A recap of the 2013 season in Division 2.
WHITTLESEA – PREMIER (18 wins, 3 losses)
Whittlesea’s return to Division 2 lasted just one season, with the Eagles claiming the 2013 premiership. The triumph was to be Whittlesea’s second premiership in four seasons after also winning the Division 2 flag in 2010. With a host of recruits joining in the pre-season and with the natural progression of a number of talented youngsters, the Eagles went into the season as the premiership favourite. An early season loss to North Heidelberg proved to kick-start the side’s premiership campaign as they went on a nine-game winning streak and eventually took out the minor premiership on the back of wins in 16 of 18 home and away matches. Lucas Hobbs took his game to another level and took out the club’s best and fairest award. The star half forward booted 58 goals, including a game-high five goals in the Grand Final win over the Fitzroy Stars. Andrew Fairchild also had a year to remember, booting 103 goals for the season, which included 11 bags of five goals or more. Co-captains Garrett Heenan and Roy Dyson controlled the midfield, while Brenton Briffa again impressed. Couple those names with so much young talent in the side, including the likes of Matthew Atta, Nathan Andrews, Laurence Umali, Luke Deards and Ben Russell, and the Eagles look better equipped now to make the jump into Division 1 than they did three years ago. There is certainly greater depth at the club, with the under-19s also winning the premiership and the reserves reaching the Grand Final. After six seasons and two flags, coach Peter Budgen departed after the premiership win and will coach Craigieburn in the Essendon District Football League in 2013. Brad Dean has been named as Bugden’s replacement as Whittlesea coach.
Best and fairest: Lucas Hobbs
Leading goal kicker: Andrew Fairchild (103 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Lucas Hobbs (15 votes)
FITZROY STARS – RUNNER-UP (15 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw)
Despite missing out on the ultimate prize, 2013 will be remembered fondly by the Fitzroy Stars. It was a season in which the Stars reached their first Grand Final in the Northern Football League and returned to their home ground at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval. After losing three of their opening seven games, the Stars went on to win 11 of their next 12 games heading into the Grand Final. The only game they didn’t win in that three-month period was a nail-biting draw against North Heidelberg, where Corey Wanganeen kicked a goal after the siren to tie proceedings. Club legend Lionel Proctor again had a standout season and finished second for the competition best and fairest, but he had plenty of help throughout the year. Malcolm Dow had an immediate impact after joining from Drouin. The midfielder was adjudged best afield on Grand Final day and finished in a tie for second in the Division 2 Coaches Player of the Year award. Kaelun Brown also continued to win plenty of the football in the midfield, while forwards Patrick Davis and John Hayes combined for 133 goals as the Stars scored an average of 125 points per game – ranked No.1 in the competition. The averaged 147 points per match in six games at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval, where they were unsurprisingly undefeated at the ground. A total of five Stars were selected in the Division 2 Team of the Year, with co-coach Travis Hodgson named as coach of the team.
Best and fairest: TBA
Leading goal kicker: Patrick Davis (74 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Lionel Proctor (20 votes)
NORTH HEIDELBERG – 3RD (13 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw)
After falling agonisingly short in the 2012 Grand Final, North Heidelberg slipped one place further back in 2013 after a season crippled by injuries and suspension to key players. Despite playing undermanned at times, the Bulldogs still managed a credible third-place finish, two wins behind the Fitzroy Stars in second. The Doggies still had chances to secure second place, however squandered two golden opportunities throughout the year. The first came in Round 9 when they led Whittlesea by 68 points at half time, only to lose by one point on the second last kick of the game. The second lost opportunity was in Round 12 when they let slip a 12-point advantage with a minute to go to tie with the Stars. Wins in both those games would have given the side a second-place finish on the ladder and a double chance in September. Shane Harvey’s brilliance continued throughout 2013 and he finished the year with 123 goals, which included a haul of 12 and two bags of ten. Harvey was also named the Division 2 Coaches Player of the Year and won his club’s best and fairest. Cruelly, a badly broken finger denied him the chance to play in the preliminary final where North lost a close one to Whittlesea. Jarrod King missed most the year with injury, but started the year with votes in the opening four games. Meantime, Blake Holmes made a successful return to the Kennell. After a long-stint at the helm, Leigh Gray stepped aside as coach at season’s end, with playing assistant Stephen Saddington appointed as coach in 2014. Club legend Jason Dean also announced his retirement at the completion of the season.
Best and fairest: Shane Harvey
Leading goal kicker: Shane Harvey (123 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Shane Harvey (16 votes)
DIAMOND CREEK – 4TH (12 wins, 7 losses)
For the second season running, Diamond Creek’s campaign was cut short in the opening week of the finals series after losing the first semi final. Coincidently, the Creekers again kicked a wasteful 9.18 in the final against North Heidelberg – the same score they kicked in defeat against Fitzroy Stars in the 2012 first semi. The season began in a positive manner, with the Creekers defeating North Heidelberg in the opening round of the year and sitting atop the table after the opening month. However, two wins against the Bulldogs would be the only victories Diamond Creek recorded against top four sides throughout the year. Ultimately, a fourth-place finish was a perfect summation of where the side sat in the competition. It was certainly much better than the bottom four, but unable to genuinely challenge the top sides – notably Whittlesea and the Fitzroy Stars. Josh Whitehouse-Summers was superb and a deserving winner of the club’s best and fairest in a year he was also named centre half back in the Division 2 Team of the Year. Chris Moloney and Travis Knight also excelled, while Jai Norman was again superb in his second year with the club. Injuries to senior players allowed David Calthorpe to blood a number of talented youngsters throughout the year which will hold the club in good stead in years to come. With greater consistency and a bit of luck on their side, the Creekers look to have all the ingredients to be a genuine premiership contender next season.
Best and fairest: Josh Whitehouse-Summers
Leading goal kicker: Luke Simpson (46 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Jai Norman (10 votes)
MERNDA – 5TH (7 wins, 11 losses)
Mernda made a successful return to Division 2, winning seven games and finishing the year in fifth place on the ladder. The year began on a positive note with a 27-point away win at Lalor in Round 1 and at Round 13 the Demons were still in finals contention. The club’s best win of the season came in Round 7 when they reversed a 26-point deficit at quarter time to stun North Heidelberg by 32 points at Shelley Street Reserve. Ultimately, only close losses when leading both Hurstbridge and Lalor prevented the Demons from finishing the year with a 9-9 record. Despite missing the final four games of the season through injury, skipper Rohan Davies triumphed in the competition best and fairest award. It was his second consecutive success after claiming the Division 3 title in the club’s 2012 premiership season. Andrew Smith was superb in his first season after joining from Oak Park and won the club’s best and fairest and a place in the Division 2 Team of the Year. After a long and stellar career with the club, veteran Matthew Rees retired from senior football following the Round 18 game against the Fitzroy Stars. Meantime, work is underway on the club’s new home ground at Woodland Waters and a move to the oval looks likely in 2014.
Best and fairest: Andrew Smith
Leading goal kicker: Matthew Rees (35 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Rohan Davies (21 votes, winner)
HURSTBRIDGE – 6TH (5 wins, 13 losses)
Jono Manzoney’s first year at the helm marked a year of improvement for Hurstbridge who won five games – its equal best haul since returning to Division 2 three years ago. During the course of the season the Bridges pulled off a stirring come-from-behind win over grand finalist the Fitzroy Stars and pushed Whittlesea right to the line in a close loss at the Whittlesea Showgrounds. The season ended in more difficult circumstances, with the Bridges winning only one of their last nine matches, but the foundations are in place to mount a rise up the ladder in 2014. A final percentage of 80.70% indicates the Bridges’ greater competitiveness this season, with the side recording nearly 400 points more than they did in 2012. Ben Fennell was again a standout and was named rover in the Division 2 Team of the Year, while Mitch Lucas, Nick Milne and Josh Saw also featured regularly in Hurstbridge’s best players. The recruitment of young forward Daniel Francis paid immediate dividends. Francis booted a team-high 54 goals for the season, which included a bag of eight goals against Diamond Creek in Round 18 and hauls of five against both the Fitzroy Stars and North Heidelberg. Earlier this week, Hurstbridge confirmed the re-appointment of Manzoney as senior coach for season 2014.
Best and fairest: TBA
Leading goal kicker: Daniel Francis (54 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Ben Fennell (10 votes)
LALOR – 7TH (4 wins, 14 losses)
For the second season running, Lalor slipped down the Division 2 ladder as it experiences a rebuild of its playing list. A finalist in 2011, the Bloods finished fifth in 2012 before sliding to seventh this season on the back of just four wins – two of which came against bottom-placed South Morang. First-year coach Damian Zanic gave the club’s youngsters an opportunity at senior level and many showed enough talent to indicate they will be capable senior players in years to come. When it played its best football, Lalor was certainly a handful to contend with, even for sides inside the top four. Its best opportunity to beat a top side presented itself in Round 5, but a wasteful 9.19 resulted in a 12-point loss to arch-rival North Heidelberg. Scott Dowell was again the club’s standout player and finished in equal second for the 2013 Coaches Player of the Year – an award he claimed in 2012. Ben Curtiss, Shannon Smith and Marc Ventura all missed parts of the season, but were also regularly in the best when they were on the field. In a positive sign, Kurt Henderson became the club’s second consecutive winner of the under-19 competition best and fairest and with the under-19s again playing finals, there should be plenty of youngsters ready to step up in the near future.
Best and fairest: Scott Dowell
Leading goal kicker: Ben Gibson (23 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Scott Dowell (12 votes)
SOUTH MORANG – 8TH (1 win, 17 losses)
2013 proved to be a forgettable year for the South Morang Football Club. The Lions managed just one win for the year and sat in bottom place on the ladder for all 18 rounds of the seasons. 11 of the club’s 17 losses were inflicted by a margin greater than ten goals, with their end of season percentage standing at just 44.92%. Brent Howlett gave his all and was named in the best in 14 of 18 matches. He was one of two Lions to feature in the Team of the Year, alongside Daniel Watson. Still eligible to play under-17 football, Watson became one of the stories of the season – booting 42 goals in 17 matches. That included two bags of seven and 21 goals in just five games between rounds 3-7. With relegation confirmed early in the season, South Morang went with a youth policy that may well fast-track the development of many of its emerging stars moving into Division 3 next year. At the conclusion of the season it was confirmed that Craig Lambert will coach the Lions in 2014.
Best and fairest: Brent Howlett
Leading goal kicker: Daniel Watson (42 goals)
Most NFL best and fairest votes: Brent Howlett and Daniel Watson (3 votes)
DIVISION 2 – SEASON WRAP
Grand Final
Fitzroy Stars 14.13 (97) def by Whittlesea 17.14 (116)
Best and Fairest
1st. Rohan Davies (Mernda) – 21 votes
2nd. Lionel Proctor (Fitzroy Stars) – 20 votes
3rd. Kaelun Brown (Fitzroy Stars) – 16 votes
3rd. Shane Harvey (North Heidelberg) – 16 votes
5th. Lucas Hobbs (Whittlesea) – 15 votes
Leading Goal Kickers (home and away)
1st. Shane Harvey (North Heidelberg) – 120 goals
2nd. Andrew Fairchild (Whittlesea) – 90 goals
3rd. Patrick Davis (Fitzroy Stars) – 70 goals
4th. John Hayes (Fitzroy Stars) – 70 goals
5th. Leigh Gilbert (North Heidelberg) – 52 goals
5th. Daniel Francis (Hurstbridge) – 52 goals
Coaches Player of the Year
1st. Shane Harvey (North Heidelberg) – 21 votes
2nd. Malcolm Dow (Fitzroy Stars) – 20 votes
2nd. Scott Dowell (Lalor) – 20 votes
4th. Blake Holmes (North Heidelberg) – 19 votes
5th. Lucas Hobbs (Whittlesea) – 18 votes
