Ahead of the final home and away round for EDFL juniors this weekend, we thought we'd revisit the interleague carnival and catch up with the coaches of each side to review the carnival, and highlight some of the key moments and performers!
Next up, the Under 15s.
UNDER 15 BOYS DIVISION 1
Coach: Brad Swain
The Under 15 Boys squad acquitted themselves incredibly well throughout the entire program and in our three fantastic games in the AFL Victoria Metro Junior Development Series. The growth and development of the players from session one to the final game was impressive to see.
In game one against the Northern Football Netball League, the boys' pressure at the source and some strong spoiling and intercept marking behind the ball prevented the opposition from many scoring opportunities throughout the first half, while we were able to create several chains of possession that resulted in territory gain or scores. The third quarter was a slightly different story, with the opposition better at winning the ball and with some efficiency, were able to hit the scoreboard. This was great experience for our boys who are learning about maximising and limiting momentum swings in game. To steady and execute better again in the fourth quarter was really pleasing.
Game two on the Saturday of the long weekend against Riddell District Football Netball League presented several players opportunity to excel in their secondary position of preference. To score almost 100 points on the day was super impressive with repeated and exciting ball movement through the open side of the ground and forwards presenting up at the kicker well after working hard to lengthen the ground. The half back line seemed to be able to repel almost all attempts by Riddell to move the ball forward, holding them to just the solitary goal for the day.
King’s Birthday Monday unfortunately presented atrocious conditions for game three, but to their credit, the players embraced the opportunity. It was clear that taking the line of the ball and player would be the most important challenge as there was water laying on the surface all day, and with more rain during the contest, it was a dour contest. In quarters two and three the Western Football Netball League side were able to hit the scoreboard with two goals per quarter, and that would be the difference at the end of the day.
Huge thank you to the players, parents, and the EDFL for the privilege of coaching this group of boys. Thanks to Andrew Johnston and Patrick Moloney from the EDFL and Cole Harvey who was great to work with in his role as boys coaching director. The program was an incredible experience, largely thanks to the other coaches who contributed so willingly and capably, so my enormous gratitude to Matt Robertson, Marcus Lynch, Paul Dunn, Jamie Albanis, Kody Rideg, Travis Featherby, and Paul Dorian.
MATCH 1
NFNL 7.7 (49) def. by EDFL 15.4 (94)
GOALS: Nate Harris 4, Ali Merhi 3, Brock Fletcher 2, Joshua Macfarlane 2, Antonius Kupper, Christian La Porta, Nicholas Peroukaneas, Aidan Plunkett.
BEST: Ali Kassab, Joshua Macfarlane, Lugh Kavanagh, Oliver Rados, Nate Harris, Nathan Wing.
MATCH 2
EDFL 14.11 (95) def. RDFNL 1.2 (8)
GOALS: Ben Verzaci 5, Brock Fletcher 2, Joshua Macfarlane 2, Aidan Plunkett 2, Nate Harris, Ali Merhi, Harvey Stevens.
BEST: Christian La Porta, Oscar McIntosh, Nathan Wing, Marcus Gagliardi, George Barber, Harvey Stevens.
MATCH 3
EDFL 2.2 (14) def. by WFNL 5.14 (44)
GOALS: Brock Fletcher, Ali Merhi.
BEST: Nathan Wing, Dash Di Felice, Archie Huddart, Oliver Rados, Chase Byrne, Chase Green.
UNDER 15 GIRLS DIVISION 1
Coach: Troy Newton
Game one of the carnival saw us travel out to Eltham on a wet and windy winter night. Up against the strong Northern FNL we were keen to give a good showing and start our carnival strongly. There was a sense of excitement and a lot of nerves in the rooms prior to the game. On a heavy ground with blustery conditions, Northern had the better start and dominated territory early with the ball in our backline. We were under siege, however our defence did an outstanding job with some great defensive efforts and strong tackling so we managed to hold firm. On the back of our defence and through some great ball movement, we managed to transition the ball and create a scoring opportunity which allowed us to kick the first goal of the game before Northern hit back late in the quarter. Scores were close at the first break. Northern got on top around stoppages in the second quarter and dominated play and territory. Our defence was again under siege and did a great job to limit the impact on the scoreboard. We went into the half time break trailing by 15 points. As the dew set in and the temperature dropped, conditions became more and more difficult and the second half was played mainly between the arcs. We continued to work hard and get the ball forward although the heavy ball and slippery condition made scoring difficult. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't close the half time gap and ended up going down by three goals. The fight and spirit shown by the players couldn't be questioned and we took a lot of learnings and confidence from the game.
Game two was a home game versing F&DJFL at Martin Reserve where the Hadfield Football Club did a great job in hosting, and despite all the rain during the week and morning of the game, the ground was in great condition. After losing the toss we were up against it in the first quarter kicking against a four-goal breeze, we struggled to transition the ball and get the ball in our forward half. The ball lived in our backline with the opposition controlling territory and creating scoring opportunities. Our backline showed a lot of determination and really limited the scoreboard impact. Despite this, we went into the first break with the score 27 to nil. Despite the score we knew we were in the game and would get our opportunity with the wind. We stared to get on top around stoppage and were constantly driving the ball forward. The opposition was defending bravely and had many numbers around the ball making the game very contested. We managed to create scoring chances although were a bit inaccurate kicking 2.4 for the quarter. We defended well when we had to and went into half time trailing by 11 points. Despite trailing at the main break there were a lot of positives and we were winning the contested game and getting first possession. The instruction was simple at half time, to play first option football and to run and give the handball at every opportunity. To the players' credit, they responded and looked like a new side after the break, managing to keep the opposition scoreless despite the strong breeze and kicking two goals ourselves to take a two-point lead into the last change. The energy was high at three quarter time, the team could see with a team first attitude and sharing the football the opposition was on the back foot and if we kept the same process in the last quarter, the result would go our way. We managed to control the game in the final quarter again on the back of run and handball receives. We were getting good looks in our forward line and started taking these opportunities to finish the game strongly. After a slow start we managed to kick 58 points to nothing after quarter time and record a strong victory. It was a really good response and strong team effort with all players contributing.
Game three was another home game at the picturesque new oval and home of female football at Greenvale Recreation Reserve, oval three. Once again we were met with windy conditions and the dominant Eastern FNL as our opposition. After another windy and rainy morning, the sun was trying to break through and the local kangaroos had gathered to watch what was likely to be a high quality clash. The ground was in perfect condition despite two games prior. For the third game in a row we lost the toss and were kicking into the breeze. We created some forward opportunities early in the game but the strong defence of Eastern held firm and aided by the conditions, they were able to link together and transition the ball smoothly. Our defenders were again under pressure with a lot of ball coming in and despite the efforts in the end, the pure volume of forward entries was too much and the scoreboard was starting to reflect this. As in the previous game, we went into the first change 28 points down. We knew we had been in this position before and that we could respond. We started promisingly and were now winning stoppages and giving our forwards opportunities. Along with this, our back line was standing firm and repelling any attacks. With the ball living in our forward line we were peppering away, unfortunately the blustery conditions worked against us and we could only kick behinds. We went into half time with 0.5 on the scoreboard but were now confident we could match it with the opposition and knew if we kept the effort up, we were still in the game. We defended well in the third quarter keeping Eastern to three goals. The game was a lot closer than the 46 point three quarter time deficit and we urged the players to keep fighting and playing the way we were and we would get some scoreboard reward. We did just that and managed to win the last quarter. Despite losing the game by 39 points, the scoreboard didn't reflect the contest. The players showed great determination to fight out the game and once again show why they were selected in the team.
The most pleasing aspect of the carnival was that each and every player got to showcase their talents and ability. Every single player contributed and showed they were up to the level. The future is bright and all the players should be very proud of their performances. The players were highly coachable and represented the league and themselves excellently.
Thanks to all the players for their amazing efforts, all the support staff, the EDFL, and all the parents and guardians that volunteered their time to help on game days.
MATCH 1
NFNL 6.11 (47) def. EDFL 4.5 (29)
GOALS: Sophie Waters 3, Hazel Lichter.
BEST: Linda O'Brien, Sophie Waters, Dimi Papadopoulos, Victoria Goudy, Charlie Lilja, Olivia Goldstein.
MATCH 2
EDFL 8.10 (58) def. F&DJFL 4.3 (27)
GOALS: Sophie Waters 3, Grace Salter 2, Marlo Atkins, Kalistah Bugeja, Linda O'Brien.
BEST: Victoria Goudy, Dimi Papadopoulos, Willow Ciantar, Honor Cartlidge, Grace Coghlan, Kalistah Bugeja.
MATCH 3
EDFL 3.7 (25) def. by EFNL 9.10 (64)
GOALS: Victoria Goudy, Linda O'Brien, Sophie Waters.
BEST: Dimi Papadopoulos, Keira Halpin, Makayla Hall, Sage Verga, Krista Zikos, Victoria Goudy.
UNDER 15 BOYS DIVISION 2
Coach: Jamie Albanis
What an outstanding carnival for our EDFL Under 15 Boys Division Two team! The boys delivered three impressive victories, showcasing exceptional teamwork and a connection that made them look like they'd been playing together for years, not just a few weeks of training.
Game one saw us take control after a tight first quarter against Northern FNL at Diamond Valley under perfect night conditions, with Josh Evans earning best on ground honours as we ran out 42-point winners.
Game two at Tullamarine demonstrated our character. Despite conceding the first goal inside the first 60 seconds to Riddell District FNL, we dominated proceedings with Logan Purcell outstanding in our convincing 86-point victory.
Game three at Greenvale tested our resolve in torrential rain and freezing conditions, with the ground covered in water throughout. Jacob Horo led the way as we made the most of our opportunities against a talented Western FNL outfit, grinding out a gutsy 20-point win.
The key to our success was the complete execution of our 'RUN, HUNT, TRUST' game plan. The boys' unwavering trust in each other and belief that teammates would deliver was exceptional. They ran opposition teams off their legs while attacking every contest with sheer determination and commitment to the team structure.
Special mention to Logan Purcell's incredible 13 goals across the carnival, and consistent performers Nic Hill, Lachlan Fleming, Cody Robertson, and Ryan Mulipola. However, every single player deserves recognition for their contribution.
Credit to our opposition who provided genuine challenges, and massive thanks to assistant coaches Travis Featherby (mids), Kody Rideg (backs), and Paul Dorian (forwards) for their outstanding support and crucial role in executing our game plan across all lines.
An unforgettable carnival showcasing the true spirit of representative football!
MATCH 1
NFNL 5.2 (32) def. by EDFL 10.14 (74)
GOALS: Logan Purcell 5, Ned Dullard 2, Noah Jordan, Orlando Macri, Ryan Mulipola.
BEST: Joshua Evans, Logan Purcell, Nicholas Hill, Jack Wallis, Lachlan Fleming, Cody Robertson.
MATCH 2
EDFL 15.16 (106) def. RDFNL 3.2 (20)
GOALS: Logan Purcell 4, Cody Robertson 2, Bradie Dorian, Nicholas Hill, Noah Jordan, Samuel Limoli, Damon Lynch, Orlando Macri, Aiden Merrifield, Dean Micallef, Ryan Mulipola.
BEST: Logan Purcell, Jacob Horo, Cody Robertson, Maikeli Rodan, Nicholas Hill, Noah Jordan.
MATCH 3
EDFL 5.5 (35) def. WFNL 1.9 (15)
GOALS: Logan Purcell 4, Noah Jordan.
BEST: Jacob Horo, Antonius Kupper, Maikeli Rodan, Noah Jordan, Jack Wallis, Dean Micallef.
UNDER 15 GIRLS DIVISION 2
Coach: Danyel Waters
MATCH 1
NFNL 6.12 (48) def. EDFL 1.1 (7)
GOALS: Sophie Lyons.
BEST: Lucille Hardiman, Jada Kraja, Imogen Hellyer, Chloe Dynan, Chanel Caruso, Ruby Mercieca.
MATCH 2
EDFL 7.8 (50) def. RDFNL 6.6 (42)
GOALS: Sophie Lyons 2, Matilda McNiven 2, Jazelle Barbuto, Imogen Hellyer, Isla Rutley.
BEST: Sophie Lyons, Imogen Hellyer, Lexi Boyd, Sierra Gatt, Miami Jenkins, Chanel Caruso.
MATCH 3
EDFL 0.2 (2) def. by WFNL 14.16 (100)
BEST: Lexi Boyd, Kassi Vlasakakis, Sierra Gatt, Maddison Linegar, Matilda McNiven, Miami Jenkins.
