Let's take a look at how season 2015 panned out for the eight Peter Jackson VFL finalists.
WILLIAMSTOWN (1st, 16-5)
Leading goalkicker: Sam Dunell (41)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – Mitch Banner (368) / Handballs – Ben Jolley (298) / Marks – Sam Dunell (153)
Predicted B&F: Ben Jolley / Mitch Banner
It was a supreme year at Burbank Oval. The seniors – the only standalone team to make the finals – claimed their first VFL premiership since 2003 with a 54-point triumph over the Box Hill Hawks, while the Development League side completed a three-peat of flags with a thrilling golden-point victory, also against Box Hill.
The Seagulls had seven representatives in the VFL Team of the Year (Mitch Banner, Sam Dunell, Peter Faulks, Andrew Gallucci, Ben Jolley, Adam Marcon and Nick Meese) and five players who graduated from the 2014 Development League premiership team to the 2015 VFL flag-winning side (Anthony Anastasio, Dylan Conway, Tim Currie, Norm Goss Medallist Michael Gibbons and Gallucci).
With 200-game captain Jolley showing no signs of slowing down and promising youngsters such as Jacob Chisari, Jake Greiser, Sean Hetherington, Jake McKenzie and Jake Owen starring in the Development League Grand Final, there’s no reason 2016 can’t be just as successful for Williamstown.
BOX HILL HAWKS (2nd, 16-5)
Leading goalkicker: Sam Grimley (46)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – Jonathan Simpkin (356) / Handballs – Jonathan Simpkin (195) / Marks – David Mirra (135)
Predicted B&F: Jonathan Simpkin
A brilliant home-and-away season culminated in the minor premiership, but the Hawks produced a deflating performance in the Grand Final against Williamstown. The 54-point defeat came after stumbling at the final hurdle against Footscray last year, though the club’s alignment with Hawthorn meant Box Hill enjoyed another generally strong season.
Those who couldn’t break into the AFL team such as Jed Anderson, Jonathan O’Rourke, Jonathan Simpkin and Brendan Whitecross starred at VFL level, while AFL-listed youngsters like Kurt Heatherley, James Sicily, Shem Tatupu and Dallas Willsmore continued their development.
Of the VFL-listed players, captain David Mirra earned Team of the Year selection for the fourth time, while the likes of Sam Collins, Tom Gordon, Patrick Lawlor and Mitch O’Donnell established themselves in the senior side. Even if the depth of the AFL Hawks drops off in 2016, the reserves are there on the VFL list to ensure Box Hill’s winning ways continue.
SANDRINGHAM (3rd, 15-6)
Leading goalkicker: Ahmed Saad (33)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – Clint Jones (363) / Handballs – Clint Jones (292) / Marks – Mitch Brown (156)
Predicted B&F: Clint Jones / Mitch Brown
Sandringham made marked improvement from last year’s eighth-placed finish after the home-and-away rounds to earn a home qualifying final in Paul Hudson’s first season as coach. The Zebras defeated Collingwood by seven points in a thrilling semi final and were only just off the pace against the grand finalists in their other September encounters, losing by seven points to both Williamstown and Box Hill.
The club’s off-season recruiting paid off in spades, with Clint Jones the league’s biggest disposal-winner, Trent-Dennis Lane dynamic up forward with 23 goals and Mitch Brown a genuine match-winner in whatever position he played.
Sandy’s depth may suffer in coming years as the club’s alignment with St Kilda draws talented young AFL-listed players from the VFL team, but the continued development of former Sandringham Dragons such as Matt Kreymborg, Elliot Le Grice, Max Hayes and Kenny Ong should help offset any such drain of talent.
ESSENDON (4th, 14-7)
Leading goalkicker: Kyle Hardingham (41)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – James Polkinghorne (263) / Handballs – Dan Coghlan (178) / Marks – Kyle Hardingham (127)
Predicted B&F: James Polkinghorne / Kyle Hardingham
While Essendon’s AFL team struggled through the 2015 season, the VFL Bombers came agonisingly close to making the Grand Final, being overrun by Williamstown in the last quarter of the Preliminary Final and losing by 12 points. They were denied a top-four spot and double chance in the finals by a last-gasp Footscray win against Werribee in the final round, but repaid the favour with a 66-point thrashing of the Bulldogs in the Semi Final – arguably Essendon’s most complete performance of the season.
At their best, the Dons won the hard ball through midfielders like James Polkinghorne and Dan Coghlan, and then moved it precisely around the field to set up scoring opportunities for Team of the Year selection Kyle Hardingham. A question ahead of 2016 is how the club covers the potential losses of Shaun Edwards, Shaun McKernan, Nick O’Brien and Ariel Steinberg to the AFL team or elsewhere.
FOOTSCRAY (5th, 12-8)
Leading goalkicker: Will Hayes (25)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – Jordan Russell (233) / Handballs – Brent Prismall (230) / Marks – Jordan Russell (124)
Predicted B&F: Brent Prismall
It was a disappointing end to the season for the reigning premiers, as the Bulldogs exited the finals in straight sets following losses to Box Hill by 40 points and Essendon by 66 points. There were some impressive regular-season wins, but the club was always going to be tested by the transition to a new coach in Ash Hansen and the graduation of talented young AFL-listed players to the elite level.
From last year’s flag-winning team, Tory Dickson, Jarrad Grant, Jason Johannisen, Lin Jong and Jack Redpath all played regular AFL football in 2015, while the likes of Shane Biggs and Lachie Hunter established themselves in the senior team after strong early form in the VFL.
Positives included the performances of Brent Prismall and new co-captain Jordan Russell – who made the Team of the Year as a half-back flanker – and the increased exposure of VFL-listed youngsters Meyrick Buchanan, Michael Fogarty and Will Hayes.
COLLINGWOOD (6th, 13-7)
Leading goalkicker: Patrick Karnezis (30)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – Ryan Pendlebury (227) / Handballs – Ben Moloney (189) / Marks – Ryan Pendlebury (88)
Predicted B&F: Ryan Pendlebury / Ben Moloney
A third consecutive season of making the finals ended with a heartbreaking seven-point semi-final loss to Sandringham. The young Magpies took some big scalps in 2015, knocking off Footscray, Box Hill, Sandringham and Werribee twice (including in the Elimination Final by 29 points), but a couple of losses to ninth-placed North Ballarat cruelled their chances of a top-four finish.
Reliable defender Ryan Pendlebury and hard-nut midfielder Ben Moloney bagged Team of the Year selections, while SANFL recruit Michael Still performed impressively as a goalkicking option before a serious hamstring injury wiped out most of the second half of his season.
With an array of talented young AFL-listed players including Matthew Goodyear, Jonathon Marsh and Brayden Maynard likely to see continued game time at the lower level – and the emergence of VFL-listers Jake Williams, Lachlan Wallace and Gus Borthwick – 2016 looks promising at Victoria Park.
WERRIBEE (7th, 11-8)
Leading goalkicker: Majak Daw (31)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – Matt Hanson (297) / Handballs – Isaac Conway (171) / Marks – Scott McMahon (81)
Predicted B&F: Matt Hanson
The Tigers will rue missed mid-season opportunities to potentially tie up a top-four spot. Werribee was on top of the ladder after Round 6, but dropped five of its next seven games (including tough losses to the Northern Blues by four points and Geelong by two) to slip from contention for the finals double chance. Collingwood capitalised in the Elimination Final, jumping the Tigers early to prevail by 29 points.
When on song, the Werribee engine room was brutally effective, with off-season recruits Matt Hanson and Isaac Conway (Team of the Year selections along with key defender Jake Wilson) adding grunt to the midfield and key forwards Majak Daw and Josh Porter taking advantage in front of goal.
Remarkably, the club recorded two wins apiece against both Box Hill and Williamstown, and will look to use its disappointing end to 2015 as motivation to go further next season – the first in a full alignment with North Melbourne.
CASEY SCORPIONS (8th, 9-10)
Leading goalkicker: Jayden Hunt and Max King (13)
Leading stats winners: Kicks – Dean Terlich (230) / Handballs – Jordie McKenzie (196) / Marks – Jack Fitzpatrick (71)
Predicted B&F: Mark Jamar / Jack Hutchins
Justin Plapp’s first season as Casey coach produced a big rise up the ladder from the 15th-placed finish of 2014. The Scorpions did their best work in the first half of the season and boasted a record of 8-4 after Round 14, which included wins against Essendon and Collingwood.
However, things went pear-shaped from there, with four straight losses to top-eight rivals leaving them perilously close to missing out on a finals spot. The Round 19 encounter with Coburg became an early elimination final, with a loss likely to see the Lions snatch eighth position. The Scorpions responded with a stirring victory after trailing by 21 points at half time, but went on to be bundled out of the finals by Essendon to the tune of 21 points.
On the positive side, Plapp oversaw the development of Bayley Fritsch, Declan Keilty and Jordan Moncrieff into potential draft prospects and helped several Melbourne youngsters make their debuts at the elite level.
* Photo: The Box Hill Hawks were unable to turn the minor premiership into Grand Final glory against Williamstown
Last Modified on 12/10/2015 15:11
