By David Nagel
Look out for the Eagles in 2023!
That’s the message from Beaconsfield coach Mick Fogarty after the Eagles completed their first season in Eastern Division One with a 52-point thumping of Lilydale at Holm Park Reserve on Saturday.
The 11.9.75 to 3.5.23 victory secured the Eagles their sixth win of the season and a highly-commendable seventh-place on the league ladder.
The Eagles ended the season four games and a miniscule percentage outside the top five, but most importantly now have a real taste of what Eastern football is all about.
Their young group should continue to thrive over the pre-season and return with a real spring in their step as they head into year two of their exciting new journey.
Fogarty can’t wait to build on the positive momentum of their debut season in the league.
“It’s a terrific competition and it’s where we want to be and we’re really pleased with the way we finished off,” Fogarty said.
“It could have gone either way when we knew we couldn’t play finals, but the boys were just fantastic in the endeavour to make sure we were competitive every week and to have real pride in the jumper.
“To finish the year off with a good win was terrific for the club, all three teams won, so we can’t wait to get stuck into pre-season.
“We know what it looks like, we know what we need to recruit, and I think we can bounce back into contention pretty quickly.”
Fogarty doesn’t need to look far to discover what his young group might be able to achieve next year, with Rowville taking a similarly young team to the top of the Premier division table this year.
“Our rebound can be done quickly, it’s not like we’re in a re-build or anything like that,” Fogarty explained.
“You look at a club like Rowville, who maybe hasn’t exceeded its own expectations but certainly the expectations of others…they’re top of the ladder in Premier with a young group which is just an outstanding effort.
“We look at that and think maybe we’re not that far away either.”
Fogarty began individual reviews with his players on Tuesday night, where he will discuss their strengths and areas for improvement for next year.
The Eagles dominated their last game of the season, booting 5.2 to 0.2 in the opening term to set up the impressive victory.
Beaconsfield built into a steady rhythm, kicking two goals in the second and third quarters and holding Lilydale to just four points until three-quarter time.
The Falcons outscored the Eagles in the final term, but the damage had been well-and-truly done.
Matt Johnson continued his fantastic season for the Eagles, booting five goals to be the standout forward on the ground.
Johnson ended the season with 54 goals to his name and finished second to Mitcham’s Jake Parente on the league goal-kicking list.
Sam Merrick and Josh Smith booted two each for the Eagles on the weekend, while Myles Currie and Hayden Brough chimed in with a goal apiece.
Merrick was terrific for the winners, while skipper Jake Bowd was a key reason why the Falcons found scoring so difficult.
While the season now ends for Beaconsfield, a thrilling finals series begins in earnest this weekend.
Mooroolbark and Mitcham lock horns in the qualifying final at Boronia on Saturday, before Montrose and Wantirna South run onto the same patch of turf in Sunday’s elimination final.
RESULTS – ROUND 18
BEACONSFIELD 5.2 7.4 9.6 11.9(75)
LILYDALE 0.2 0.2 0.4 3.5(23)
Beaconsfield Goals: M. Johnson 5, S. Merrick 2, J. Smith 2, M. Currie, H. Brough. Best: S. Merrick, J. Bowd, T. Robinson, M. Johnson, M. Currie, R. McMillan.
OTHER GAMES
Bayswater 1.10.16 v East Ringwood 17.10.112, Croydon 8.10.58 v Montrose 9.11.65, Upper Ferntree Gully 6.4.40 v Mitcham 13.8.86, Wantirna South 15.12.102 v Mooroolbark 13.9.87.
LADDER – FINAL
East Ringwood 68, Mooroolbark 64, Mitcham 44, Montrose 40, Wantirna South 40, Croydon 36, Beaconsfield 24, Bayswater 24, Lilydale 20, Upper Ferntree Gully 0.
FINALS FIXTURE – WEEK 1
QUALIFYING FINAL – SATURDAY 20 AUGUST
Mooroolbark (2) v Mitcham (3) at Boronia
ELIMINATION FINAL – SUNDAY 21 AUGUST
Montrose (4) v Wantirna South (5) at Boronia
