By DAVID NAGEL
SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
AFL VICTORIA COMMUNITY CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
THE talent, depth and leadership of the South East Football Netball League will be tested like never before when the Demons take on the Murray League in the AFL Victoria Community Championship clash at Mulwala on Saturday.
Coached by interleague legend Michael ‘Jock’ Holland, the final squad of 23 will run onto Lonsdale Reserve minus some of the great players who have led the league to an unbeaten run over the last four years.
As Casey Cardinia, the Demons defeated Nepean, Wimmera and Bellarine, before the newly-formed SEFNL outfit completed a quadrella of victories with a clinical dissection of Sunraysia at Casey Fields last year.
It elevated SEFNL to one of the top 10 leagues in the state, and provided just reward for the two most capped players of our time, Cranbourne’s superstar full-forward Marc Holt and Narre Warren powerhouse Michael Collins.
These two, alongside Holland, have engendered a spirit that is rare and unique in country football. Holt and Collins have lived and breathed one of Holland’s most dramatic lines, that “blood will be spilt, bodies will be bruised, are you willing to pay the price?”
It has almost become this team’s motto.
There will be no Collins or Holt this year, both succumbing to – not surprisingly – battered and bruised bodies that will stop Collins from playing his ninth, and Holt his sixth interleague campaign.
It’s time for the new breed to accept the baton from these two greats and run with it with all their might.
Holland is excited by a new group that sees only nine players return from last year’s victory.
“We’ve picked up a few injuries but every player in the final 23 thoroughly deserves their spot, they’re all in form and ready to play their best for the league,” Holland said.
“We’re going to be young, and there are a lot of new faces in the team, but I’m confident we’ll give a good account of ourselves.
Holt has dominated the goal square over the years, kicking seven against Wimmera and eight against Bellarine to earn himself dual VCFL Medals.
Holland said he is confident the forward line will function admirably without the injured star.
“Any team would love to have the big fella sitting in the goal square but there was always going to come a time, whether it was this year or next year, when we didn’t have that luxury anymore,” he said.
“But I’m still confident with our forward line. I rate Ben Kearns as one of the best couple of players in the league, he can play tall or small, and I think Matty Clarke is ready to emerge. He was a bit nervous and maybe a bit hesitant last year, and didn’t attack the game like he would at club level, but we’ve had a chat and he’s really looking forward to being a focal point this time around.”
Holt was also named co-captain of this squad with Berwick’s Michael Harold, who Holland said had admirable qualities as a leader.
“Obviously with Holty going down Micky becomes our captain and I couldn’t be happier with a bloke like him in the role,” he said.
“He’s a fantastic leader but not just in a football sense, he’s a great leader of men as well. He’s likeable, approachable, and he’ll do a great job, and I think blokes like Brandon Osborne and Troy McDermott are ready to step up as well. To be honest, I expect all of our players to be leaders in some sort of capacity on the day.”
Holland said the pressure was building with SEFNL one of only three leagues, alongside Geelong and Central Highlands, to have remained unbeaten over the last four years.
“There is a bit but I won’t shy away from a contest,” he said.
“I’m ultra-competitive in anything I do, whether it is playing footy or having a hit of golf, I always want to win, I think that’s just in your make up. And the pressure is building because the expectations are growing and I firmly believe we’re heading to where we belong. We’ve managed to up our game over the last four years and we’ll have to do the same again on the weekend. The challenge gets tougher the higher you climb up the rankings but we’re ready for it.”
Holland said the players should embrace what is a unique opportunity in the game.
“We’ve got (former interleague coach) Paul Kennedy coming down to speak to the boys after training, and he’s the perfect example of why I love interleague footy,” Holland said earlier this week.
“We played against each other and then became great friends by playing together and sharing great memories at interleague footy. I went to his 40th birthday last year and we’ve become life-long friends, that wouldn’t have happened without what these boys are about to experience on the weekend.
SEFNL won’t be overly tall, with Beaconsfield star Scott Meyer set to carry the can in the ruck, with support coming from Narre Warren pair Jake Richardson and Jordyn Flannery. There is plenty of drive off half back, with Ash Smith and Luke Bee-Hugo, while Josh Tonna and Luke Walker are sure to mesmerise with their dangerous left boots.
Clarke and Kearns will need support from Mark Weekes, and lively youngsters Jake Smith and Zac Roscoe if the Demons are to kick a winning score.
Saturday’s clash starts at 1pm, preceded by an Under 18 clash between the two leagues at 10.30am.
SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
THE LIKELY LINE-UP
FB: Glenn Osborne (Cran), Brandon Osborne [VC] (Cran), Troy McDermott (Beac)
HB: Ash Smith (Ber), Daniel Battaglin (Beac), Luke Bee-Hugo (Cran)
C: Josh Tonna (Narre), Michael Harold [C] (Ber), Luke Walker (Pak)
HF: Mark Weekes (Ber), Jake Richardson (Narre), Ben Kearns (Ber)
FF: Jake Smith (Pak), Matthew Clarke (Off), Zac Roscoe (Cran)
R: Scott Meyer (Bea), Shaun Marusic (Cran), Dylan Quirk (Narre)
INT: Andrew Dean (Too), Jayden Gee (Bea), Anthony Vella (Cran)
Jordyn Flannery (Narre), Josh Muling (Too)
