2019 RECAP
Many pundits had their doubts about the prospects of newly-promoted Roxburgh Park coming into the 2019 Division 1 season, but the Magpies rose to the occasion when it mattered most.
Coming off a Strathmore Community Bank Division 2 premiership win in 2018, the Magpies adapted well to the higher standard of Division 1, scoring some decent wins over Oak Park, Taylors Lakes and Hillside during the year, all of which occurred on home soil at Lakeside Oval.
Those three wins did prove to be enough to avoid the drop back to Division 2, despite the Pies losing each of their final four games of the season.
BEST & FAIREST TOP FIVE
1st - Jay Barbera
2nd - Harley Short
3rd - Ryan Micallef
4th - Travis Cooke
5th - Jamie Grant
GOAL KICKING TOP FIVE
36 - Luke Capuano
12 - Brandon McLarty
11 - Harley Short
10 - John Colaidis
9 - Adrian MacKinnon
HUTCHISON MEDAL
Division One Best & Fairest
Harley Short (runner-up)
DIVISION ONE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Michael Farrelly (coach)
Harley Short (interchange)
2020 PREVIEW
Coach: Michael Farrelly (3rd season)
LIST CHANGES / LODGED TRANSFERS
In: Matthew Coomans (Broadford), Ricki Camilleri (Campbells Creek), Luke Scarpini (Craigieburn), Daniel Boudoloh (Hampton Park), Blake Ellis (Epping), Brenden Egberts (Mernda), Nathan Reichelt (Craigieburn) & Brock McLarty (Tullamarine)
Out: Justin Cluney (Moonee Valley), Ferras Merhi (Westmeadows) & Anthony Young (Moonee Valley)
EDFL MEDIA SAYS
Roxburgh Park is going to enter 2020 with a better list than that of 12 months ago, providing for plenty of optimism up at Lakeside Drive.
Matthew Coomans, Daniel Boudoloh and Nathan Reichelt will be among some of the new additions expected to have a significant impact as part of the Magpies' best 22, while all of their 2019 best-and-fairest and goal kicking top five will be back as well.
Making the finals this year may still be a stretch, but this is definitely a side on the up that could be one of the division's surprise packets in Season 2020.
