WRFL Div 1 Discussion 2025

[Dogs till i die]

Saw 1st half at Werribee, was keen to see how close YSE are to the undefeated side. Difficult footy conditions with a strong cross wind, but Werribee looked a class above, stronger bodied, YSE very young and slight and their kicking inside 50 didn't help them.

WD had a handful out, not sure about YSE. I'll give YSE another chance given the conditions.

Hopped in the zoom zoom and saw the last 1.5 qtrs at Altona. Real battle this, at least the wind strongly favoured the Civic Pde end and not across the ground. A's up by 21 at 3/4 time, Parkside with a toe poke goal against the wind late on 3rd qtr was important, so was the Altona answer from 45m out just before the siren.

Quick goal to Parkside early last thought they would get up but Altona dug in, had their fair share of possession but Parkside on top and were pushing. Surprised to see Condon up the ground so far, thought he'd be trying to win it from the square. Got within 3 points with 5 mins to go but couldn't get the winner, ball in Parkside's forward line when the siren went. Altona just, breaks a 7 game losing streak.

Quite impressed with Parkside consistently winning the ball and kicking it deep,looked better than earlier in the season. No Varcoe for Altona and Menadue not playing for Altona - have they left?

 

[chuck3019]

was good to see a couple debutants out of point cook, were they any good??

 

[Dogs till i die]

Suddenly WD look vulnerable with their first loss and growing injury list. Hoppers looking a real threat again.

 

[Dogs till i die]

So, PC gets 6 goals closer to Hoppers today than WD did last week on the same ground.

How have PC improved the last 6 weeks? Haven't seen them myself.

WD 2nd loss on the trot today at CS, looking vulnerable all of a sudden.

 

[Dogs till i die]

Two big crowds that I saw yesterday.

First half at Albion, CS were well on top 1st quarter, many more I50 but couldn't put it on the board with inaccuracy around goal. Two late goals kept Albion in touch.

Much more even 2nd Qtr both sides had their moments but CS couldn't shake Albion who were now right in it. Congrats to Albion, have come a long way since D2 last season, but with spotty winning, probably cant make the 5 now. What's being built in the pocket outer side?

Second half at Spotty, very impressive were the Woodsmen, this is probably the best Spotty side for a decade and look capable of winning a final. Held Hoppers at bay, won plenty of ball across HB, had marking targets up forward and were comfortable in the end. Was waiting for the Hoppers challenge but it never really come, did get within 8 early last but Spotty too strong. Hoppers looked beaten with 15 minutes to go.

Very impressed with the new rooms hadn't been in there before, the terraced seating out front very good. Was told the solar panels on the roof were installed 3 years ago but have never been switched on, sounds like one of a few council stuff ups with the rebuild.

 

[churner]

What's being built in the pocket outer side?

Guessing the new pavilion for the cricket and tennis clubs. Albion wanted to stay put when it was first proposed and I haven't seen anything to suggest they'll also use it.

 

[trucka]

A forfeit in Div 1 ressies! This must be a big concern. Be interesting to see where this teams priorities are, I understand there Div 2 18’s played with 25, surely they could have some of these play ressies to make a side

 

[Robos]

A forfeit in Div 1 ressies! This must be a big concern. Be interesting to see where this teams priorities are, I understand there Div 2 18’s played with 25, surely they could have some of these play ressies to make a side

Pcc ?

 

[Dogs till i die]

Time for a reboot at Altona after a dismal 9th place finish. Varcoe gone, the As only scored 10 goals in a game only once in the last 12 games and only 3 times all season ( 2 of those against PCC). Has been hard work watching them this year.

U18s finished rock bottom, so little to draw on from that grade.

Have dropped off the pace after a long sustained period of finals appearances and a couple of flags, wondering what has happened at Grant Reserve?

 

[Turbos mail]

Do point cook centrals get relegated?

 

[KINGBUDDY]

Do point cook centrals get relegated? No relegation this year unless PCC want to come down

 

[Jimbo James]

Time for a reboot at Altona after a dismal 9th place finish. Varcoe gone, the As only scored 10 goals in a game only once in the last 12 games and only 3 times all season ( 2 of those against PCC). Has been hard work watching them this year.

U18s finished rock bottom, so little to draw on from that grade.

Have dropped off the pace after a long sustained period of finals appearances and a couple of flags, wondering what has happened at Grant Reserve?

What happened to 18s, they played finals last season?

 

[trucka]

Do point cook centrals get relegated?

League advised at beginning of year no regulation to give clubs some sense of security as there were 3 teams coming up. I would hope they do not reneg on what they advised and IF PCC request to be dropped the response should be NO!
In the end of day, someone ends up 1st and someone is last.

 

[Avg at best]

Time for a reboot at Altona after a dismal 9th place finish. Varcoe gone, the As only scored 10 goals in a game only once in the last 12 games and only 3 times all season ( 2 of those against PCC). Has been hard work watching them this year.

U18s finished rock bottom, so little to draw on from that grade.

Have dropped off the pace after a long sustained period of finals appearances and a couple of flags, wondering what has happened at Grant Reserve?

The talented sides they had from 2011-2022 were made up 90% of former juniors. Altona were a power house junior club in the late 90’s/early 2000’s before Point Cook were established the majority of there talent pool came from the Altona Meadows/Seabrook area which now generally go to Point Cook.

The players from that era have either retired or have moved onto country footy like Mitch Turnbulls and Sean Tighe for example.

 

[churner]

League advised at beginning of year no regulation to give clubs some sense of security as there were 3 teams coming up. I would hope they do not reneg on what they advised and IF PCC request to be dropped the response should be NO!
In the end of day, someone ends up 1st and someone is last.

If they want to drop, why not let them? They don't have to be replaced so it isn't affecting anyone else, and history says clubs forced to stay up suffer more later on (e.g. North Sunshine).

 

[trucka]

If they want to drop, why not let them? They don't have to be replaced so it isn't affecting anyone else, and history says clubs forced to stay up suffer more later on (e.g. North Sunshine).

There’s a fair difference between Div 1 & 2, except for 1 or 2 teams. You let teams drop after 1 bad year, they then dominant in Div 2 and falsely win a flag, are they then forced to go back up or stay in Div 2 for easy wins?

 

[WRFL Indentity]

The talented sides they had from 2011-2022 were made up 90% of former juniors. Altona were a power house junior club in the late 90’s/early 2000’s before Point Cook were established the majority of there talent pool came from the Altona Meadows/Seabrook area which now generally go to Point Cook.

The players from that era have either retired or have moved onto country footy like Mitch Turnbulls and Sean Tighe for example.

100% PC's introduction has impacted Altona's junior program. It's getting back there though. Each year they are getting more and more junior sides and it won't be too long (3-5 years) before that production line cranks up again.

In terms of this year, the U18's lost 3 or 4 very handy footballers to other clubs, which put them well behind the 8-ball. Internally they would have been looking to make finals I would have thought.

Senior side was missing 4 or 5 big bodies. Got bullied a fair bit.

They'd be pretty disappointed. Beated by all 3 promoted sides isn't something they would have seen as a possibility going into the year.

With Varcoe going, it's a chance to reset and have a better year. They will be better than 2025, but probably 2 or 3 years away from being a genuine threat.

 

[Dogs till i die]

100% PC's introduction has impacted Altona's junior program. It's getting back there though. Each year they are getting more and more junior sides and it won't be too long (3-5 years) before that production line cranks up again.

In terms of this year, the U18's lost 3 or 4 very handy footballers to other clubs, which put them well behind the 8-ball. Internally they would have been looking to make finals I would have thought.

Senior side was missing 4 or 5 big bodies. Got bullied a fair bit.

They'd be pretty disappointed. Beated by all 3 promoted sides isn't something they would have seen as a possibility going into the year.

With Varcoe going, it's a chance to reset and have a better year. They will be better than 2025, but probably 2 or 3 years away from being a genuine threat.

Yep, beaten by all 3 promoted teams and all were at Altona, remarkable.

 

[tigs2018]

Yep, beaten by all 3 promoted teams and all were at Altona, remarkable.

Altona reserves secured a finals spot and beat Hoppers, Caroline and Newport (3 teams playing finals) in the back end of the year and were only down by 5 points to Werribee at half time who have taken out the minor premiership. Looking at the reserves sides they had in for these games shows minimal senior players listed, at least none that I recognise. Interesting to know what has gone so right for the reserves to make finals and so wrong for the seniors to finish 9th?

 

[churner]

There’s a fair difference between Div 1 & 2, except for 1 or 2 teams. You let teams drop after 1 bad year, they then dominant in Div 2 and falsely win a flag, are they then forced to go back up or stay in Div 2 for easy wins?

Current rules are Div 2 premiers and Div 1 wooden spooners switch unless the league decides otherwise, so it would simply be implementing part of the usual process. What you don't want is for the bulk of the team to decide they don't want to get flogged for another year, because then you'll get a scenario that EDFL is experiencing this year.

 

[ROOS77]

Yep, beaten by all 3 promoted teams and all were at Altona, remarkable.

That is a staggering stat

 

[AllHart]

Hoppers Crossing v Spotswood - Elimination Final from last Sunday.
Last half video now on YouTube.

 

[Dogs till i die]

Hoppers won the 2024 flag from 5th, can they win it from the Elimination Final again?

They've won the Elimination Final already last week v a disappointing Spotswood who beat Hoppers comfortably only 3 weeks ago. Tick.

I think they'll beat a fragile YSE in the 1st Semi on Sunday, just something missing at YSE for mine.

That leaves only CS and WD in their way. Hoppers wont t start favourites against YSE or the big 2 but that didn't stop them in 2024.

Interesting to ponder.

 

[AllHart]

Reserves - Newport v Altona - Elimination Final from last Sunday.
Last quarter video now on YouTube.

 

[Dogs till i die]

Great, highly skilled game of footy at Chirnside

Didn't seem to be a wind favoured end but the scoring suggested the Bowls club end was the scoring end. Scores level at QT on 19 pts each but CS were 2.7 and that inaccuracy cost them the game. Werribee terrific 2nd Qtr with White and Neilson kicking goals led by 12 at HT.

CS kicked 5.5 in the 3rd to lead by 17 at 3QT thought their ruckman Paech was fantastic.

WD needed 3QT and managed to steady and got back on top hitting the front on 20 mins in the last and eased away. Terrific game, both sides had moments on top and both looked likely winners at times.

Incredible that WD played with only 22 points and CS only 29, both fantastic junior based clubs in the WFNL. so glad I went down to the footy today.