2019 RECAP
Despite only being one game off the finals pace by season's end, the Northern Saints endured a tricky 2019 season.
A four-game losing streak in the second half of the season saw the Saints drop out of the top four and move from 6-2 to 6-6 by Round 13.
First-year coach Brett Kennerley was then sensationally sacked in September, despite the Saints' positive 8-7 record on the year.
BEST & FAIREST TOP FIVE
1st - Tamer Abdallah
2nd - Peter Dispenzeri
3rd - Eliot Kako
4th - Jake McSwain*
5th - Daniel Gennacaro*
GOAL KICKING TOP FIVE
33 - Mark Sabatino*
27 - Zakaria Farah
24 - Jalen Oakley*
18 - Bradwell Dick*
12 - Tamer Abdallah
DIVISION TWO TEAM OF THE YEAR
Jake McSwain* (full back)
Tamer Abdallah (interchange)
*outgoing transfer lodged
2021 PREVIEW
Coach: Peter Lohner (1st season, replacing Brett Kennerley)
LODGED TRANSFERS
In: Ali Abou-Eid (Hadfield), Jihad Ayoubi (Roxburgh Park), Silvio Campanaro (Greenvale), Andrew Capuana (Pascoe Vale), Michael Condello (West Coburg), Louis Fulgaro (Coburg Districts), Oliver Halton (Therry Penola OB), Cameron Kennedy (Pascoe Vale), Youssef Mourad (Roxburgh Park), Nabil 'Billy' Mourad (Greenvale), Benjamin Peterson (South Morang), Anthony Petrocco (Pascoe Vale), Abdul Shire (Lalor), Mahmoud Taleb (Westmeadows) & Khodr Yehia (West Coburg)
Out: Onur Akbas (Westbourne Grammarians), Kynan Barnes (Pascoe Vale), Samuel Basanisi (Westbourne Grammarians), Rustin Bulmer (Fitzroy), Dwayne Bulmer (Fitzroy), Matthew Clarke (Westbourne Grammarians), Kelsey Clayton (Westbourne Grammarians), Matthew D'Angelo (Essendon Doutta Stars), George Diab (Sunshine), Bradwell Dick (Waratah), Frankie Furlano (Old Paradians), Daniel Gennaccaro (Pascoe Vale), Youssef Helou (Westbourne Grammarians), Mitch Horler (La Trobe University), Mathew Hurren (Reservoir), Matthew Macheda (Westbourne Grammarians), Samuel Malual (Seymour), Jake McSwain (North Heidelberg), Cody Miles (Albion), Jalen Oakley (Nollamara), Darren Saad (Burnside Heights), Mark Sabatino (Hadfield), Marc Truscio (Albert Park) & Josh Zakhour (Taylors Lakes)
EDFL MEDIA SAYS
Going into the non-starter 2020 season, it was seemingly doom and gloom for the Northern Saints following a long summer of key players leaving Charles Mutton Reserve.
But 12 months on, the outlook is much brighter for Peter Lohner's men, with key best 22 players Tamer Abdallah (pictured), Eliot Kako, Mahmoud Taleb, Ali Abou-Eid and Kole Judd all choosing to come back for the upcoming season.
The overall list demographic is still very young and finals do seem more unlikely than likely, but the Saints will give any opposition a good run for its money throughout the year.
2021 FIXTURE
