Eastland 2025 Season Review | Wantirna South

By Christopher Kourtis.

Both Wantirna South senior football sides made Grand Finals in 2025, with the senior men’s side set to return to Division One after a famous premiership. 

SENIOR MEN’S

Summary:

Ladder position: 2^nd, 13-1-4

Leading goal kicker: Liam Hewett (68 goals)

Wantirna South have earned promotion back into Division One after being crowned premiers in the 2025 season. 

Relegated to Division Two last season, the Devils started off their season 2-2 before going on a seven-game winning streak that put the league on notice. In a much-hyped Round 12 clash against Templestowe, however, they were far from their best, losing by 42 points.

The Devils beat every team in the competition at least once. They were picking up wins in a variety of ways, outscoring the likes of Templestowe and Mulgrave whilst grinding out defensive-minded wins against Croydon. 

Wantirna South lost the Qualifying Final by 21 points to Surrey Park, and suddenly there were some question marks surrounding the side’s premiership chances in the finals series. They quickly put these doubts to bed though, beating Mulgrave by 53 points in the first Semi Final before getting their revenge against Surrey Park in the Preliminary Final, winning by 31 points. 

On Grand Final day it took the Devils a while to get going, but when they finally clicked into gear, they were unstoppable. A barnstorming second half gave the side just enough of an advantage to hold onto a one-point margin, fending off Templestowe and earning promotion into Division One. 

Best Win: Grand Final: Templestowe 14.11 95 def. by Wantirna South 14.12 96 @ Walker Park

No surprise that the highlight of Wantirna South’s season was this comeback win on Grand Final day. 

Facing minor premiers Templestowe, the Devils were up against it from the start, trailing 25-6 at Quarter Time. The Dockers, who had established themselves as the benchmark of Division Two, continued to pile on the pressure to go into the main break, 26 points in front. 

Senior coach Jason Heffernan’s half time speech will go down in history though, as his team came out with a hunger for blood. The Devils won the third quarter 41-3, kicking six unanswered goals to open up an eight-point lead. Jake Denes had wrangled back control of the ruck contest, Taylor Leggate was having an impact in the midfield and Brook Kainey was directing traffic up forward.

The Dockers hadn’t been put away though, and after kicking four of the last five goals of the game they were suddenly back within a kick. Templestowe flooded forward late on and would’ve certainly retaken the lead if it weren’t for Luke Grima’s pivotal smother in the corridor. 

Despite some heart in mouth defending in the goal square and a couple of rushed behinds, Wantirna South held on to win by a single point in what will go down as one of the all-time great games of EFNL footy. 

Jamie Hunt’s four goal haul provided enough of a lifeline to keep his side afloat throughout a tough opening half, before Brook Kainey took over the second half, contributing 22 disposals and four goals of his own.

Nathan Denes was awarded the best on ground honours, putting up 21 disposals and 11 rebound 50s. 

Key players:

Nathan Denes was one of many standouts in this Wantirna South side, winning the club Best and Fairest award. The defender was named in the Team of the Year after averaging 20 disposals, nine intercept possessions and eight rebound 50s per game, whilst also earning best on votes in thirteen games. 

Joining Nathan in the Team of the Year was Jake Denes, who was listed on the interchange. The ruckman averaged 16 disposals and 39 hit outs, ensuring his teammates got first use out of the middle. 

Liam Hewett led the league in goal kicking, booting 68 goals in his 21 games. Hewett rightfully earned a spot as a Team of the Year half-forward, putting up three goals and seven score involvements a game. 

Elsewhere around the ground, Taylor Leggate was his reliable self. Leggate stuffed the stat sheet each week, doing whatever was asked of him to help his side get an advantage. He finished the season averaging 24 disposals and eight contested possessions.

What’s next?

Wantirna South are no strangers to Division One and will be fully aware of how their list stacks up against the rest of the competition.

They have already re-signed both Denes’, with Brook Kainey and Liam Hewett also amongst those who have recommitted to the club.

The Devils must continue to some signings to remain competitive in a new division. Lincoln Wong will return to Walker Reserve, and if the side can bring in more players of that calibre, they will put themselves in great stead for the season ahead. 

SENIOR WOMEN’S

Summary:

Ladder position: 2^nd, 10-2

Leading goal kicker: Darcee Clark, Kamryn Disney (16 goals)

The Senior Women’s side put together a formidable season but fell just short at the final hurdle.

The Devils’ only losses came to minor premiers Bayswater in Rounds 1 and 8. The side beat anyone else that came near them, building a five-game winning streak on two separate occasions. 

Wantirna South finally got the better of Bayswater, beating them in Semi Final 2 by 32 points in a strong display of football at H.E Parker Reserve.

They couldn’t get the better of Vermont in the Grand Final however, losing by just three points in a low-scoring encounter. 

Best win: Semi Final 2: Bayswater 1.2-8 def. by 6.4-40 Wantirna South @ HE Parker Reserve

The Devils’ biggest achievement of 2025 was making the Grand Final, and they did so through this statement win over Bayswater in the first week of the finals.

Having lost both meetings to the minor premiers in the home-and-away season, Wantirna South came into this Semi Final as heavy underdogs.

From the opening bounce, however, it was clear that it was Wantirna South’s day. They kept Bayswater scoreless in the first half, and despite a scoreless fourth quarter themselves, the Devils walked away with a massive 32-point win.

Darcee Clark led the side with two goals, whilst Brianna Hipwell was voted best on ground.

Key players:

Kamryn Disney put together an immense season. With sixteen goals and nine times in best out of her thirteen games, Disney was listed in the Team of the Year as captain. The midfielder was awarded the Division Four Best and Fairest and was also her side’s leading goal kicker (tied with Darcee Clark).

Montana Macfarlane was another player that shined in 2025. Macfarlane was listed in the Team of the Year as a full-forward, kicking fourteen goals throughout the season. She was joined in the Team of the Year by Sarah Port, who earned a spot on the interchange. 

What’s next?

2025 was a great season for the senior women’s side, they can use this campaign as the building blocks for another promotion push next year. 

They found a way to beat Bayswater, who they’ll meet again next season. Now they need to focus on targeting a few recruits to help bolster the squad and get them back to Grand Final day. From there? Get the job done. 

NETBALL:

Team by Team:

Wantirna South Green (Division Twelve):

Wantirna South’s top netball side only missed out on finals by percentage. Finishing 5^th with a record of 8-6, the Green team proved that they could match it with the best. They beat first-placed Fairpark and second-placed Vermont, showing exciting signs for the future. 

Taylor Dykstra came second in the league goal-scoring charts, scoring 258 goals in just eleven games.

Wantirna South White (Division Fifteen):

The Division Fifteen side fell agonisingly short of promotion in 2025. Their nine-win season put them in second place, yet they dropped Semi Final 2 to Upper Ferntree Gully by eleven goals. 

They responded with a five-goal win over Coldstream in the Preliminary Final before falling short to the same Upper Ferntree Gully team in the Grand Final, this time by just three goals. 

Natasha Jorgensen led the line for the White side, contributing 166 goals in twelve games.