By Callum Ludwig
With football and netball clubs having taken a break for Easter, here’s how local clubs have started their seasons:
Mt Evelyn are the only local club competing in the Outer East Football Netball League and the Rovers footballers are seventh in the Premier Division due to a disappointing 141-point against rivals Wandin and a solid response against Gembrook-Cockatoo, winning by 28 points away from home. Jack Hourihan has been a bright spark, featuring in the best players in both weeks. The A-Grade netballers have had a dominant start to the year, sitting pretty on top of the ladder after a 10-point win over Wandin and 70-point win over Gembrook-Cockatoo. Ava Upton and Rory Barr have been consistent performers in the first games of the season and the Rovers will welcome Healesville in Round Three.
Over in the Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL), Mooroolbark find themselves third in what looks like a wide open Division One competition. The Mustangs picked up a comfortable 68-point win in their season opener against Norwood before being brought back down to earth after being beaten by 14 points at the hands of North Ringwood. Cayden Maki, Kane Noonan and Patrick Downie have all been in the best for two weeks running and the Mustangs will have an extra week’s break thanks to the bye.
Montrose have also picked up a win and a loss in Division One, beating Bayswater by 7 points before falling to Park Orchards by the same margin to end up in fifth spot. Brayden Laplanche and Jack Diedrich have been in the best in back-to-back weeks and the Demons play Boronia away in Round Three.
In Division Two, Lilydale reside in sixth having beaten Croydon by 33 points and lost to Mulgrave by 60. Riley Clausen, Marc Massarotti and Harry Evans have been the Falcons’ best and they take on Waverley after Easter.
The aforementioned Croydon have had a tougher start, currently last after losing to Lilydale by 33 and following it up with a 40-point loss to Heathmont. Corey Mckenzie and James Smith have been shining lights for the Blues, who welcome Surrey Park next week.
In Division Three, Coldstream are sixth with a 52-point loss to Silvan, a 39-point win over Fairpark and a narrow 11-point loss to The Basin. The Cougars have had a consistent set of top performers, with Bailey Grant, Matthew Langdon, Darcy Carrigan, Leigh Warne and Sam Figg all featuring in the best players in two games, while Darcy Fritsch is the league-leading goalkicker with 10. They play Donvale away on Saturday 26 April.
In Division Four, Chirnside Park are top of the pops with two wins against Croydon North MLOC (55 points) and Bulleen Templestowe (45 points). Justin Ficorilli leads the league in goals with 9, just ahead of teammate Jake Cawsey with 8, while Dylan Cawsey has been in the best two weeks in a row. Chirnside Park play Forest Hill away in Round Three.
Kilsyth aren’t far behind in third, with a 14-point win over Forest Hill and a 20-point loss to Croydon North MLOC. Brandon Droessler and Luke Ivanovic have been two of the Cougars’ best and they play Warrandyte at home after the break.
Croydon North MLOC are fourth due to the aforementioned loss to Chirnside park and win over Kilsyth. Bailey Cheong has been one of their best both weeks and they play Whitehorse away next round.
