By Nick Creely
Now that the future of Beaconsfield is secure in the Eastern Football League, its full steam ahead for the Eagles.
The long journey to Round 1, 2022 – which will see the Eagles begin their life in Eastern with a home clash against Wantirna South – is one that senior football coach Mick Fogarty is looking forward to, and a new challenge he believes will reinvigorate the club.
The Eagles are part of Division 1, joining Bayswater, Croydon, East Ringwood, Lilydale, Mitcham, Montrose, Mooroolbark, Upper Ferntree Gully and Wantirna South in what looms as an intriguing competition after crossing over from the Outer East’s Premier Division.
“It gives our footy club and our junior club a real opportunity to play at a really high standard,” Fogarty said.
“It’s a very well established league – we’re excited about that.
“Divisional football is bloody tough to maintain some real consistency, and in Division 1 I feel is fair in where we sit right now. As a club we’re really looking forward to it.”
The Eagles have been busy with the pen as they began pre-season training last week, with the club looking to bolster their list in the wake of their two biggest stars of 2021 – Brandon White and Nick Battle – departing for MPNFL club Devon Meadows under former senior assistant Ryan Hendy.
“It was a good week with numbers on the track, and the recruits we’ve been able to get to our footy club look good,” he said.
“We’ve got a good batch of Under 17s coming up and Under 19s who played last year that will now become senior footballers.
“We played seven in the seniors, so a lot of them got a taste, so we’re hoping to be nice and prepared heading into a strong competition.”
Those recruits – that of Tanner Stanton from Garfield, Casey Thomson from Nilma Darnum, youngster Declan Everett from the Wodonga Raiders and Josh Huizing from Kingborough Tigers in Tasmania – will add plenty of experience, skill and energy to the group.
“Tanner is a very nice player, uses the footy really well, and has some VFL experience, he’ll slot straight into half-back,” he said.
“Brandon White is hard to replace, let’s be honest, and we’re not saying that Tanner will replace him, but he’ll fit the same role. We expect Tanner to be a great release player for us.
“Casey Thomson has played some representative footy in Gippsland, he’s a centre half back, and looks a real competitor which is great – that’s probably where we felt we lacked, our defence, and a bit of height, so he’ll provide that.
“Declan is a mid-forward from Wodonga thanks to Scotty Meyer – he’s a quality mid, played Murray Bushrangers, some terrific footy with Wodonga and is currently training with Box Hill, so we’re excited by him.
“And Josh from Tasmania looks a strong inside mid that will complement our outside mids.”
Adding to the fact that 2021 recruit Josh Smith – the Casey Demons listed big man who suffered a season-ending injury just before the season – is also locked and loaded and looking fit, makes for a nice bundle of players to sign at Holm Park.
The 18-round Division One competition is set to kick off on 2 April.
