By David Nagel
“That’s what you can expect from the Beaconsfield Football Club…you’ll never get an easy game against us.”
The words of Beaconsfield coach Mick Fogarty should be printed on the door mat at Holm Park Reserve as the Eagles prepare to swing open those doors for their inaugural match in the Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL).
This Saturday the Eagles not only open their doors, but open the page on an exciting new chapter in their history when they welcome Wantirna South for a mouth-watering Division One opener.
After a Covid-interrupted three years in AFL Outer East, the Eagles are ready to bunker down and create a long and fulfilling history in one of the best metropolitan competitions in Victoria.
Fogarty, a well-known figure in the EFNL through his time at Noble Park, can’t wait to be the new kid on the block this time around.
“We come in unknown to the other sides, which is great, and we look forward to the challenge of being in the Eastern competition,” Fogarty said.
“It’s going to grow our football club over so many years, it’s a stable competition with a great history.
“Full credit to Outer East, they were open and professional in their dealings with our club, but going to Eastern provides our kids with an opportunity to play in one of the best comps in the state.
“I think it’s wonderful for Beaconsfield to join the Eastern footy league and hopefully compete well in our first year in division one.”
Beaconsfield is following the steps of its arch rival and closest neighbour Berwick, who played its first season in the top-flight of the EFNL – Premier Division – last year.
Beaconsfield played eight games in Outer East last season, finishing top of the ladder with a perfect undefeated record.
But three players who helped trigger that dominance, Nick Battle, Jamie Plumridge and Brandon White, have since left the club and transferred across to Mornington Peninsula league club Devon Meadows.
“It’s obviously disappointing to lose quality players from your side,” Fogarty said.
“We had a vision last year as to where we wanted to take the club and that included going to Eastern, and those guys were part of the discussion on why we thought we could be competitive.
“Clubs work hard to satisfy player’s needs, but when clubs go above and beyond what we can offer…these days the boys take it.
“But everyone is replaceable, we move on, the simple fact is those boys are not part of our footy club anymore.”
The Eagles may have found an instant replacement for Battle, with Declan Everett a highly-skilled and hard-running midfielder from Wodonga Raiders who possesses great speed out of stoppage.
Tanner Stanton makes the move back from Garfield, and will provide leadership and quality ball use off half back, while Casey Thompson is a key position defender who never gives up without a fight.
And Fogarty is excited by a wave of youngsters that are adapting well to the senior way of life.
“The kids that are coming through we’re really excited about,” Fogarty said.
“They’ve come up through the under 19s and have played all the games through the pre-season and have adjusted well to the level.
“Sam Mackinder, Jack Cameron, Michael Cameron, that’s just to name a few, and Declan Curran played four senior games last year and will naturally improve as well.
“Then there’s Sam Cachia, there’s about five or six boys that have come in and adjusted really well to what senior football is all about.”
Fogarty is not concerned about a lack of knowledge about his future opponents, with technology, and his experience in the EFNL expected to hold him in good stead.
“The beauty of the video and statistical data that we have today is that it provides accessibility and gives you a greater insight into how clubs are playing their football,” Fogarty said.
“In the past I’ve used forward scouts to assess teams that we are playing the next week, but too much information can sometimes provide an overload.
“I’ve got a little knowledge on some of the teams that we’re taking on and an understanding of how the competition is run.
“But, at the end of the day, it’s a massive challenge and we’re embracing that challenge full on.”
Fogarty says, after 25 years of coaching, the hunger to still improve his craft is still burning strong today.
“I stopped playing footy at 38, and I knew it was time, but right now I’ve still got the fire in the belly and new challenges like this really excite me,” he said.
“I’ve still got the fire in the belly and when that fire starts to burn out that’s when I’ll know its time.”
So, what can we expect from the Eagles this season, relating to game style?
“Last year we really hurt teams on turnover, that’s our DNA, and we really pride on ourselves on that style of game,” Fogarty said.
“Going on last year, there wasn’t much between the teams from first to seventh, those teams will be in games longer, where last year we ran over the top of a few.
“We’ll need to fully concentrate and produce our best footy for longer.”
Fogarty has one last promise for Beaconsfield supporters this year.
“We’ll be difficult to play against, we’ll pressure at the contest, neutralise things and go again,” he said.
“That’s what you can expect from the Beaconsfield Football Club…you’ll never get an easy game against us.”
BEACONSFIELD AT A GLANCE
2021
PLAYED IN: AFL Outer East Premier Division
FINISHED: 1st (8 wins, no losses)
LEADING GOAL-KICKER: Jake Bowd (20)
2022 INS: Declan Everett (Wodonga Raiders), Tanner Stanton (Garfield), Joshua Huizing (Kingborough).
2022 OUTS: Anthony Johnston (Belgrave), William Hamilton (Belgrave), Brandon White (Devon Meadows), Nick Battle (Devon Meadows), Jamie Plumridge (Devon Meadows), Joshua Mounter (Sturt), Sean Dwyer (Lang Lang), Connor Olsson (Hampton Park), Ethan Damato (Berwick Springs), Tom McKenna (Mazenod OC).
2021 EFNL DIV 1 LADDER: Park Orchards 40, (Promoted to Premier), East Ringwood 36, Mooroolbark 32, Croydon 28, Montrose 24, Mitcham 20, Wantirna South 16, Bayswater 12, Lilydale 8, Upper Ferntree Gully 4.
BEACONSFIELD’S FIRST FIVE: Wantirna South (Home), Mooroolbark (Away), Bayswater (H), East Ringwood (A), Montrose (H).
