Yarra Valley Water InFocus 2026 | Croydon

By Josh Ward.

The Blues will be looking to bounce back this coming season in Division Two after injury and an inconsistent lineup cruelled a promising 2025 season.

Following a Grand Final appearance in their new division in 2024, Croydon fell short of that mark this past season.

Sitting with a 6-5 record after 11 rounds, the Blues then lost six of their last seven games to end the season, resulting in an eight placed-finish.

Rhett Jordon is set for a third season as Croydon’s senior men’s coach, saying numbers have been solid across all three grades this pre-season.

“This time last year we were putting a bit of work together to get some numbers together for our Under 19s because in 2024 we had around 80% of the boys being top age and there was 17s coming through,” Jordon said.

“There was a lot of work to make sure that side got up and we had that continuity there whereas this year our 17s coming up, we had six or seven of those boys get some senior and reserves experience.

“Getting those boys up has been good from a numbers point of view and how keen they are to. Obviously those guys coming up into the seniors having already had a taste of it, there’s a good level of excitement amongst them.”

While most of the senior group has re-signed, the Blues will be without three key senior players in Fraser Smith, Riley Britton and Andrew Carter who’ve departed for Montrose.

“You look at those three boys who went to Montrose, yes obviously they’re big losses and there’s spots to fill there. But it’s not like they played every single game last year.

“We had cases throughout the year where they weren’t playing. So guys understand the role they need to play or the void that is there when they aren’t playing and how they then can fill that or how life was without them on the field.”

But they have brought in players to the fold, highlighted by ex-Norwood midfielder Cooper Holmes who comes across after winning Yarra Junction’s Best and Fairest last year.

“He brings a bit of fun, has a bit of fun but he also knows the balance between having a crack and what he needs to do.

“Last season he was the captain at Yarra Junction at a young age so he’s shown he’s got leadership traits.”

Forward Mitch Scriven also crosses from South Belgrave looking to gain senior experience after playing reserves and 19s footy in recent years with the Saints.

“He’s obviously played some good footy at South Belgrave, but in the forward line he was playing in the reserves there and I don’t think there was much more he could’ve done given their senior forward line.”

Jack Walton also crosses having spent the past two years playing in London while Ryan Emerson and Bryce Younger join from Montrose and East Ringwood respectively.

“Players like that, the younger players coming through and having that buy in across the board is great.

“We have a bit more experience, a bit of depth is really good, which means there’s pressure on spots and a high level of drive.”

Whilst things look on the up for the Blues, including with players looking to return from injury, Jordon says they’ll try to not look too far ahead throughout the remainder of the offseason and this coming season.

“A big focus and goal for us at the end of the day is to play finals footy, but it’s still 18 rounds away.

“We’re going to chunk things down. So a big focus for us is, let’s get to Round 9 and see where we’re sitting and how things are tracking.

“If you plan too far ahead you can get ahead of yourself and forget about the here and now. And you don’t want to drop or not think through things properly because you thought too far ahead.

“Our focus is to get consistency, to get blokes on the park, get some higher standards and drive those expectations of each other and hold each other accountable for consistent sustained success, which should lead to that end goal.”

The Blues kick off their 2026 campaign with a traditional opening round home fixture against local rivals Lilydale.