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Bendigo Bank Mid-Season Review – Division Three Men

By Jayden Adolph

Waverley Blues

Position: 1st

Win/Loss: 8-0-1

Percentage: 153.03%

Leading Goalkicker: Josh Williamson

Best & Fairest Leader: Daniel Playsted

Waverley Blues started the 2022 Season with a loss to Warrandyte, however since Round Two they have been impressively consistent with eight straight wins.

Having won each match by an average of just over 35 points, they haven’t shut teams down until the second half during each victory, with a narrow wins over Ferntree Gully and seventh placed Glen Waverley by less than four goals.

Matthew Perry and Josh Williamson have been standouts within the forward-line combining for a total of 46 goals, with no signs of slowing down, whilst Daniel Playsted has been in their best several times, able to hit the scoreboard in as many matches.

The form guide tells us so far, they have the potential to go all the way in 2022.

Grade: A+

Warrandyte 

Position: 2nd

Win/Loss: 6-0-2

Percentage: 123.30%

Leading Goalkicker: Ryan Phillips

Best & Fairest Leader: Joshua Beasley

The consensus on the Bloods leading into the year was unpredictable.

However, 2022 for this impressive outfit started in the right way with a victory against division high-flyers Waverley Blues.

Ryan Phillips has held his own and steered his team to six wins booting 21 goals in nine rounds, which has put them in a stable second position heading into the second half of the year.

A narrow loss to Scoresby, and a victory by under a goal at Wally Tew against Ferntree Gully has shown the competition that depending on what day it is, Warrandyte can certainly be vulnerable.

Paul Donahoo’s men have some work to do to prove they’re capable of beating a couple of lower teams within the division, as their inconsistencies could play a huge part when it comes to finals time.

Grade: B+

Coldstream

Position: 3rd

Win/Loss: 5-1-2

Percentage: 105.21%

Leading Goalkicker: Mitchell Edmonds

Best & Fairest Leader: Darcy Carrigan

Up from fourth division, Coldstream were predicted to be a force to be reckoned with, especially with the talent they have at their immediate disposal.

The Cougars have been able to bank wins against mid-to-bottom ladder teams in Scoresby, Fairpark and Glen Waverley and despite drawing with Ferntree Gully, they’ve opened up the gap between themselves and the bottom half.

Considering 2021 leading goalkicker Darcy Fritsch is getting consistent game time in the VFL for Williamstown, they’ve done well to remain a threat up forward and will be hoping Mitch Edmonds adds to his hot streak of kicking multiple goals and fill that void, and that Darcy Carrigan continues to flourish!

Can the Cougars hold on for a finals berth in their first year back in the third division?

Grade: B+

Donvale

Position: 4th

Win/Loss: 4-0-4

Percentage: 119.09%

Leading Goalkicker: Nicholas Murphy

Best & Fairest Leader: Mihaele Zalac

The Magpies have endured quite the year so far in 2022, completing the first nine rounds with four wins and four losses.

Having won comfortably against the likes of Glen Waverley and Scoresby, they’ve also dropped the ball against fellow top four contenders Whitehorse and Coldstream.

Reliability comes to mind when the names Nicholas Murphy and Harrison Giles are mentioned, booting over 40 goals between them, while Zalac, Kent, Bodin, Duncan & Rausa all playing their part in a story that could feature finals.

Grade: C+

Whitehorse Pioneers

Position: 5th

Win/Loss: 4-0-4

Percentage: 95.43%

Leading Goalkicker: Daniel Horvat

Best & Fairest Leader: Andrew Padbury

Springfield Park has seen an in-consistent but competitive campaign from a much-improved Whitehorse in 2022, with the Pioneers left to rue some missed opportunities.

At the conclusion of Round Nine, Whitehorse sits on the edge of a potential finals series, taking part in what could be an enthralling battle with Scoresby, Coldstream and Donvale for the final spots in the top four.

Whitehorse would be pleased with their start, however unfortunate losses to Glen Waverley and Ferntree Gully could see them miss out on an unlikely finals series.

Grade: B+

Scoresby

Position: 6th

Win/Loss: 4-0-4

Percentage: 89.09%

Leading Goalkicker: Ben Bronsgeest

Best & Fairest Leader: David Evans-Marcius

Scoresby sadly lost a number of key players towards the end of 2021, but as Scoresby always do, they found a way to bring some outstanding talent back to Scoresby Recreation Reserve.

Dale Hehir has had a quiet start to the 2022 season after returning to the club from Croydon, but Ben Bronsgeest has brought his best to the table slotting 17 goals, linking up with the midfield crew of Hicks, Evans-Marcius and Richards nicely.

Bardsley’s boys have a little work to do to convince the rest of the competition that they’re capable of making the finals but have exceeded expectations so far.

Grade: A

Glen Waverley

Position: 7th

Win/Loss: 2-0-6

Percentage: 71.48 %

Leading Goalkicker: Louis Holmes

Best & Fairest Leader: Nick Bussell

A totally different Hawks outfit have tackled this competition head-on, but much like the last few seasons, they’ve had quite a few injuries pop-up which has let this young outfit down.

Losses by under a goal have been a common occurrence for Glen Waverley so far this year, with this happening against sides they would’ve considered beatable teams in Coldstream, Scoresby and Fairpark. Adding onto this a few heavy losses that have also been apart of the Hawks story for 2022, and it seems nothing has gone to plan to the halfway point.

With an injury to star midfielder Nick Bussell last week, this next month

will give us an insight as to what future this club has within Division Three.

Grade: D

Fairpark

Position: 8th

Win/Loss: 2-0-6

Percentage: 66.33%

Leading Goalkicker: Ben Gilling

Best & Fairest Leader: James Waldon

Fairpark started 2022 on a sugar high, rolling rivals Ferntree Gully by a point under lights, before sneaking home against Glen Waverley at home to start the season 2-0.

Predicting this division was difficult already, however with the Lions and their power, they’ve held their own against the higher teams within the division for the first half, but have run out of gas in the end.

Gilling down in the forward line has been quite the success, and will be key in the fight to avoid relegation, along with playing four quarters of football on a consistent basis. With Ferntree Gully and Glen Waverley in their next two fixtures, we should know more about their season soon.

Grade: C

Ferntree Gully

Position: 9th

Win/Loss: 1-1-7

Percentage: 94.75%

Leading Goalkicker: Kieran Gray

Best & Fairest Leader: Sam Crocker

The Eagles in previous years within this division have been a strong and feared outfit, but their campaign so far has proven that Division Three is nothing short of unpredictable.

Daniel De Ieso in the middle has been solid alongside Sam Crocker, with Kieran Gray showing what he is capable of inside their forward half.

Losing to teams they would’ve beaten comfortably last year like Glen Waverley and Fairpark have not put the Eagles in good stead but a draw with Coldstream and win over Whitehorse in recent weeks has given Ferntree Gully something to smile about heading into the break.

Ferntree Gully have the power to scare these teams above them and most expect them to avoid the double relegation,  but their inability to score throughout the year will mean they’re unlikely to crush those around them.

They should be safe, but they’ve proved untrustworthy in 2022.

Grade: D-

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