Premier 2026

[shinji]

Don't know if that is an accurate description. Rowville jumped them by 21 points in the first quarter and they lost by 21 points, even though they outscored Rowville in the last quarter. Rowville are a good team, so the result wasn't completely unexpected.

Looks like the Burners are the team to beat still. Don't know who out of Balwyn, ER or Rowville is the most likely to challenge.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

And so the season ends for five…

Noble Park outdid all expectations - certainly beyond my expectations- but to be fair to the dud tipsters like me they did spring a couple of surprises by bringing in Gilbert very late and playing Crouch. I can’t help but wonder if this provided a little bit of a dead cat bounce after they were predicted to tumble down the ladder. Gilbert is 39 and must be long odds to play again, and Crouch played 6 games on his degenerative knee. I don’t think they have anything coming through so it’ll be all about what they can recruit. They can’t splash the cash endlessly like the old days.

To be a little fairer to Vermont, a full season of Buxton and Weidemann will have them looking much better. Assume Buxton is staying but who knows, he goes wherever the most clash is offered (Vermont, Montmorency, Sorrento, Darwin…). If he gets a bigger offer he’ll be out the door quick.

Doncaster East will be same again next year, the coach and committee and amply demonstrated they have no idea what they’re doing. Would spend more than any local club in Australia and finish 8th two years straight. Embarrassing.

Berwick were competitive, especially at home. Their rich mine of kids for the area will keep producing but for real success in the top grade they need to be able to supplement it with recruiting, that they don’t seem able to do. Interesting watch, if they can recruit some top liners they could be a force with their great home ground advantage.

Mitcham ultimately were a bitter disappointment, particularly after some very promising early season performances. I think they underestimated the step up after two straight D1 flags and thought they were better they they really were, and would slot in to Premier fairly comfortably. The talk now is what they’ve learnt and how they’re bolstering their recruiting and football dept. Why didn’t they do that twelve months ago in preparation for the jump up? Premier has again shown it’s the biggest step up and they got caught underestimating it.

They’re busy now telling everybody they’ll be back up soon which is fine for morale, I get it, but history says otherwise. One win in the top grade is the equal worst performance since Donvale went winless back in 2008… and no club that has only produced the one win at the top level has returned. A season like that sucks the air out of a club and will take time to recover from.

Lilydale had a similar season in 1999 and returned to the top grade in 2004, but nobody else has since.

They’ll be doing well just to have a reasonable competitive season next year.

 

[ManInWhite]

8th loss by 12 points and under this season for Mitcham.Can not win the close ones.Could not get there but saw the last half of Blackburn v Berwick.A good game and Blackburn kicked the winning goal in the last 30 seconds.A great premier round with the biggest winning margin for all games 13 points.

Think we saw you last week at Blackburn G-Mac. We did say that the forward scout wearing a Mitcham jacket wasn't being very anonymous!!

 

[Harry Cheezels]

Wowee! East Ringwood gave up again, in another crucial game. Serious questions there!

LOL!! Gave up. Played away. Were never in front at any stage in the game. The game meant nothing as they couldn't move position on the ladder. Rested players. And managed minutes of key players. Only questions are what are you smoking

 

[shinji]

LOL!! Gave up. Played away. Were never in front at any stage in the game. The game meant nothing as they couldn't move position on the ladder. Rested players. And managed minutes of key players. Only questions are what are you smoking

Who did they rest from last week?

 

[Richard Lounder]

Vermont have today missed the finals for according to records the 16th time in those 63 years (with most of those coming in the first decade). A rarity that should be celebrated.

Life is tough when you can’t go and buy 5 topline local players and 5 VFL players after a poor season.

My favourite was in 2010 when they missed for the first time in 23 years. They needed to beat a lowly South Croydon in the last round to play finals. They spent the first half of the week campaigning to have the game moved from Cheong because apparently the surface was unsafe for their players (the surface was very poor but had been played on all year). When that didn’t work they offered South Croydon $15k cash to agree to move the game to Terrara.

SC resisted, knocked them off by 4 points and they missed finals by percentage.

On this Saturday night I remember being pointed to the old EFL forum by a mate to view Vermont people logging on to read the club’s last rites, it was basically time to shut the doors after the disgraceful un-Vermont season the players had produced. Funny stuff.

Absolutely true story that. Arrogance at its worst. Still can't seperate that day or the 2017 granny when they had t shirts already printed up that they were premiers
And they are still whinging about the wind change that day**** em

 

[damochandler]

Absolutely true story that. Arrogance at its worst. Still can't seperate that day or the 2017 granny when they had t shirts already printed up that they were premiers
And they are still whinging about the wind change that day**** em

That never happened and you know it. Were you the person who rang into Sen that said Vermont fans were wearing premiers 2017 hats on grand final day ?

 

[Richard Lounder]

That never happened and you know it. Were you the person who rang into Sen that said Vermont fans were wearing premiers 2017 hats on grand final day ?

Ha ha . Not me mate ..I hadn't heard that one . Wouldn't be suprised though. The over confident that day and that week ..... will never forget

 

[Richard Lounder]

Ha ha . Not me mate ..I hadn't heard that one . Wouldn't be suprised though. The over confident that day and that week ..... will never forget

And you know it

 

[damochandler]

Ha ha . Not me mate ..I hadn't heard that one . Wouldn't be suprised though. The over confident that day and that week ..... will never forget

Someone did ring in and say it, it was on the run home on the Tuesday after the grand final.

 

[damochandler]

And you know it

Then you know they never had the t shirts printed out

 

[Richard Lounder]

Someone did ring in and say it, it was on the run home on the Tuesday after the grand final.

Ok . Thats gold...

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

I heard they already had a "niche" created in the trophy room for the cup.

 

[The_General#1]

LOL!! Gave up. Played away. We’re never in front at any stage in the game. The game meant nothing as they couldn't move position on the ladder. Rested players. And managed minutes of key players. Only questions are what are you smoking

According to PlayHq they were 1 or 2 players off full strength. Only noticeable player missing is Tovey and he’s injured apparently.

 

[shinji]

According to PlayHq they were 1 or 2 players off full strength. Only noticeable player missing is Tovey and he’s injured apparently.

Thanks for that, General! Yeah, it doesn't seem they rested too many, according to PlayHQ. Tovey didn't play against Balwyn the week before either. Perhaps Harry Cheezels has inside knowledge that we do not...

 

[thefunnelweb]

The season is officially starting this weekend, the rest doesn’t matter the next 4 weeks is where it begins and ends!!!!
Who is everyone’s tip for the flag??

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Blackburn, finally.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Super interesting imo, I think it’ll be really good to watch.

Not groundbreaking but I have it down to the Top 3. Rowville have kinda spluttered to the line and been inconsistent and I think SC are making up the numbers.

Ladder says Blackburn clearly.

Form over 6 weeks:
Blackburn 6-0
ER 3-3
Balwyn 3-3

Head to head:

Blackburn went 1-1 vs ER, 1-1 vs Balwyn

ER went 1-1 vs Blackburn, 2-0 vs Balwyn

Balwyn went 1-1 vs Blackburn, 0-2 vs ER

Finals record last two years:

Blackburn 0-1
ER 1-3
Balwyn 4-1 and a flag

So it’s pretty tough. Of course Blackburn are the best side of the H&A series and in the best form… but they don’t have finals experience and finals are a different game. They’ve also been beaten by both ER and Balwyn this year.

Balwyn are finals-hardened and ER, despite their record, do still have that finals experience that Blackburn do not.

 

[ManInWhite]

Bunk - will Beaconsfield ground challenge ER?

 

[thefunnelweb]

Bunk - will Beaconsfield ground challenge ER?

Potentially it could however not as much as it does the lower division, I think cause the skill level and fitness is higher it’s doesn’t challenge from that aspect as much it challenges more in the do you go to wide and move the ball to slow that the oppo defence sets up and you get slower bombed entries compared to the speed on the ball they get at home. However I think most prem grounds are no where near the size of Beaconsfield and Bayswater (if the grand final is still there?)

 

[The_General#1]

Potentially it could however not as much as it does the lower division, I think cause the skill level and fitness is higher it’s doesn’t challenge from that aspect as much it challenges more in the do you go to wide and move the ball to slow that the oppo defence sets up and you get slower bombed entries compared to the speed on the ball they get at home. However I think most prem grounds are no where near the size of Beaconsfield and Bayswater (if the grand final is still there?)

All good points. Blackburn has a lot of leg speed. I’ve seen it first hand. They’re quick. The big ground should suit them but Balwyn, ER and Rowville have some great finals experience. Should be a ripper finals series. My tip is Blackburn to break the premier premiership drought.

 

[The_General#1]

Thanks for that, General! Yeah, it doesn't seem they rested too many, according to PlayHQ. Tovey didn't play against Balwyn the week before either. Perhaps Harry Cheezels has inside knowledge that we do not...

Tovey is in a moon boot. Touch n go for a finals appearance I believe.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

According to Google (which is pretty accurate)

Beaconsfield 163m x 136m

Bayswater 153m x 119m

Blackburn 140m x 113m

ER 141m x 120m

Balwyn 145m x 103m

Give or take a few metres depending where the boundary line is

So yeah all clubs well outside their comfort zones

Whoever has the best running power can really take advantage of the width at Holm Park. Get your runners on their bike and they’ll find plenty of space.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

And just for comparison, Jubilee Park is 156m x 132m.

So Beaconsfield is unspeakably big.

 

[thefunnelweb]

And just for comparison, Jubilee Park is 156m x 132m.

So Beaconsfield is unspeakably big.

Does it gets windy down there? Or protected well?