watch this space.
In terms of the stars from last year, you have to look no further than young captain Brad Plug. The first Division One player to make the Senior Representative team, Plug who captained the side, topped his brilliant year off with a Best on Ground performance on the Tigers finest day. An exceptionally talented footballer, he along with swingman Chris Bolt, are both players opposition defenders dread matching up on. Bolt topped the Snow Medal tally last year but was ruled ineligible due to suspension but he is a real barometer for the side. He can play forward or back as required and can win the game off his own raking left foot. With live wire Alex O’Dea patrolling the middle, the side is well balanced. They have a great mix of youth and experience and while word is they have had a slower preseason that some others, after the first month of football you can expect this group to be very hard to beat.
When reviewing St George’s 2014 season you might say it was reasonable however the club’s preseason expectations were much higher. Alot of that can be put down to a terrible run of injuries meaning they never really saw their best team on the park. This year expectations should again be high as they mix deep experience with some excellent young talent. Their youth pipeline is extensive which means regardless of 2015 results, their future is very bright. Being one of this competitions reserve grade sides, it is once again hard to get a true gauge on where they will fall but if they keep players on the park, they could be a real smokey in this competition.
UNSW/ES had a tough 2014 across the board and had the biggest fall from grace in this competition and were probably lucky to avoid relegation. With a couple of favourite sons overseeing the clubs coaching program this year, significant improvement is expected and the club is quietly confident internally about their chances across the grades. Being another reserve grade side always makes things tougher which gives more credence to their 2013 runner-up finish, but we just cant see them challenging the top sides based on last year and we expect they will likely be fighting to avoid relegation once again.
Another side who were very disappointing in 2014 were Southern Power. After dominating the 2013 competition to claim the flag over the Bulldogs, they came back to earth with a thud last year. They did lose a number of key senior players but on paper still had the list to play finals but ultimately fell one game short. 2014 sees significant change at the club as they fall under new player-coach Jack Dickens. While extremely quiet on the transfer market so far, it appears he has brought a number of new, quality players to the club to compliment their tried and tested stars including key position player Adam Cook, on-baller and former league best and fairest winner Liam Davis, captain James Clarke and gun forward Daniel Turner. They are likely to see a number of youngsters coming through the ranks including 2014 Hart Medallist (Under 19’s Division Two) Andrew Denoon. Given it appears they have retained the majority of last years squad and a few handy additions, you would expect improvement from the team and finals is certainly within reach.
When previewing the 2014 season, few judges would have expected Pennant Hills, yet another reserve grade side, to be a real player in the competition. Halfway through the season when they amazingly led the competition, notice was taken. While they did eventually fall away in the back half of the season (made Semi Final still) it was a very impressive season by any measure under veteran Jason Clarke. Their great season was assisted by a good run with injuries in their higher grade and their strong youth network. Once again they will rely on their seniors staying on the park to maintain continuity but at full strength they can certainly do some damage again. The feeling is that with added depth to Division One (entry of East Coast and Sydney University) the Demons, while competitive, might be the sliders this year.
The other big surprise last year was that of Macquarie University. After a couple of lean years prior, not many gave new coach Stuart Newman much hope of taking his troops to finals action. Led by Ryan Harris, Peter Le Breton and James Brackin in particular, Newman did take his side back to finals finishing second in the home and away season and all the way to a narrow Preliminary Final loss. Replicating this will be difficult however with clear structures built on defence, the side are well disciplined and know their brand of footy will stand up when things get tough. Almost the quietest players in the transfer market of any club so far, the team will rely heavily on last years spine to get the job done.
Ryan Harris joined the club last season and proved to be a real find. A tough insider ball winner with good skills, he was recognised by selection in the representative program and will be required to back up his great first year. They are well serviced by ruckmen Peter Le Breton who had a brilliant back half of the season to storm home and claim the Snow Medal. The experienced tall is a key for the side to get first use of the football. The other big name is Jimmy Brackin who is Mr Versatile. He can literally play anywhere on the ground and was the one that got them home in their Semi Final win over Pennant Hills. His absence from the Preliminary Final against UTS through injury cannot be underestimated and could well have been the difference as he was a week earlier. They need him fit and firing to challenge again this season. There are also a number of young players moving to senior football who will add depth to the list however the loss of their Under 19’s for this season is a real blow for the club. The Warriors are the mystery of this years Division One competition and will no doubt be under-rated - exactly the way they like it.
The final team in this years Division One competition is Holroyd-Parramatta. This year they will play under yet another player- coach in Jack Schwarze with Shane Jorgenson moving on after a number of seasons. They have a young list who have now had regular finals appearances but you would think Schwarze’s main focus will be on toughening the side up mentally to get that elusive finals victory. Its been a long drought since the Goannas last finals win despite plenty of chances. 2014 saw the side play consistent football and appeared to be peaking at the right time only to be bundled out in the Elimination Final. This year you would expect the group to be fit and raring to go.
They boast a number of representative players including the small but impressive Jordan Pidgeon, Adam Byrne, Matt Cahill and Bryce Mayne which is a sign of their talent. The side has had plenty of outside run in previous seasons which you would expect to continue but they balance that out with toughness inside with the likes of Stuart McKinley. They have added to this brigade with the recruitment of Lachlan Prior (former AFL Sydney Development Squad captain) which is a great pick up for the club. As is Jack Mara who returns to the club after a stint with East Coast in Premier Division last year. Importantly they do have the leading goal kicker for Division One the last two seasons in Ben Rogers. That said, they do need another key target up forward to help shoulder the load. Small forward/ midfielder Jordan Pidgeon was the next highest goal kicker with 21. If they find that support for Rogers and the Goannas look significantly stronger. The club has been building nicely in recent years and now is their time to really challenge.
Danny’s Predictions:
Snow Medal: Balmain hold the key to the count with a number of key players but whether they take too many votes off each other is the query. Captain, rep player and Grand Final Best on Ground Brad Plug leads the charge and is the pick of the group. Alex O’Dea polled very well early in the season last year but slowed up at the back end while an inform Chris Bolt is one of the players to watch. Southern Power’s Liam Davis is a perennial vote getter (runner up in 2014) and should his side win enough games he could figure again. Macquarie University ruckmen Peter Le Breton slipped under everyone’s guard last year, apart from his team mates, to claim the Snow Medal and cant be ruled out again.
Rising Star to watch: He was still eligible for Under 19’s last season but played the majority of the year in East Coast’s Premier Division, but Jordan McPherson showed plenty of potential and looks class. He may well play more Premier Division than Division One but a future star of the competition.
Rep Team smokey: With no Under 23’s (Development) rep team in 2015, positions are only on offer in the senior side but as Brad Plug showed last season, Division One players still get noticed. While Plug would be a real chance to press for senior selection again, another who might not be on the selectors radars yet but we are predicting a strong showing early from is Sydney Universities Ryan Kennedy. With quality ruckmen hard to come across, “Slayer” could well be in the mix.
Leading Goal kicker: Unless a club has recruited someone who has remained under the radar, its hard to see anyone challenging Ben Rogers or Brad Plug. These two fought it out last year and a repeat of this you can expect.
Ladder:
1st – Balmain
2nd – UTS
3rd – East Coast
4th – Holroyd-Parramatta
5th – Sydney University
6th – Macquarie University
7th – Pennant Hills
8th – St George
9th – Southern Power
10th – UNSW/ES
Last Modified on 09/04/2015 23:24
