It is that time of the year again when football takes over as the main topic of conversation and the household chores are neglected most Saturdays. Below is a look at each team’s prospects for the 2016 season and the last time the EDFL will field a 15 team competition. This year the league revert back to a final six rather than eight. Based on the years 2011, 2012 & 2013 when the EDFL had a 15 team competition and a final six teams will probably require a minimum of 12 victories to guarantee a finals appearance.
BULN BULN – Last year – 3rd & 12 wins (in home and away season)
Prediction 3-4th
Coach:– Matt Gray
The Lyrebirds again have strong claims for a top four finish. After a distinguished career with both Buln Buln and Warragul ruckman Matt Gray will take on his first senior coaching role. It has lost three key players in midfielder Trent Baker, Tim Higgins who kicked 45 goals last year and rebounding defender James Taylor but to counter this Buln Buln has plenty of young talent coming through with the likes of last season underage players Nick Castle, Charlie and Mitchell Park, Jack Martyn and Jake Baker all destined for long senior football careers. Matt Gray, James Davidson and Mitch Nobelius will again be the key drivers.
BUNYIP – Last year – Runners Up & 14 wins
Prediction 1st or 2nd
Coach: Brad Walker
The Bulldogs look in pursuit of nothing less than a premiership. With the return to the club of ruckman Mitch Davies, midfielder Michael Laszczyk along with ex Ellinbank and Warragul on baller Mark Johnson and experienced Ellinbank defender Andrew Quirk it will take a power of beating. Bunyip boasts the best defence in the league and has genuine stars led by swingman Nathan Lieshout, emerging forward Jack Blakey, midfielders Jeb McLeod and Michael Whyte the later who missed much of last year.
CATANI – Last year – 10th & 5 wins
Prediction 11th – 12th
Coach: Paul Alger
The Blues have seen a downturn in fortunes in recent years and it is hard to envisage a big improvement this season. Tom Keily returns to the club after kicking 35 goals at Tarwin last year and should provide much needed support to club goal kicking legend Owen Fitzpatrick. Ruckman Brandon Scammell has returned to Toora and will be a loss. Nick Visser had a terrific season and realised the potential he showed in patches at the Dusties, Bunyip and Drouin and along with Antonio Benevenuto and Owen Fitzpatrick this trio were by far the best for the Blues in 2015 and will be required to perform again this year if Catani is to be competitive.
CORA LYNN – Last year – Premiers & undefeated
Prediction 4th – 5th
Coach – David Main
After 160 games at ROC, Gembrook and Cora Lynn ruckman David Main joins the senior coaching caper after being an assistant under Travis Marsham last year. However it appears the back to back premiers have a difficult task to guide the Cobras to flag three peat. It has lost speedster Jackson Dalton, Daniel and Nathan Langley, the Marchetti trio of Luke, Shaun and Adam along with rising youngsters Jeremy Monckton and Mitchell Wallace. Ryan Gillis and Anthony Guiliano will still kick goals but one thinks with less of a supply line not enough to bring another premiership. The experienced duo of Ricky Clarke and Jack Allen along with gun half back Nathan Muratore will likely be prime movers.
ELLINBANK – Last year – 12th & 4 wins
Prediction 11th or 12th
Coach – Hayden Fredericks
The return of 2014 coach Daniel Barrand will lift the spirits of the Bankers. On the flipside Andrew Quirk after over a decade at the club has moved to Bunyip and will be badly missed. Young gun Sean Masterson will likely be required by Gippsland Power. The Eagles showed a lot of competitiveness towards the end of last year but its lack of goal kickers and defensive fragility has not been addressed. A finish inside the top ten could be viewed as progress.
GARFIELD – Last year – 6th & 10 Wins
Prediction 6th to 8th
Coach – Joel Morgan
For the first time since it joined the EDFL the Stars look hard pressed to play finals football. Having said that Garfield can be down but are never out. With no arrivals of note and the departure of Justin Berry, Ash Brown, Ryan Hendy, Darcy Payne and Will Collis, the latter two will have a crack at the VFL with Frankston and Casey Scorpions respectively the perennial finalists could struggle. Expect the Stars to rely heavily on experienced utilities Ned Marsh and Brett Reid. The Stars had their fingers crossed Tom Marsh would play around 10 games this year but due to work commitments it is now likely to be around five which will be a big void to fill. It will hope its youngsters led by ruckman Sam Whibley along with the likes of Daniel Helmore, Jay Engellener, Rhys Murphy and Tyler Hobson all start to make inroads.
KOO WEE RUP – Last year – 8th & 8 Wins
Prediction 3th to 5th
Coach – Ben Collins
Can new coach Ben Collins prevent the inexplicable concentration lapses that have troubled the Demons in recent years. If so the Demons will play a big part in the finals. Collins a premiership player at Cora Lynn in 2008 will rely heavily on his brother Mitch, who has kicked 321 goals for Belgrave in the last four years as well as his elder brother David and both former Cobras. Another mature recruit Matthew Cox should provide a bit more depth to the Demons attack. The Demons have lost stars Shaun Marusic and Luke Walker while young gun Nathan Voss is unlikely to be available due to Gippsland Power commitments. Koo Wee Rup should play a key role in the finals.
LANG LANG –– Last year – 11th & 4 Wins
Prediction 11th -13th
Coach – Shane Urbans
The Tigers will hope to get more reward for their efforts this season however looks to face an uphill battle with the loss of club legend Kurt Batt, Corey Batt, dual best and fairest winner Aaron Creasey and Troy McPherson. Young gun Dylan Wilson was expected to depart to further his study and will be badly missed if he does not play. As usual expect Lang Lang to produce a boil over or two on its home ground but fall short of enough victories to cement a spot in the top six.
LONGWARRY – Last year – 9th & 6 Wins
Prediction 10th-12th
Coach – Scott Gowans
Will be out to redeem after plummeting from a grand final appearance in 2014 to ninth last year. Over summer Longwarry has worked hard on luring many former players back to the club and it has paid dividends with the return of Josh Bourke, Jake Serong, Troy Lehmann and Stephen Hawkins the later who kicked 57 goals in 2014. Bohdi Van Der Pas from Garfield will get the opportunity to play senior football and young tall Jesse Davies is sure to make his presence felt having not made the final cut at Dandenong Stingrays. The Crows will rue the loss of midfield dynamo and club stalwart Tye Holland, ruckman Nick Redley and central defender Nick Walsh. A finals spot is out of the question. Longwarry will do well if it can conjure more wins than last season.
NAR NAR GOON – Last year – 5th & 11 wins
Prediction 7th – 9TH
Coach – Kris Fletcher
Nar Nar Goon return to their home ground at Spencer Street this year after their ground was unavailable last season due to a surface upgrade. The Goon look to be at the crossroads after being a regular finalist. New coach Kris Fletcher, while rising 36 years of age this year still has plenty to offer on field and tall youngster Tom Dovaston from Beaconsfield shapes up as handy forward recruit. Most pundits expect the Goon will be more nuisance value to the top sides rather than making the top six. Nar Nar Goon’s expectations will be tempered by the loss of forwards Ash Adams and Ryan Louch and hard nut Matt Slattery while the promising Trent Armour has made the final Gippsland Power squad. Nonetheless with a blue collar midfield of Brendan Hermann, Brent Hughes and Josh Grant all rivals will know it is in for a contest. The Goon do have a good spread of juniors led by Callum Tyler, Michael Van Roy, Mitch Lewis and Mitch Poels to keep them in good stead but when this next wave is collectively at its best Nar Nar Goon will be in the West Gippsland Football League.
NEERIM SOUTH – Last year 7th & 10 wins
Prediction 5th – 7th
Coach – Jack Halligan
The Cats have no gains or losses of note. Hence it will again rely heavily on Chris and Mick Urie, Calum Sheils and Tyssen Morrow to be key playmakers. It does have plenty of young talent coming up through the thirds led by Harrison and Bailey George, Dane Fawcett and Aiden Dibsdale to hold it in good stead. Neerim struggled against all the top sides last years and needs to find a way to kick more goals if it is to snatch a finals berth.
NILMA DARNUM – Last year 14th
Prediction 11th – 13th
Coach – Dean Alger
From all reports has loaded up with quite a few players the pick of the bunch being Shaun White a running defender from Pines who represented the Peninsula league last year. Another two former Pines players Harley Parker and Nick Wilcox have caught the eye in the practice matches. The Bombers have lost the fleet footed Danny and Jason Wells which will hurt. Did little to wow fans last year and hard to see things changing this year. Zeke Lamb is a genuine star but will again battle against the odds. Will have to tighten its brittle defence if it is to advance a few spots up the ladder.
NYORA – Last year – 15th & 1 win
Prediction 14th or 15th
Coach – Sean Lindsay
The portents are not good for Saints who stood down its coach Scott Clark just over a week before the opening game. On the plus side the club reports good numbers at training and former players Fia Too Too, Ben Levey and Aiden Cumberland are all back. In more good news league MVP winner in 2015 Dylan Heylen has opted to stay with the club rather than pursue a career in the VFL and has been named assistant coach. Recruits Phil Webster a ruckman from Toora and Jack Harris from Korumburra will add much need support for Heylen, Nick Carrigy and Chris Hodges, last season’s better performers. Coming of a low base the Saints will do well if it can secure three or four victories.
POOWONG – Last year 13th & 3 wins
Prediction 14th – 15th
Coach – Brenton Lockhart
The Magpies are not looking too kindly on 2016 if the transfers are any guide with only Jake Cochrane to have returned to the club when this paper went to print. To be frank Poowong will struggle again. This year will serve as another opportunity to get more games into its emerging youngsters led by Tim Hancock, Lachlan Green, Josh Chiavaroli and develop some of the thirds from last year in preparation for 2017.
WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS – Last year – 4th
Prediction 3rd – 4th
Coach – Shane Brewster
Shane Brewster will start his second stint at the helm of the Dusties. This time around he will need to fix Warragul’s inability to deliver in big games. To aid its cause it has recruited runners Tyson Bale, Tye Holland, and Riley Rundell and slippery forward Jason Wells. On the flipside it has lost ruckman Jayden Steers, forward Michael McFarlane and on baller Ben Heenan. Jeremy Cattanach is unlikely to play football again after he suffered an injury late last season. The Dusties look set to play deep into the finals again but there is still concerns about its quality in the back half.
Last Modified on 30/03/2016 22:53
