HE has been a two-time leading goal-kicker in the VFL, been the leading goal-kicker multiple times here in the EDFL- including 101 goals last year, and he won Avondale Heights’ B&F in 2014.
Dean Galea is the man you want in your Interleague side and he’s more motivated than ever to taste Interleague glory.
It’s Galea’s third successive time being picked in the side, and he’s honoured to be playing with and against the “best of the best” on Saturday.
“Brodie (Holland) rang me about three weeks ago to see if I was interested in playing,” Galea said.
“I couldn’t say yes quick enough.”
If anyone knows the rewards that come out of the Interleague experience, it’s Galea.
The Keilor forward has kicked five goals in his last two Interleague matches against the Southern Football League in 2015 and against the Goulburn Valley Football League in 2016.
Galea is hoping to assert his own dominance once again against the Eastern Football League at Bayswater.
“My job is to kick goals and if I didn’t kick goals, I wouldn’t be doing my job,” he said.
This year, Galea will play with a number of star EDFL forwards, with fellow Keilor spearhead, Jason Williams, former Avondale Heights sparring partner, Patrick Rose and of course, ex-Carlton and Collingwood forward, Cameron Cloke, all helping him out in the forward line.
“It’s going to be a pretty high level of football,” he said of the game against the EFL.
“There’s going to be a lot of good footballers running around.”
Galea is familiar with the talent present in the EFL side, after playing a couple of practice matches against some of their boys in the pre-season.
“It’s a strong competition,” he said.
He also eluded to the “rivalry” between the EFL and the EDFL, setting up a fierce match between the two more elite sides in the state, rated third and fourth in the WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championship rankings, respectively.
“I don’t know why, but I think we both think that we’re better than each other,” Galea said of the rivalry between the two leagues.
The EFL has a similar squad to the EDFL squad – both containing young players, so the dominant forward sees no reason why the EDFL can’t come away with its third consecutive Interleague win.
“I think it’s the best players you can find in the competition bar injuries and suspension,” Galea said.
“You know it’s going to be a high-quality game.”
But above all, Galea is looking forward to the enjoyment of again representing his league.
“I enjoy the pressure and I enjoy playing in big games,” he said.
“I just try to enjoy the footy as much as I can.”
As soon as it was revealed that the EDFL would be taking on the EFL in the WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships this year, everyone knew it was going to be a spectacle that was not to be missed.
But now, knowing that one of the most influential players is raring to go for the fierce contest, it makes the cut-throat match all the more exciting.
