By Russell Bennett
Selecting local Team of the Year in grand final week has become a time-honoured tradition within the pages of the Gazette, but this season the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition broke the mould.
In recent times the Gazette has focused much of its attention on the Casey Cardinia (now South East) and Ellinbank leagues, but this year the return of the West Gippsland name has meant we’ve had to cast our gaze far wider.
In doing so, we’ve rapidly gained an appreciation of the overall strength and incredible competitive balance of the new WGFNC.
This year’s Team of the Year features players from nine of the 10 clubs, with Korumburra-Bena star Ben Fitzpatrick particularly unlucky to miss out on a berth.
It’s also littered with star power – with Dalyston’s Brad Fisher (a former Carlton utility), Collingwood premiership player Brent Macaffer, and the much-revered midfield duo of Inverloch Kongwak’s Andy Soumilas and Phillip Island’s Brendan Kimber just to name a few.
If this side took to the field, the midfield rotations would come thick and fast right across the ground, with Nathan Muratore (Kooweerup), Chris Endres (Kilcunda Bass), and Michael Marotta (Dalyston) forming the centre line but the likes of Cora Lynn duo Nathan Gillis and Jeremy Monckton, and the interchange quintet of Macaffer, Inverloch’s Corey Casey, Jackson Dalton from Cora Lynn, Dalyston’s Kyle Kirk, and Bunyip’s best and fairest winner Joel Gibson also prolific ball winners and users in their own right.
Defensively, a pair of young guns in Garfield skipper Sam Batson and Nar Nar Goon’s Tyler Payroli have well and truly earned their spots.
They may not be household names locally – not yet – but they’re both vital to their respective sides’ chances each Saturday.
Garfield and Nar Nar Goon both have more well-known names in their ranks than these two – particularly through the midfield – but picked on team balance, the versatile and equally impressive Batson and Payroli fit right in.
Sea Eagle Dylan Clark and Demon Luke Walker are two of the most damaging users by foot anywhere in the competition – particularly behind the ball – and the same can be said of the Goon’s favourite son, Nick Henwood.
Up forward, the two-headed monster of Nathan Langley and Ryan Gillis are the key forwards – edging out a whole host of bonafide guns. The likes of Panther Taylor Gibson and Sea Eagle Tom Bartholomew were particularly unlucky to miss out, but Langley and Gillis are two of the main reasons behind the Cobras’ continued success and provide two of the biggest headaches for opposition teams each and every week. Arguably Gillis’ biggest strength is his unselfishness on-field, and that often belies his reputation among other clubs.
Alongside Langley closest to goal this year is Toby Mahoney and Jason Wells. Picture that for a second – a full-back line having to man those three up.
The first ruck position is sure to raise a few eyebrows, but Daniel Calteri did an absolute power of work for the Demons this season and in an inconsistent campaign for his side, he was a consistent shining light. He was relied on heavily to put his body on the line each week, crash packs, and take strong contested grabs and time and time again he stood tall.
Nick Higginson, the other contender for the starting position, is one of the stars of the competition and a key reason why the Island made its September run.
Only one of his side’s midfield brigade – Kimber – made the final side but that speaks to the Bulldogs’ core. Jaymie Youle and Jarrod Witnish made a shortlist that could have formed a representative team in its own right – one more than capable of taking on this side.
Inverloch Kongwak’s Shem Hawking, Tom Wyatt, Josh Purcell and Adam Cross; Cora Lynn’s Billy Thomas; Jason Toan, Brady White and Chris Johnson; Garfield’s Ned Marsh and Tyson and Darcy Payne; Nar Nar Goon’s Trent Armour, Brendan Hermann and Brent Hughes; Kooweerup’s Craig Dyker, Nathan Voss and Ben Kerrigan; Dalyston’s Blake Carew and Kurt Thomas; and the Island’s Steven Pimm, Jack Taylor, and Jarrod Andreatta also would have been worthy selections.
Phillip Island skipper Kimber was named captain of the side, with Soumilas his deputy. Both lead by example – through actions almost more than words. Kimber’s leadership of his side since returning from his broken leg was nothing short of inspiring.
The coach of this year’s team is Inverloch Kongwak coach Ben Soumilas – regarded by many as one of Gippsland’s finest coaches over a long period of time. Few coaches command more respect than he does.
Selection for the side was based off home-and-away performances, and a range of opinions were gauged – including those of a number of the club’s senior coaches.
