See all the key list changes ahead of the 2019 Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 season.
Nine teams will again compete in third division this season, with Old Eltham Collegians joing from the VAFA, while 2018 premier St Mary’s has been promoted to A Plus Labour Solutions Division 2.
The action begins on Saturday April 6.
The opening round matches are:
Old Eltham Collegians vs Panton Hill at Eltham College
Heidelberg West vs Mernda at Heidelberg Park
Kilmore vs South Morang at J.J Clancy Reserve
Laurimar vs Reservoir at Laurimar Reserve
Bye – Lalor
Continue below to see all the key ins and outs for each Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 team ahead of the 2019 season.
HEIDELBERG WEST
Coach: Cam van Florestein (replacing Gary Cutler)
Last year: 6th (8 wins, 8 losses)
IN: James Bonnici (North Heidelberg), Ben Fogarty (Kilsyth), Jordan McColl (Glenroy), James McLean-Brunton (Gembrook Cockatoo), Stuart Pike (Mount Waverley), Cam van Florestein (Kilsyth), Billy Wright (Macleod)
OUT: Jake Chiminello (Macleod), Jacob Duson (Lalor)
Coach says: “We’ve just got to take it a week at a time and not get ahead of ourselves. I don’t want to set goals and then fall short due to reasons such as injuries at the wrong time of year. I’ve told the boys there is no goal but obviously if finals come within reach, I don’t see why we can’t be amongst the challenge.”
KILMORE
Coach: Nathan Phillips
Last year: 7th (7 wins – 9 losses)
IN: Luke Chapman (Craigieburn), Stephen McIntyre (Eltham), James Minogue (Whittlesea), Chris Ryall (Caulfield)
OUT:
Coach says: “Everyone aims to play finals and win a flag. We’re no different there but we’re not going to set our bar too high. Of course, we want to win every game and if we don’t, we want to improve. So as long as we see some improvement week in week out, who knows how far we can go.”
LAURIMAR
Coach: Justin Sherman
Last year: 4th (10 wins – 7 losses)
IN: Michael Brennan (Whittlesea), Brayden Gardiner (Mernda), Jesse McKinnon (St Mary’s), Joel Regan (Tongala), Kieran Sheahan (Watsonia), Jordan Wilkins (Epping)
OUT: Adam Dennis (retired), Jack Kreuzberger (Rupanyup), Jarryd Lediott (Hurstbridge), Joel McDonald (Kinglake), Josh Scrivano (Tyabb)
Coach says: “This year has been more about taking a bit more onus and responsibility and putting that more on the players. We hope our senior players keep showing our youngsters exactly the way we want to play our footy. At the end of the day it’s the best environment when it’s player driven and we really wanted our leaders to step up this year and, so far, they have been fantastic.”
LALOR
Coach: Gary Cutler (replacing Dean Grainger)
Last year: 8th (2 wins – 14 losses)
IN: Daniel Ballantyne (Heidelberg West), Adem Bektash (North Sunshine), Adrian Cirianni (West Preston-Lakeside), Ben Curtiss (Officer), Jacob Duson (Heidelberg West), Jake Grey (Thomastown), Adam Lourey (Dromana), Josh Novelli (West Preston-Lakeside), Sam Rexhepi (Wallan), Frank Tomaras (St Mary’s), Stephen Wallace (Coburg Districts), Matthew Whitaker (Bullcreek Leeming)
OUT: Isaac Edgar, Anthony Velicki (Moonee Valley)
Coach says: “I always find it hard to put a ceiling on things. We are aiming to improve and to be thereabouts. With natural progression in everybody means it’s not unrealistic for us to be aiming for finals. With St Mary’s going up a division and no one coming down, I feel like there’s a spot up for grabs and there’s no reason why we can’t fight for it.”
MERNDA
Coach: Paul Derrick
Last year: 5th (9 wins – 7 losses)
IN: Joe Ferlazzo (Old Eltham Collegians), Jesse Inzillo (South Morang), Ryan Kannegiesser (Roxburgh Park), Tyson Sparkes (Springvale Districts)
OUT: Les Adams (Kinglake), Rohan Davies (Corowa Rutherglen), Krys Douglas (Kinglake), Brayden Gardiner (Laurimar), Liam Gray (Bundoora), Jesse Owens-Draper (Whittlesea), Marcus Saddington (Kinglake), Adrian Stefanile (Bundoora)
Coach says: “Hopefully they’re burnt from last year. I know a few are, so I hope that inspires them to go harder this year and be more consistent. If we are not aiming for finals, then we are wasting our time. Our aim is to make finals and finish as high as we can”
OLD ELTHAM COLLEGIANS
Coach: John Garrard
Last year: 10th in VAFA Division 2 (1 win, 17 losses)
IN: David Bonadio (West Preston-Lakeside), Luke Booth (Essendon Doutta Stars), Luke Bower (Lower Plenty), Dylan DeBritt (Mangoplah), Michael McMahon (West Preston-Lakeside), Thomas O’Neill (West Preston-Lakeside), Lachlan Pearson (Panton Hill), Matthew Quinton (Kinglake), Nick Snowdon (Euroa)
OUT: Joe Ferlazzo (Mernda), Brent Gutterson (Diamond Creek), Brent Switkowski (Woden Blues)
Coach says: “We’ll be going in a little bit blind but at the same time it’s also exciting to be the unknown. We like the fact that a lot of the clubs aren’t too familiar with us at the moment. It could be our benefit, especially early on in the season.”
PANTON HILL
Coach: Steve Layt
Last year: 2nd (12 wins – 7 losses)
IN: Nathan Hendry (return), Cam Jordan (return), Joel McLellan (Montmorency)
OUT: Luke Ericson (Eltham), Lachlan Pearson (Old Eltham Collegians), Jesse Shea (Old Paradians)
Coach says: “The players are an extremely competitive group of boys that seriously just want to win games of footy. They are as hungry as they could ever be right now. Although we were devastated (to lose the grand final), the club have handled it well because we had achieved our objective which was to play finals in 2018.”
RESERVOIR
Coach: David Nelson (replacing Aaron Collins)
Last year: 9th (0 wins – 16 losses)
IN: Zacharias Cookson (Tyabb), Harrison Evens (St Kevins), Luke Hadden (Russells Creek), Matthew Hands (Greenvale), Mitchell Hawkins (Stratford), Daniel Murphy (Corowa Rutherglen), Daniel Sebeh (West Preston-Lakeside), Lachlan Walmsley (Congupna)
OUT: Robert Carnovale (Watsonia), Alex Divola (Watsonia), Justin Cluney (Jacana), Trent Gleisner (Yarragon), Craig Poynter (Jacana), Lachlan Shaw (Yarragon), Thomas Stoneham (Braybrook), Jordan Williams (Mount Evelyn)
Coach says: “There’s an opportunity for a lot of young players to step up this year and that’s been our selling point in recruiting. We’re building the foundations of the club, building the culture.”
SOUTH MORANG
Coach: Gary Hall
Last year: 3rd (11 wins – 7 losses)
IN: Brendan Brettschneider (Quinns District), Jamil Jones (Kalangadoo), Damian McRae (Rossmoyne), Jake Potter (Montmorency)
OUT: Brody Bell (Whittlesea), Daniel Caruso (Thomastown), William Cookson (Hurstbridge), Blake Fitzgerald (Whittlesea), Sam Indian (Whittlesea), James Mellerick (Hurstbridge)
Coach says: “We’ve got some really good under-19s this year. There’s a good list coming from our under-17s, which has been one of the most successful juniors sides we’ve had. They’ve had a good pre-season and been training with the senior boys.”
