EZYAIR 2026 Season Review | Beaconsfield
By Christopher Kourtis.
Both Beaconsfield senior teams showed signs of promise throughout the season but ultimately missed out on a finals poisition in season 2026.
SENIOR MEN’S
Ladder position: 8th (6-12, 100.53%)
Best and Fairest: Hayden Brown
Leading goal kicker: Kobe Shipp (54 goals)
Beaconsfield were only two spots off the bottom in Division One, but a percentage above 100 showed that they remained competitive throughout.
The Eagles had to wait until Round Five for a win, beating Mooroolbark by eighteen points. One quickly became two, as they blew out Bayswater the next week.
This side did well to keep the contenders close in their meetings, yet there was still a noticeable gap. They didn’t manage a win against finals teams.
The closest they came was away to Wantirna South, where they lost by a point to a goal after the siren.
In the end, eighth place was a justified finished.
Best win: Round 11 – Beaconsfield 14.15-99 def. 11.7-73 Boronia @ Beaconsfield Holm Park Reserve
It wasn’t their biggest winning margin, but this was one of the few times we saw Beaconsfield put together four solid quarters of footy against a better opponent, and was one of just two wins against the teams above them.
The hosts led at all breaks, but the margin at three-quarter-time was just three points. Despite falling behind early in the final term, Beaconsfield kicked nine of the last ten scoring shots on their way to a 26-point win.
Devon Smith was best on, recording 25 disposals and nine inside 50s. Kobe Shipp led all comers with five goals on the day.
Key players:
Hayden Brown won the Best and Fairest award in his first season back at the club. Brown was a key ball mover for this side, averaging 26 touches a game to poll best on votes in twelve games.
Kobe Shipp was the only Eagle listed in the Team of the Year. The full-forward led the side in the goals tally, booting 54 majors at an average of 3.2 per game.
Kade De La Rue put together another promising season, continuing his development and form from last year. The youngster averaged 28 disposals and seven intercepts a game, making him an exciting player to look out for in 2027.
What’s next?
Beaconsfield need to improve their list to stay in touch with the top half of Division One. While re-signings like Mitch Szybkowski, Hayden Brown and Kobe Shipp are encouraging signs, keeping the same players won’t be enough this off-season.
The Eagles must go out and recruit. They’ve already started with former-VFL ruckman Adam Swierzbiolek, who returns after a year away from the game. Those at the club will be hoping that he is one of many.
SENIOR WOMEN’S
Ladder position: 5th (7-7, 70.63%)
Best and Fairest: Abbey Dibben
Leading goal kicker: Lauren Metcalfe (20 goals)
A mid-table finish was deserved for a senior women’s side that went game-for-game throughout the season.
Beaconsfield beat eventual grand-finalists Heathmont in Round 10, showing that they have a foundation on which they can build. That would go down as their only win against a team above them though.
Finishing twelve points adrift from finals, the Eagles were 1-7 against teams above them and 6-0 against teams below them.
Best win: Round 10 – Beaconsfield 4.8-32 def. 3.4-22 Heathmont @ Beaconsfield Holm Park Reserve
This win holds hope that finals contention is not too far away for this side.
Beaconsfield led at all breaks, finding themselves up thirteen at the final break.
Despite being held goalless in the fourth quarter, the Eagles stayed strong defensively, shutting down the game to win by ten points.
Darcy Gibbs was voted best on ground, as the hosts had four single goal kickers.
Key players:
Abbey Dibben was named best and fairest, also earning a spot as a full-back in the Team of the Year. Dibben recorded ten goals and twelve times in best through thirteen games.
Sammy Wilko also made the Team of the Year defence, polling best on votes in five games as a half-back.
Lauree Metcalfe led the side with 20 goals for the season. An average of 1.7 a game, Metcalfe was named a Team of the Year half-forward.
Lauren Hojnacki was the final Eagle to make the Team of the Year. Hojnacki was a key figure in the midfield, in the best on eight occasions while also contributing seven goals.
What’s next?
Similar to the men’s side, this women’s team needs to bring in some reinforcements to avoid getting left behind. Division Two has a genuine top three – if Beaconsfield want to close the gap to those sides, they'll need to focus on continued recruitment and growth from within.
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