SFNL Div 1 2025

[Marousses]

Regular Season Review

Dingley (17 wins, 1 loss) – A+

Peet, Feehan, Walmsley and co. are primed and ready. One slip across the season and they look every bit the premiership favourites.

St Paul’s (13 wins, 5 losses) – B+

High expectations here, but losses to Murrumbeena and East Brighton – both outside the five – don’t usually correlate to premiership success. Still dangerous, but question marks remain.

Cheltenham (12 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw) – C

For a powerhouse club, a top-three finish would have been the minimum standard. They’ve been unconvincing across the year, but if they can flick the switch now, watch out – this is the stage they’ve been waiting for.

Springvale Districts (10 wins, 8 losses) – D

With Makelin, Reine, Beech, Sketcher and Martin coming in, this was meant to be a statement year. Instead, it’s been flat and underwhelming for the talent they assembled.

Bentleigh (9 wins, 8 losses, 1 draw) – A+

Most tipped them for relegation after losing Buffalo and Fassoulis. To end up here is a brilliant result and one of the stories of the year.

East Brighton (8 wins, 10 losses) – D

A shocking outcome for the most “loaded up” side we’ve ever seen. The Nick Jewell saga was questionable from the start, and with Edgar now added to the mix, the club’s reputation has taken a hit.

Narre Warren (7 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw) – B+

Plenty of hype around them, but the Outer East comp isn’t as strong. This has still been a satisfying year, and with a strong under-19s program, they’re well placed to rise in the coming seasons.

Murrumbeena (5 wins, 12 losses, 1 draw) – B+

Like Narre Warren, a strong result considering expectations. A fighting year that gives them a platform to build from.

Port Melbourne Colts (4 wins, 14 losses) – F

A rabble. Big spenders, poor culture, poor behaviour – they should have stayed in the WFNL. Nothing redeeming about this year.

Cranbourne (3 wins, 15 losses) – F

No sugar coating it. They sacked a coach for finishing 4th, only for the replacement to fail at recruiting or implementing a game plan. For a power club, this is a stain on their history.

Fair assessments on all front here. Be interesting to see how the comp shapes up next year.

Re- Vampires - Jewell and his set up of his All Stars reminded me of Richard Houston and St.Kilda City of 2007-2011 , except Richard was able to get his loaded list to perform and win big finals and Premierships and Jewell really on the evidence produced over the past 2 seasons has failed miserably, no finals appearances and probably has no clue on player management or relationships? With the list changes that have occurred which in this day and age isn’t the way to win premierships due to the points system. He is the closest coach that I can remember over a 35 year stretch of playing , coaching and now watching that profiled like Richard but is a long way off any sort of substance that Richard was able to produce and that’s saying something, the vampires will have their hands full picking up the pieces

Port Colts , Vampires, Promoted team, Murrumbeena unless something drastic turns around at these clubs look to be 7-10 and i would even suspect Springvale with an ageing profile and Bentleigh to not be all that far in front of them unless they also recruit decently to help off set the youngsters they have coming through

Cheltenham if they get ahold of their VFL boys full time can catapult straight back to the top , st.pauls young in profile and superbly coached and Dingley with the 200k+ bank P/S will always remain at the top.

Narre will be the big movers , well set up with the points and homegrowns and $$$$ to really give a shake with the right recruits and I expect them to be in the conversation a lot of the coming seasons

 

[Wild Thing]

Colts my early call for relegation. Hibberd looked finish torn hamstring, Clarke great player but seems to be plenty of issues when he hasn’t got ball in hand. Bottom six would struggle to play 2s at some sides. Jumper sponsor has left them so the money has dried up will be interesting to see who stays

Or whoever comes up. Massive gap currently between the top teams in D2 and bottom teams in D1. Expect Cranbourne (who have re-signed all their top players) to waltz through D2 next year

 

[Nepotism]

Fair assessments on all front here. Be interesting to see how the comp shapes up next year.

Re- Vampires - Jewell and his set up of his All Stars reminded me of Richard Houston and St.Kilda City of 2007-2011 , except Richard was able to get his loaded list to perform and win big finals and Premierships and Jewell really on the evidence produced over the past 2 seasons has failed miserably, no finals appearances and probably has no clue on player management or relationships? With the list changes that have occurred which in this day and age isn’t the way to win premierships due to the points system. He is the closest coach that I can remember over a 35 year stretch of playing , coaching and now watching that profiled like Richard but is a long way off any sort of substance that Richard was able to produce and that’s saying something, the vampires will have their hands full picking up the pieces

Don't underestimate the powers of supercoach John Edgar. He can rework the list and install belief into the EBV list that will give the power back into their game.

Already he has been working behind the scenes and EBV have beaten St Pauls.

Some will scoff this off as a late season game where no one had anything really to play for.

But St Pauls put everything they had into it and were marginally beaten.

EBV under John Edgar can rise again like the Firey Phoenix.

A Vampire or a Victim? it depends on whose around.

 

[wonk I]

Fair assessments on all front here. Be interesting to see how the comp shapes up next year.

Re- Vampires - Jewell and his set up of his All Stars reminded me of Richard Houston and St.Kilda City of 2007-2011 , except Richard was able to get his loaded list to perform and win big finals and Premierships and Jewell really on the evidence produced over the past 2 seasons has failed miserably, no finals appearances and probably has no clue on player management or relationships? With the list changes that have occurred which in this day and age isn’t the way to win premierships due to the points system. He is the closest coach that I can remember over a 35 year stretch of playing , coaching and now watching that profiled like Richard but is a long way off any sort of substance that Richard was able to produce and that’s saying something, the vampires will have their hands full picking up the pieces

Port Colts , Vampires, Promoted team, Murrumbeena unless something drastic turns around at these clubs look to be 7-10 and i would even suspect Springvale with an ageing profile and Bentleigh to not be all that far in front of them unless they also recruit decently to help off set the youngsters they have coming through

Cheltenham if they get ahold of their VFL boys full time can catapult straight back to the top , st.pauls young in profile and superbly coached and Dingley with the 200k+ bank P/S will always remain at the top.

Narre will be the big movers , well set up with the points and homegrowns and $$$$ to really give a shake with the right recruits and I expect them to be in the conversation a lot of the coming seasons

Haha, how bad are you going if Houston rated a better coach.
Vampires only have themselves to blame. Jewell has left every club he has been at with their hands full at cleaning up his mess, yet still appointed him.
This is not made up, but from a player at East " If Ben Murphy had us from pre-season, we would have been top 2 "

 

[2s Hack]

Haha, how bad are you going if Houston rated a better coach.
Vampires only have themselves to blame. Jewell has left every club he has been at with their hands full at cleaning up his mess, yet still appointed him.
This is not made up, but from a player at East " If Ben Murphy had us from pre-season, we would have been top 2 "

*In finals

 

[bedford]

Question please , how many games does a player need to play a final ? are Coates league players and VFL players from your club qualified

 

[2s Hack]

Question please , how many games does a player need to play a final ? are Coates league players and VFL players from your club qualified

6 club games.
Must be a minimum of 4 seniors.... I think

 

[bedford]

6 club games.
Must be a minimum of 4 seniors.... I think

Even if the rest are Coates or VFL ?

 

[actuallyinformer]

Haha, how bad are you going if Houston rated a better coach.
Vampires only have themselves to blame. Jewell has left every club he has been at with their hands full at cleaning up his mess, yet still appointed him.
This is not made up, but from a player at East " If Ben Murphy had us from pre-season, we would have been top 2 "

Houston’s been hanging around the st.kilda games the last few weeks. Surely they wouldn’t be that silly

 

[Nepotism]

Houston, we have a problem.

 

[BillytheLid]

Question please , how many games does a player need to play a final ? are Coates league players and VFL players from your club qualified

Straight from the SFNL by laws. In summary 4 club games and no more than 9 in the VFL. U19s covered by a different clause but no specific reference to Coates League (I thought there was previously)

SENIORS 35.2

35.2.1 A Player cannot play in a Finals Match for a Member Club in a Senior team unless that Player has played a total of four (4) Senior, Reserves or Under 19’s Home and Away Matches in four (4) separate scheduled rounds.

35.2.2 Any Player that has played ten (10) or more Home & Away Matches in the VFL is ineligible to play in any SFNL Finals Series Match in that season.

35.3 RESERVES

35.3.1 A Player cannot play in a Member Club’s Reserve grade Finals Match unless that Player has played four (4) Home and Away Matches in four (4) separate scheduled rounds, of which four (4) Matches must have been played in the Reserve grade, unless Competition Regulation 35.7.1 applies.

35.7 OPEN SELECTION

35.7.1 Any Member Club that field only Senior and Reserve Open Age teams that are both playing in the same round of the finals shall have open selection of Players. However, the Player must have played at least four (4) home and away games for the member Club in four (4) separate scheduled rounds.

 

[bedford]

Thanks , VAFA only have to play 2 it's a joke

 

[BillytheLid]

Thanks , VAFA only have to play 2 it's a joke

Sounds like a rule designed to keep the 'old boys' happy! Although TBF there is not much difference between 2 and 4. From memory they do (or did) have fairly stringent rules around VFL and TAC Cup listed, with additional requirements to play games after 30 June. I suppose there are a lot more VFL listed players in the ammos than the SFL so managing that might be more of a priority.

 

[bedford]

Sounds like a rule designed to keep the 'old boys' happy! Although TBF there is not much difference between 2 and 4. From memory they do (or did) have fairly stringent rules around VFL and TAC Cup listed, with additional requirements to play games after 30 June. I suppose there are a lot more VFL listed players in the ammos than the SFL so managing that might be more of a priority.

Old Payninsula have Nathan Jones who only needed 2

 

[BillytheLid]

Old Payninsula have Nathan Jones who only needed 2

The ex Melbourne player? Would have to be nearly 40. 2 games does seem a bit light on but if not VFL listed I guess he is has met the games threshold as per the rules. Don’t mind ex AFL and state league types returning their junior club or school so if it applies in this case then good on him. Seems to happen a fair bit in the VAFA. Sadly not so much in the SFL.

 

[Marousses]

Haha, how bad are you going if Houston rated a better coach.
Vampires only have themselves to blame. Jewell has left every club he has been at with their hands full at cleaning up his mess, yet still appointed him.
This is not made up, but from a player at East " If Ben Murphy had us from pre-season, we would have been top 2 "

Jewell rap sheet is as long as any but it is incumbent on the committee to keep an individual with a known history in all sporting circles of going rogue in check.
Ben Murphy is probably one of the best coaches tactically of the 21st century that the SFNL has seen and very highly regarded by anyone who has come across him from all clubs , he presents incredibly well and it will be no surprise to anyone to see him bob up with the right job , surprising he didn’t go on into 2026? Or was it purely a caretaking role whilst the vampires re-grouped ?? Jon Edgar is a fair coup though but has a task ahead of him

 

[gelder01]

Common sense by SFNL HQ in the Saturday fixturing.
Benefit to 4 clubs!

 

[bedford]

Common sense by SFNL HQ in the Saturday fixturing.
Benefit to 4 clubs!

What has happened please

 

[unwise gamgee]

What has happened please

reserves elim final on the saturday Chelt v Narre. matches Chelt with their senior fixture. QF on the Sunday. Bentleigh v Springy. also matches both sides with their senior fixtures. Also U19 QF on the Sunday, matching Bentleigh to their senior fixture

 

[Nepotism]

Jewell rap sheet is as long as any but it is incumbent on the committee to keep an individual with a known history in all sporting circles of going rogue in check.
Ben Murphy is probably one of the best coaches tactically of the 21st century that the SFNL has seen and very highly regarded by anyone who has come across him from all clubs , he presents incredibly well and it will be no surprise to anyone to see him bob up with the right job , surprising he didn’t go on into 2026? Or was it purely a caretaking role whilst the vampires re-grouped ?? Jon Edgar is a fair coup though but has a task ahead of him

Jon Edgar has already established his identity on the EBV before he has even started. His game plan behind the scenes saw them show stout resistance to beat St Pauls, something that couldn't have happened in the Jewell days when EBV would have just capitulated in a tense last quarter.

Plus all the EBV fans were seen down the McKinnon hotel after the game in their club colours celebrating their win. JE is trying to steal the sponsorship of the McKinnon hotel for East Brighton from his old club Glen Eira. Little things have already changed.

 

[Jane Doe]

Jon Edgar has already established his identity on the EBV before he has even started. His game plan behind the scenes saw them show stout resistance to beat St Pauls, something that couldn't have happened in the Jewell days when EBV would have just capitulated in a tense last quarter.

Plus all the EBV fans were seen down the McKinnon hotel after the game in their club colours celebrating their win. JE is trying to steal the sponsorship of the McKinnon hotel for East Brighton from his old club Glen Eira. Little things have already changed.

Jon Edgar sounds like the 2nd coming. The messiah!!

 

[bedford]

reserves elim final on the saturday Chelt v Narre. matches Chelt with their senior fixture. QF on the Sunday. Bentleigh v Springy. also matches both sides with their senior fixtures. Also U19 QF on the Sunday, matching Bentleigh to their senior fixture

Common sense

 

[bedford]

Jon Edgar has already established his identity on the EBV before he has even started. His game plan behind the scenes saw them show stout resistance to beat St Pauls, something that couldn't have happened in the Jewell days when EBV would have just capitulated in a tense last quarter.

Plus all the EBV fans were seen down the McKinnon hotel after the game in their club colours celebrating their win. JE is trying to steal the sponsorship of the McKinnon hotel for East Brighton from his old club Glen Eira. Little things have already changed.

The 2nd paragraph is the 1st time you've been right

 

[Nepotism]

St Pauls can lick their wounds and come out fighting next week. if they win the Premiership, the narrative will be, it is the lose that they had to have and it will also make them uncannily aware that they have been given an opportunity and not to spoil it with complicacy. St Pauls got out to a 9-point lead at the 18-minute mark of the last quarter but from then on it was all East Brighton. Maybe St Pauls were saving themselves for finals, but you never want to lose when you put so much effort into a game.

Andy Scott is a fantastic coach, and he will use the last round lost to his benefit and take learnings. At times the St Pauls forward line looked very stagnant with Braydon O'Toole well held. Matt Obrien back from Collingwood duties and Ash Monday dominated. Alex Keith was awesome for EBV, playing up to his best.

 

[bedford]

But you were at Ormond