2019 RECAP
It was a slight fall from grace for East Sunbury in 2019 after almost going all the way in the Grand Final the year before.
Jacana's withdrawal from the competition after Round 7 caused havoc on East Sunbury's fixture, resulting in a three-week gap between games through May and June.
With a sluggish 2-4 record going into the unexpected long break, the Thunder struggled to re-capture the momentum that got it to the 2018 decider and had ongoing issues finding consistent avenues to goal, ending the year with just six wins.
BEST & FAIREST TOP FIVE
1st - Tom Cree*
2nd - Lucas Shaw
3rd - Shane Lindsay
4th - Kamen Ogilvie (pictured)
5th - Tom Godsell
GOAL KICKING TOP FIVE
24 - Kane Murfett
14 - Kamen Ogilvie
13 - Callum Lever
12 - Tom Galea
11 - Lucas Shaw
DIVISION TWO TEAM OF THE YEAR
Tom Cree* (back pocket)
Lucas Shaw (half back flank)
Kamen Ogilvie (wing)
*outgoing transfer lodged
2021 PREVIEW
Coach: Glenn Hopkins (3rd season)
LODGED TRANSFERS
In: Brandon Baginski (Collegians), Jack Burnell (Rupertswood), Joel Butler (Tallangatta), Claudio Campos (Burnside Heights), Jake Cronin (Greenvale), Riley Daniels (University Blacks), Jack Dillon (Sunbury), Tom Evans (Diggers Rest), Rhys Gardener (Broadford), Corey Gordon (Mitta United), Daniel Hawkes (Campbells Creek), Cooper McPharlane (Thomastown), Nathan Mills (Riddell), Sebastian Nelson (La Trobe University), Ryan Peters (Diggers Rest), Lachlan Ryan (Gordon), Liam Spiteri (Rupertswood), Frank Violi (Nyah Nyah West United) & Lachlan Wilkes (Rupertswood)
Out: Lachlan Brown-McKinley (Waratah), Thomas Cree (Sunbury), James Ellis (Campbells Creek), Dylan Giles (Sunbury Kangaroos), Jake Houston (Roxburgh Park), Christopher Kendall (Quambatook), Bradley Roberts (Kyneton), Lachlan Ryan (North Shore) & Caine Schofield (Glenroy)
EDFL MEDIA SAYS
East Sunbury needed to inject some more experience into its line-up and did so with the return of key defender Rhys Gardener and Frank Viola adding to its midfield depth following the departure of 2019 best-and-fairest, Tom Cree.
You almost have to throw away the form guide when it comes to assessing the Thunder's prospects following a very tricky 2019 campaign and perhaps the pandemic-inflicted reset might benefit a young and exuberant side like this one.
If East Sunbury can bank wins early in the season then it'll be primed for a tough stretch of fixtures from Rounds 4 to 8 that'll show us exactly how far this team could go in 2021.
2021 FIXTURE
