The Essendon District Football League had a strong season with seniors and juniors commencing on April 5 and 6, with the juniors ending on August 17 and seniors ending on September 20. Despite facing several challenges throughout the year, including match abandonments due to player injuries and ongoing investigations into unsavoury behaviour at the request of clubs, the league demonstrated resilience and professionalism in addressing these issues. Most investigations resulted in clear outcomes, helping to maintain the integrity of the competition. In the end, the remarkable atmosphere and impressive attendances at both junior and senior games highlighted what was an exceptional season for the EDFL.
Congratulations to our senior premiers Strathmore (Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division) Hillside, (Airport Toyota Premier Division), Hillside (Strathmore Community Bank Division One), Strathmore (Airport Toyota Division One), Rupertswood (Strathmore Community Bank Division Two), and Gisborne-Kyneton United (Airport Toyota Division Two).
The 2025 junior competitions, for both boys and girls, stood out as some of the finest in recent memory. The standard of play and competition was exceptionally high, with players consistently demonstrating their skills and determination throughout the season. Coaches played an instrumental role in fostering an environment of excellence
and fair play. Their dedication was evident in the consistently strong performances of their teams and, more importantly, in the outstanding sportsmanship displayed by players at the conclusion of every game. This positive behaviour serves as a testament to the quality of coaching across our junior ranks. The sportsmanship exhibited by our young athletes is a clear reflection of the values being instilled by their coaches. Such experiences not only enhance the enjoyment and integrity of the competition, but also contribute to the personal growth of our junior players. It is hoped that these lessons in respect and fair play will support our juniors as they continue to develop both on and off the field, carrying these important values into adulthood.
EDFL Partners
A special thank you to our corporate partners and sponsors, especially the new sponsors who came on board in 2025 (please refer to the CEO report as outlined). To our major EDFL sponsor the Strathmore Community Bank, and Chair Peter Brown, my sincere thanks to you and your board for the support provided throughout the 2025 season. Your support is appreciated. To Airport Toyota, your continued support of the EDFL women’s competition is appreciated and hopefully this support can continue into future seasons.
EDFL Umpiring
To Brett Pallini, Senior Umpire Coach, I congratulate you on your achievements
in 2025. To your credit and your team of umpire advisors, you endeavoured to get as many games with umpires as possible. Brett, also congratulations on your AFL Umpires Coach of the Year award, a great personal achievement for your efforts with the umpiring fraternity. Special thanks to Ryan Hartwig, EDFLUA President and his committee/association for their commitment and support to the EDFL.
EDFL Staff
A special thank you to Andrew Johnston for his tireless efforts throughout the season and your support given to the EDFL clubs. Thank you for your commitment to the EDFL. And, of course, to our hard working and committed EDFL staff, thank you for your support to Andrew and the knowledge that you were able to supply to our clubs and the EDFL Board.
Congratulations to Greta May, our long standing EDFL administrator on her retirement this year. Best wishes Greta to you and your family.
Thank You
To my EDFL Board colleagues Andrea Tacono, Jan Chantry, Gareth Hanlon, Dan Trindade, Seb Buccheri, and Nick Condos, thank you for your commitment and support.
To all EDFL club Presidents and Secretaries and volunteers, this elite competition would not be in the strong position if it wasn’t for your support.
Ian Price Chair
Chief Executive Report
Season 2025 marked yet another remarkable year for the Essendon District Football League, showcasing growth and success across all facets of our league.
Increased participation was achieved across senior men’s football, senior women’s football, and junior boys and girls’ football, reflecting the increasing popularity and reach of our league.
Our achievements as a league are only made possible through the unwavering commitment and tireless efforts of our affiliated clubs and the volunteer workforce. To every volunteer and club affiliate, we extend our deepest gratitude for your time, passion, and dedication to both your clubs and the EDFL.
Growth
The league saw 17 new senior sides and 18 new junior sides in 2025 compared to 2024. An 8 per cent increase in sides overall.
We saw the return of Gisborne’s senior women’s side (premiers), Merrifield and Hume Bombers fielding Thirds men’s sides, seven more Under 18.5 boys’ teams and four more girls’ teams. We also had sides from four WFNL clubs join our senior women’s Reserves and Under 18.5 girls’ competitions. This was a great testament to the two leagues working together for the benefit of participation in the region. Season 2025 saw a 4.5 per cent increase in umpire registrations, and notably an 8 per cent increase in female umpire participation –one of the highest in any community league. This further demonstrates our league’s commitment to inclusivity and development across our umpiring ranks.
We aim to build upon this progress by continuing to focus on umpire recruitment, retention, and training throughout the next Strategic Plan period.
Football at a representative level are cornerstones of the EDFL. It is important to acknowledge the impact these programs have on the development of our players. It not only allows talented players from North-Western Melbourne to compete at higher levels across the state, but also reinforce the league’s commitment to talent identification and development. A sincere thanks to all players, coaches, and volunteers involved in our representative teams. We are indeed fortunate to have such skilled and dedicated members across our program.
Match Day Conduct
Players, officials, and spectators continue play a significant part in our game on and off the field. I thank all clubs for supporting the game we follow week in and week out. The continuation of club support in the management in this area is imperative.
Infrastructure & Clubs
The five Local Government Areas where EDFL clubs are based, Brimbank, Hume, Melton, Moonee Valley, and Merri-Bek City Councils, are critical to the ongoing success of the EDFL. We thank them for their ongoing support in club operations and infrastructure projects. In 2025 we have seen, and continue to see several projects being undertaken with more to come. The league is resolute in supporting important works, such as new and upgraded change rooms, social facilities, lighting, amenities, and grounds, which are extremely important to ensure clubs can deliver the best possible community sporting opportunities.
Sponsors
A huge thank you to the Strathmore Community Bank for their ongoing support of the league and the local community. We enjoy the support and friendship of Chair Peter Brown and all the directors and bank staff. I must also acknowledge the continued support from Airport Toyota, AGA, and the Essendon Football Club as the naming rights sponsor of the various EDFL competitions and other awards.
Thanks to our suite of other sponsors, which includes Sherrin, Gameday Apparel, Grashan Sportswear, Sportsmoves, ISC, Ascot Vale Sports & Trophies, Brad Teal, Club Warehouse, Club Connect, Streamer, Elastoplast, Glenroy Bakery, SEDA, Liquex Logistics, Premier Data, Minuteman Press, Mt Alexander Hotel, Sportscast, TAC, and The Valley. In 2025 we partnered with Fernwood Fitness for the first time and look forward to many more years of connecting women and girls from the EDFL community.
To each of our partners, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. To our commercial partners, both longstanding and new, we offer sincere thanks for your continued support, which has been integral to the league’s growth and development.
Appreciation
The success of the EDFL is strongly supported by our partnerships with key stakeholders, including AFL Victoria, the Essendon Football Club, the Calder Cannons, and the Western Jets.
To the dedicated EDFL staff, thank you for your commitment and hard work over the course of the year. The league benefits immensely from your dedication and drive to provide the best experience for our clubs and members. Special recognition is owed to Greta May, whose more than two decades of service to the EDFL has left an indelible mark. Greta’s contributions to the league are invaluable, and on behalf of all EDFL clubs, we extend our deepest thanks. Led by Chair Ian Price, the EDFL Board continues to provide invaluable support, leadership, and expertise, and their commitment to the league’s success across all domains is crucial to our progress.
Reflecting on season 2025, the EDFL has achieved many outstanding feats on the football fields as well as behind the scenes. However, we remain committed to embracing new initiatives, bold ideas, and innovative approaches to further enhance the league in every department. Together, we have an extraordinary league, and with continued collaboration, dedication, and a shared vision, we will maintain the high standards both on and off the field, striving for excellence in every aspect. Let us move forward, united in our mission to strengthen, expand, and elevate the EDFL as we embark on season 2026. Thank you to the other very important stakeholders who have assisted me and the EDFL this year including the EDFL Umpires Association, our tribunal, and appeals board members.
Congratulations to all premiership teams across both junior and senior football and to each player, coach, and volunteer who contributed to these victories. In addition to premierships, we formally acknowledge and congratulate all award recipients in both our senior and junior football competitions. Your achievements exemplify the spirit of excellence that defines the EDFL and serve as inspiration to participants throughout our league, while the many close counts of our best and fairest awards highlight the healthy competitiveness our league exhibits. This extends to all umpires and club officials who were rewarded for their efforts across the 2025 season.
The league’s continuing focus was on deepening our engagement with member clubs which aimed at understanding and addressing club specific needs. Insights gathered have been invaluable in shaping the EDFL’s direction, as we continuously strive to elevate the participant experience within our league.
The EDFL’s Four-Year Strategic Plan (20252027) sets a course for sustainable growth and expansion while incorporating key focus areas identified by our clubs. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with our member clubs as we implement this plan.
Andrew Johnston Chief Executive Officer
Senior Operations Report
There can be no doubt 2025 was a challenging season, but it wasn’t without its fair share of highlights and achievements that the entire EDFL community should be proud of.
Open Age Football
For the first time in league history, each men’s division contained exactly 10 teams, providing some nice balance and allowing for even fixturing across the board.
Our growth again came via our Thirds competition, where a record 20 teams were entered going into the season, albeit two did not get through to the end. This led us to creating a third division to accommodate the large number of Thirds teams entered this year.
Of particular note, we welcomed both the Hume Bombers and Merrifield into openage football for the first time.
Both clubs are located in a key growth region to the north, so their entry into the Thirds was a vital step for the long-term health of the game in that region and our league.
I’d like to particularly commend Avtar Singh (Hume Bombers) and Paul Higginson (Merrifield) for all the hard work they put in at their respective clubs to get these sides on the park.
And a further congratulations to Merrifield on making the finals as well.
In the women’s space we did have a dip in the number of entered open-age teams from the previous year, down from 28 to 23. This was despite the fact we jumped from 22 to 28 teams between 2023 and 2024, so these year-on-year fluctuations are noteworthy.
They’re indicative of the oscillate nature by which women’s football is growing and it’s a trend we’re seeing across all leagues. This season the EDFL collaborated with the Western Football Netball League by welcoming a handful of WFNL women’s teams into our competition.
This resulted in Caroline Springs and Yarraville Seddon entering our Women’s
Reserves competition. Without them, our Reserves competition would not have been viable this season.
I’d like to thank my WFNL counterpart Luke Henry for his professionalism and transparency over the past 12 months and the two leagues have enjoyed a really healthy working relationship in assisting our respective clubs grow their women’s programs.
Under 18.5 Competitions
A major element of the EDFL-WFNL women’s collaboration was the addition of three WFNL Under 18.5 teams joining the EDFL competition this year, including Caroline Springs, Point Cook Centrals, and Spotswood/Altona.
The 11 participating EDFL teams welcomed these new teams with open arms and our competition was better for having them this year, with all three making the finals. Point Cook Centrals made the Division One grand final and put up a good fight in going down to a dominant Craigieburn side, while a very talented Caroline Springs outfit managed to go all the way by knocking off an equally talented Aberfeldie side on Premier Division grand final day at Windy Hill.
While it remains unknown if the WFNL will resume its own competition in 2026, I’d like to commend the clubs who performed so well in a new league this year and wish them all the best for the future.
Perhaps the biggest league achievement of the season was the 21 per cent growth in Men’s Under 18.5 teams entered into our competition, up from 28 to 34 this season. In such a difficult age group, our clubs have done a tremendous job to increase participation so sharply in the space of one year.
We had to create a new U18.5 division to accommodate the increased number of teams, with each Premier Division seconds team going into the newly created Reserves U18.5 competition. It is so encouraging to see more of our
clubs get an Under 18.5 team on the park and we hope this trend keeps going for the remaining few clubs who could not get a side up this year.
Finals Series
The league broke finals attendance records for the third consecutive year as each division threw up surprising results and exciting footy.
First we must congratulate Hillside on an incredibly historic run that saw both its men’s and women’s senior teams go all the way.
Hillside’s women won their inaugural Premier Division flag in stunning fashion, sweeping each of their three fellow finalists and coming from third on the ladder to do so.
This included ending Oak Park’s three-peat attempt in yet another thrilling Premier Division grand final.
Two weeks later, Hillside’s men won their first Division One flag by again defeating Oak Park, completing the double with their Reserves as well. What a memorable day that was for all that were lucky enough to be among the 3000 people attending Coburg City Oval.
Strathmore also completed the men’s and women’s double, which was the second time the Mores have done it since 2022, a fantastic achievement.
In Division Two we saw two clubs claim inaugural EDFL senior premierships, with Rupertswood’s men and Gisborne-Kyneton United’s women both saluting.
Highgate hosted its first senior grand final event, with our Division Two Men’s grand finalists playing in front of a healthy crowd of 2500-plus people in Craigieburn.
I’d like to thank the Calder Cannons for putting on such a great day, which culminated in a thrilling senior grand final between Rupertswood and Westmeadows. I also want to congratulate both Burnside Heights and Taylors Lakes for hosting gated men’s finals for the first time this season.
Acknowledgements
Megan Beaumont joined our senior operations and umpiring departments and did a tremendous job in what are two challenging areas of our league.
I’d like to thank Megan and all other EDFL staff for their support during the year.
Colin Brockwell and Adam McCarthy both served as Match Review Officers this year, which greatly helped the league with its overall operations of tribunal and appeal hearings. A big thank you to Colin and Adam for their work this season.
I’ll also thank Tribunal Chair Arthur Crofts and his fellow tribunal members for another solid year, as well as Allan Taylor for his tireless work assisting the league during the finals series and tribunal nights.
Adem Saricaoglu Senior Football Operations Manager
Junior Operations Report
Season 2025 was another very successful year for the Essendon District Football League. It started with the major announcement of a new and ongoing junior competition sponsor and community partnership with the Essendon Football Club (EFC). Another fantastic commitment by EFC to growing local footy in our NorthWest corridor which will yield enhanced development and grassroots promotion in our region for years to come.
Growth
Junior registrations numbers in 2025 were 6883, up slightly from 6765 in 2024. Junior team submissions, meanwhile, rose from 316 in 2024 to 328 In 2025.
Interleague
Along with the junior competition sponsorship, EFC was also a major partner for our interleague competition joining long term sponsors of the program in Strathmore Community Bank and Liquex Logistics. The 2025 AVMJDS interleague carnival was in full swing over the Kings Birthday weekend. We staged matches for both girls and boys programs against the WFNL, RDFNL, NFNL, EFNL, SMJFL, FDJFL, and YJFL. We had a very competitive carnival this year and showed great signs of development for future campaigns. This year we added additional coaching resources to the program with the addition of coaching directors for both our boys and girls programs. These roles were filled
by experienced coaches Cole Harvey (boys) and Chris Tankard (girls), and the support both offered to the coaches and players was outstanding and a clear sign that the newly created roles are here to stay. I would like to thank both Cole and Chris for their support throughout the series, along with Andrew Johnston and Simona Osman for their support of the 2025 program.
Junior Premierships
Congratulations to all teams that won premierships. We had some outstanding games of junior football played and all were played in tremendous spirit. It was great to see newly formed clubs Dallas and Merrifield win their first premierships in just their second years in the EDFL. It was also outstanding to have junior grand finals back at our spiritual home in Windy Hill. All four grand finals played at the venue were a real showcase of our strong junior competition. All hosting clubs were fantastic in managing the games and we thank them for their support, along with the various councils who support the league.
AFL Draft
Congratulations also to the three EDFL juniors who found new AFL homes in the recent AFL Draft. Well done to Adam Sweid (Hadfield, Pascoe Vale, Glenroy), Billy Cootee (Essendon Doutta Stars), and Hussien El Achkar (Glenroy, Pascoe Vale). We look forward to you showcasing the
best of your ability on the big stage for years to come. Best of luck to our AFLW Draft hopefuls in late December, hopefully we can add your names to our growing AFLW honour roll.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all our EDFL and club umpires for their support in helping us get games underway in 2025. I know at times this is a thankless task but please know that you are appreciated by all at the EDFL, as we all know games simply do not go ahead without the umpires.
Thank you to all our club committees, volunteers, and parents for the tireless hours you have put into junior football. We hope you have enjoyed the year, and we hope to see you back around the grounds in season 2026.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the EDFL Board and fellow staff members for their unwavering support and tireless efforts throughout the year, particularly Simona Osman who finished up at the EDFL in September. Her support administratively throughout the year was crucial for yet another successful junior season.
I hope you enjoy a happy and safe off season and see you back at the footy in 2026!
Patrick Moloney Junior Football Operations Manager
Club Development Report
This year saw very high engagement levels in the club development space from all our 38 clubs.
Trainers Courses
Our clubs got right back into the swing of things during the pre-season, with our dedicated volunteers gaining their CPR, First Aid, and Level 1 Sports Trainer accreditations. This year saw 174 team staff members gain their relevant accreditations/re-accreditations to improve the safety and wellbeing of our players. Over $30,000 in course costs were covered for clubs by the EDFL.
Coach Education
Coach Education this season included a Coach Induction Session held at Ascot Vale FC, with 12 first-year coaches being taught hands-on football knowledge and training tips from the AFL VIC Coaching Department. All coaches, inclusive of assistant coaches, were required to complete their appropriate accreditation. A staggering 1,046 volunteers registered as a coach in PlayHQ and completed their training.
Women & Girls
Ten of our clubs, as well as the EDFL and the EDFL Umpires Association, demonstrated their commitment to the female space by becoming a signatory of the AFL Women & Girls Community Football Charter. Each club put together a plan of several key actions that would further the development of their female programs, with many clubs achieving their
set goals. Highlights included club’s first ever female-only teams, female-specific designed uniforms that clubs retain each year to alleviate financial burden on players, and investing resources in senior female pathway programs.
Grants & Fundraising
All throughout the year clubs were regularly notified with information around grant writing, grant availability, child safety, coach education, and volunteer support, with many clubs taking up these opportunities and successfully earning significant financial support. Fundraising and program highlights this year included:
- 17 clubs sharing in a total of $37,000 of funding through the TAC Club Rewards program
- 22 clubs applied for the Telstra Footy Country Grants, with $40,000 being distributed to projects from 18 successful club applications. These included new payment squares for club canteens/ bars, upgraded P.A Systems, bain-maries, refrigerators, and new goal post pads.
- Through our partnership with Sport and Life Training (SALT), 11 of our clubs received a Mental Health session valued at $1,000 for their club (funded by the EDFL).
- 26 clubs participated in the Toyota Good For Footy Raffle, sharing in $14,905 of revenue.
Recognition
This year, our ‘Club of the Year’ award criteria shifted to include club development engagement throughout the year. Congratulations to the top three
clubs on a fantastic season and thank you for your continued support of both your club and our league:
- Ascot Vale (1st Prize - $2,500)
- East Sunbury (2nd Prize - $1,500)
- Airport West (3rd Prize - $1,000)
Our league would not survive without the dedication and tireless efforts of our committed volunteers. This year we began the ‘Volunteer of the Month’, with hundreds of nominations coming through across the season. Six volunteers, from six different clubs, were recognised as monthly winners and were generously awarded free tickets by Essendon Football Club to a match of their choosing.
We would also like to highlight the below award winners from the 2025 AFL Victoria Community Awards night:
- Kylie Kennedy (Aberfeldie) - 2025 Peta Searle Female Coach of the Year
- Brett Pallini (EDFL UA) - 2025 Greg Sidebottom Memorial Umpire Coach of the Year
- Maribyrnong Park FC - 2025 Container Deposit Scheme Award (Metro)
It has been an outstanding year for our clubs in 2025 and we look forward to an even stronger season in 2026. Thank you to all club committee members and all dedicated volunteers for your hard work that is put in for our great game. Enjoy the ‘off-season’!
Angus Street Club Development Lead
Umpiring Report
This year was my first year in the Umpire Manager role with the EDFL, I can look back now and reflect on the opportunities and challenges that were presented throughout the year. I would like to give a big thank you to all of the EDFL staff for bringing me in and for their assistance across everything this year. I would also like to thank the club volunteers who continue to do fantastic work day in and day out, and especially those clubs with outstanding reputations regarding looking after our umpires on game day.
Overview
Season 2025 continued to build on the successes of 2024 with registrations up from last year highlighting the continued growth of umpiring in the EDFL. On behalf of everyone at the EDFL, we would like to say a big thank you to all the umpires who participated in season 2025. Our games could not occur if it wasn’t for the fantastic work that is done week in and week out. Some challenges presented themselves in 2025, some existing from previous years including player, official, and spectator behaviour. This continues to be a factor in the overall umpiring experience in the EDFL. The continued focus rolling into 2026 will be reducing these incidents and making sure that all umpires feel safe out on the field when umpiring.
Overall, we had a fantastic and successful year which was influenced and underpinned by our umpires, coaches, observers, officials, parents, and everyone else along the way. I look forward to seeing you all again in 2026 for another great year!
Highlights
The 2025 season had a number of highlights including:
- Having 10 umpires selected to officiate at the V-Line Cup in Ballarat, which is the pathway to making the VFL.
- Having nearly all junior games throughout the season filled, highlighting the strong junior numbers in the EDFL. We also had a full complement of field, boundary, and goal umpires in junior finals, emphasising the strong relationship between the junior and senior group.
- Providing umpires to a number of AFL and AFLW half-time Auskick games.
- More milestones to celebrate, including boundary umpire coach, Shane Mallia’s 1000th game.
- Brett Pallini being awarded the 2025 ‘Greg Sidebottom Umpire Coach of the Year’ award from AFL Victoria, highlighting his dedication and commitment to EDFL umpiring.
- Sarah Maxwell becoming the first female EDFL goal umpire to officiate a senior men’s grand final.
Main Awards
- Rowan Whitman was awarded the Umpire of the Year award at the EDFL presentation evening.
- Dan McNeill was awarded the EDFL Rising Star Award as the most promising young umpire in the EDFL.
- Thomas Antonius was awarded the Ian Coates Award as the best junior field umpire.
Coaching
I would like to extend my appreciation and thanks to all of the coaches, observers, mentors, and volunteers who assisted with umpiring in the EDFL in 2025. Our umpiring group could not be as successful as it is without the work and effort put in by everyone involved, especially the coaches and mentors working hard to further develop umpires in the EDFL. Our group this year was again led by Senior Head Coach Brett Pallini, who capped off an incredible year by receiving the ‘Greg Sidebottom Umpire Coach of the Year’ award at the AFL Victoria Community Awards Night. Shane Mallia and Michael Blair headed up the boundary and goal disciplines respectively and did a fantastic in job doing so. Steve Marrari continued his work from 2024 and did an amazing job as Junior Head Coach this year.
The passion for umpiring within the EDFL is unmatched, their support makes a world of difference, especially to those younger umpires as they develop their craft.
Thanks
We continued to work with the EDFLUA led by Ryan Hartwig to ensure that umpires are provided a positive environment where they can continue to develop.
I would like to acknowledge the assistance of AFL Victoria umpiring staff, including former EDFL Umpire Manager, Michael Willcox for their assistance this year from a funding, programs, and resources perspective. Without this assistance, my job would be a lot harder.
We continued our Junior Umpire Academy programs in 2025 which were a success and allowed people from more areas to have the chance to participate and give umpiring a go for 2025. I would like to thank the councils and clubs for their assistance and support for allowing us to use their facilities to continue the development of junior umpires in our league.
We now look forward to 2026 where we continue to build on the growth and development that we saw this year through training, pathways, and programs. We encourage past and current players to give umpiring a go and stay involved in community football while staying fit and being paid.
Thomas O’Connell Umpires Manager
Partnership & Marketing Report
The 2025 season was my first in the post and it presented a great opportunity to develop and introduce frameworks, processes, and tools to allow the league to better service its members and partners. A key focus was on ensuring we were providing value to our existing partners, while innovating and iterating to ensure we were armed with the data, resources, and capabilities that a modern sports sponsor needs. I’m incredibly proud of our output and I’d like to thank all internal and external stakeholders for their support and patience. I am constantly blown away by the passion, dedication, and pride our clubs, members, and the wider Melbourne public have for footy, and I’ve had an absolute blast immersing myself in the EDFL community and wider footy culture.
Highlights
Across the season there were a number of personal and departmental highlights. We ended the season with an 87 per cent retention rate and some incredible endorsements from partners on our work across the season. After a successful initial yearlong partnership, we were delighted to receive confirmation of a two-year extension from Fernwood Fitness. We introduced our digital newsletter ‘Community Assist’, improving messaging reach and penetration to all club volunteers, as well as a variety of new digital resources that allow the league to better understand its audience.
Supporting Partners
Early 2025 saw a number of key partners sign long term deals with the league reaffirming their commitment to supporting community footy including AGA, Airport Toyota, and Nelson Alexander. As the league’s headline partner, Strathmore Community Bank continues to make a massive contribution to our competition, and I’d like to thank them for their support this season. As 2025 comes to a close, we will say goodbye to our events host Moonee Valley Racecourse as they begin their exciting redevelopment, and SG Print. The year also ends with the exciting announcement that Invicium have rejoined the league offering print, merchandising, and logistics support to our clubs and members.
Across the season we activated over 30 individual campaigns, as well as publishing over 200 pieces of content for partners. With the introduction of partner dashboards, we were able to provide real time feedback on campaigns and refine our output across the season to create content that reflected our audience’s interests and led to measurable increases in engagement. Two stand out pieces were our Fernwood Fitness Women’s Player of the Month votes and our weekly Mt. Alexander Hotel Player of the Match posts. Across the season we also developed our email offering improving our content standards and targeting to ensure any communications from our partners to
members was as relevant and engaging as possible. As we move into the 2026 season, we have introduced further measures to develop our audience segmentation and targeting.
Marketing
On the marketing front we tested digital ticketing during some of our finals series helping to ease congestion at gates, better understand who is attending our grand finals, and seek feedback from guests after events as we continue our drive to improve and modernise our finals. Change does not come without its hurdles, and I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to test the system and provide feedback as we continue our drive to grow our offering.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank all the EDFL staff for their keenness to embrace change and answer my never-ending questions about footy, the EDFL, and Australian culture in general. Our partners have been fantastic this year, their passion is infectious, and they make my job incredibly fun. Finally, I’d like to thank the wider EDFL community for welcoming me, supporting all of our partners this season, and constantly lobbying for me to support their AFL club.
Duncan Seller Partnership and Marketing Officer
Media Report
One of the most competitive seasons of EDFL football in recent memory deserved the coverage to match it, and I’d like to think we did it justice.
It wasn’t without its challenges with offfield issues putting us in the spotlight, but a key theme from a communications and content perspective was to continuously display what we love about community football in the EDFL.
Content
Social media was again a big focus resulting in record-breaking numbers. Instagram experienced a 25 per cent audience growth reaching 105 per cent more accounts than 2024 with content interactions up 100 per cent.
While Facebook is focused more on sharing information than the storytelling element Instagram is primed for, we still experienced a 48 per cent increase in content interactions through 16.2 million views.
The league’s TikTok account continued to find its groove after its creation in 2024 with our audience doubling, and gaining over 700 thousand plays.
We had a wide range of content perform incredibly well, but it was the remarkable moments on-field that spoke for themselves. Some of those moments included Brendan Fevola’s debut with East Sunbury, Ryan Stingel’s winner on the siren, Airport West’s incredible finals win with Luca Muratore’s goal after the siren, and Josh Covelli reaching the ton for the second consecutive season.
Regular content pieces provided stability within the content cycle, with the returning Premier Data top performers again performing well, while women’s players and volunteers being recognised monthly were also highly engaged with.
We again upped the ante during finals with our five weeks of grand finals receiving over 13 million views across Facebook and Instagram!
A huge thank you goes to James Dabkowski and Noah Pillai who returned to promote not just our men’s Premier Division grand final, but our women’s Premier Division grand final as well. James and Noah helped the EDFL shine a polished spotlight on our top flight like no other league is doing.
I’d also like to give a huge thank you to Mozz from Mozzed Photography for his videography throughout the season, but also in previewing our men’s and women’s Division One and Two grand finals.
Our essendondfl.com.au written output also received a boost, with more writers allowing for our media team to become divisional experts. I’d like to thank Luke Mathews, Ashleigh Matosevic, Ben Parker, and Evan Tudor for the tireless hours they put in with weekly previews, reviews, and
features, as well as the expertise of Luke D’Anello for more bespoke features that allowed a different spotlight to be shined on our clubs.
A special thanks also goes out to Stu Williams and the team at Shunt Creative for providing monthly reports on our socials performance, setting KPIs to strive toward and keep us on the right track.
Filming & Broadcast
Creating all this content is not possible without the action we see on the weekend. We were again fortunate enough to capture each of the 15 senior men’s games every weekend thanks to the extraordinary work of Andrew McLeish and the team at Sportscast Australia.
Streamer continued on as our live streaming provider which provided a barrier-free viewing platform for the EDFL community, as well as clipping a huge amount of live content during broadcasts that allowed rapid dissemination of highlight plays. A big thank you goes to Kylie Lynch and Holly Doyle for their ongoing support.
We committed to covering more senior women’s games for Match of the Day, fully funded by the EDFL, to continue creating a point of difference between neighbouring leagues in our promotion of women’s footy. We covered 16 games in the end with all but one team covered!
Overall we streamed 62 games across all competitions with the men’s Premier Division decider bringing in over 5300 views to top the list.
Thank you to John Dosen and the North West FM team that got us to air every Saturday throughout the season, they are truly the heroes behind the scenes.
I would like to thank Travis Poznachowski, Tara Murray, Nathan Falkner, Todd Morris, Cole Harvey, James Martin, Brodie Lindrea, Adem Saricaoglu, Ben Parker, Brent Taylor, Matthew Younan, and Adem Savran for all appearing on the broadcast throughout the year.
We also thank Nelson Alexander for coming on board as our broadcast partner
to allow our broadcast to remain free, as well as Mt Alexander Hotel for the highly sought bar vouchers for our players of the match.
Podcasts
The EDFL Podcast Suite remained steady with the ‘EDFL Tonight Podcast’ and the ‘Nelson Alexander Post Game Show’ in 2025.
We continued to get as many guests on the show as we could with a tighter focus on reviewing the action and key storylines. A big thank you goes to our coaches and players who participated in the ‘Nelson Alexander Post Game Show’ every week, providing great insight no matter the result.
A special thanks goes to Tara Murray for her incredible work on the podcast each week and commitment to finding brilliant stories in the community!
Photography
Behind the lens of a camera every weekend was again Shaun Sharp, our wonderful league photographer and highly valued member of the EDFL team. Shaun captured awesome moments with images that feature prominently across all EDFL media streams and assist in telling the story of our great league.
Shaun was again a pleasure to work with and engaged in an extraordinary amount of work with an extraordinary output, making my job a lot easier.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all the clubs and those within them for being so easy to work with this season and allowing me to do my job to the best of my ability.
Thank you to my EDFL colleagues for being so supportive and affording me opportunities to try new things and ensure the league receives the coverage it deserves.
Eli Duxson Media Manager
Team Listings
2025 Club-By-Club Breakdown
Aberfeldie
Airport West
Ascot Vale
Avondale Heights
Burnside Heights
Caroline Springs Coburg
Coburg Districts
Craigieburn
Dallas
Deer Park
East Keilor
East Sunbury
Essendon Doutta Stars
Gisborne
Glenroy
Greenvale
Hadfield
Hillside
Hume Bombers
Keilor
Keilor Park
Maribyrnong Park
Merrifield
Moonee Valley
Northern Saints
Oak Park
Pascoe Vale
Point Cook Centrals
Roxburgh Park
Rupertswood
Spotswood
St Albans
St Francis
Strathmore
Sunbury Kangaroos
Sunbury Lions
Taylors Lakes
Tullamarine
West Coburg
Westmeadows
Yarraville Seddon
AFL Victoria Development Report
2025 was another great year for growth in the EDFL region, with many clubs reaching new highs in number of participants while a record number of Auskick and Superkick offerings throughout the year led to new all-time highs in the number of new participants to the game. To start the year, we engaged with many clubs to support at junior launches or to run Come and Try sessions to build a strong base for the year and help clubs reach toward their goals in number of teams, while we moved into engaging new participants through several formats.
School Programs & Holiday Programs
Starting the year off with a bang there were six schools who had their first ever at-school programs along with a community facing program in the EDFL region, two of these reached over 50 participants and an over 55 per cent new participant rate in total. All participants in Term 1 programs were given a discount code for Community Auskick and Superkick in Term 2 which saw a great return in repeat participants. In the Term 1 school holidays, Coburg hosted its first school holiday program which would go on to be a mainstay for the year, with 78 participants in its debut along with partnered programs with Essendon reaching over 120 in two sessions. As we moved into Term 2, the focus shifted on to the start of Community Auskick and Superkick, and we took a new approach having our first program at a specialist school at Broadmeadows Special Development School. An incredible program which had 48 registered participants getting footy experience, most of these for the first time. To finish this term, we had a range of school holiday programs with Coburg again standing out over 100 participants and multiple programs at local clubs which had great turnout.
Term 3 saw the return of Shannon to the team after 12 months off. In this term we were able to secure nine programs across the region in both Auskick and Superkick offerings both at school and out in the community. These included: Aberfeldie Primary, Craigieburn – Aitken Creek, Essendon Primary, Glenroy Private, Merri-Bek & Surrounds All Girls, Merrifield & Surrounds, Roxburgh Rise PS, Sirius College Dallas, and Westbreen PS. These programs in total saw 158 registered Auskick participants and 88 Superkick participants. This helped us get close to our overall targets, but we ultimately fell just short.
Our Term 3 School holiday programs were once again a huge success, with Moonee Valley being the biggest winner. This program saw 102 registered participants across Auskick and Superkick making it the biggest program across the North- West! Our overall numbers for Term 3 Holiday programs surpassed 300 registered participants across Auskick and Superkick. This is a huge result and gives us the opportunity to build on this moving forward.
This term also saw the return of Ben after Damon was successful in obtaining a new role as Lead in the AFL 9s space at AFL HQ. Ben was a welcomed addition back to the team after a short stint away.
Currently in Term 4 we are off to an amazing start with out At-School and Community Facing programs. We are running 10 programs across the region with some solid numbers both at school and in the community. These will continue throughout the term, with the overall numbers putting us in a great position for the 2026 football season and beyond.
Community Auskick & Superkick
Auskick in 2025 saw 2333 kids participate across the region, this is slightly down on 2024 numbers. In our Community Superkick, we had 79 kids participating across the region. As this was a newer concept in the community space in 2025, the expectation was to help promote Superkick more. The aim in 2026 is to have more Community Superkick offerings, allowing more participants to enter the game as a bridge before they step into the community football space. We will also work the clubs and centres to boost overall Auskick numbers through in-school programs and wider club promotions. We would like to thank all the Auskick Coordinators, parent helpers, and volunteers for their dedication and effort to ensure that the kids stayed engaged and that their sessions were fun! We look
forward to another fantastic season in 2026.
Once again, our post Auskick season transition program was a huge success! The program attracted 382 participants across 35 teams. It also saw the introduction of an All-Girls competition at our Aberfeldie Park hub. This attracted 40 girls across four teams. A huge result for the region with the potential for a few more teams in the Under 8s competition in 2026. Once again, we feel this program creates a solid pathway for our Auskickers into junior clubs and helps foster the connection between the two. We will continue to promote this each year.
Appreciation
Congratulations to everyone and thank you for your support in 2025. As we move into 2026, we will see a new participation coordinator step into the EDFL region alongside Ben, as Shannon is moving onto a new career opportunity. We wish her well and will see her around at our programs in the future. We hope this year was great for you all and we look forward to seeing how we go in 2026! Please have a restful break over the summer and we will be ready to kick start 2026 with you all soon!
Ben Phelps & Shannon Gore AFL Victoria Participation Coordinators
Junior Interleague
U13 Boys Division 1
Coaches: Daniel Mangan & Dale Hough
U13 Girls
Coaches: Simon Cheel & Matt Tremellen
U13 Boys Division 2
Game 1
WFNL 7.7 (49) def. EDFL 6.6 (42)
Game 2
EDFL 11.17 (83)
Coach: Rob Don
Mason Torr
Ben Bonello
Koa Babbington
Liam Barnes
Jaxson Alfonzetti
Sullivan Clarke
Nate Smith
Ryder Aldridge
Oakley Morgan
U14 Boys Division 1
Game 1
EDFL 9.10 (64) def. NFNL 6.7 (43)
Game 2
RDFNL 1.3 (9) def. by EDFL 16.11 (107) Game 3
4.2 (26) def. by EDFL 11.7 (73)
U14 Girls Division 1
Game 1
EDFL 10.12 (72) def. WFNL 1.0 (6)
Game 2
F&DJFL 1.5 (11) def. by EDFL 9.8 (62)
Game 3
EFNL 5.6 (36) def. by EDFL 6.4 (40)
U14 Boys Division 2
Game 1
EDFL 4.5 (29) def. by NFNL 13.10 (88)
Game 2
RDFNL 0.1 (1) def. by EDFL 16.15 (111)
Game 3
WFNL 4.7 (31) def. by EDFL 8.12 (60)
Leo Amato
Aston Paino
Bodhi Taylor
Max Thorneycroft
James Compagnino
Noah Wing
Xavier Walsh
Riley Verrall
Aidan Lowe
Ruby Evans
Chloe Milner
Mackenzie Sheridan
Olivia Rainey
Charlotte Taylor
Makayla Macri
Freya O’Neill
Mikayla Allen
Riley Saddington
Samuel Dean
Archie Wiggins
Xavier Raddon
Samuel Thorpe
Zac Frangoulis
Liam Murray
William Cadman
Matthew Famulari
Zane Arabi
Coach: Nathan Taylor
Russell
Harrison Summers
Harvey Ball
James Mastropasqua
Harvey Bishop
Landon White
Diesel Fletcher
Laidler
Bajinskis
Coach: Callan Tenabel
Jasmine Spring-Brown Alana Dickins
Erin Kropman
Holly Sutton Natalia Mitsiou
Milla Villani
Asher Sheldon
Octavia Amy
Taliah Pistikakis
Coach: Damien Gillman
Christian Loverso
Liam Jeffery
Koby Williams
Ryan Abraham
Jasper McPhail
David Antonello
Noah Calvi
Ibrahim Moustafa
Caleb Cheshire
Isabella Chiera
Lucy Walkom
Dzenneta Mujaric
Alba Kheir
Eve Morrison
Tiana Efron
Liam Kinniburgh
Callum Lewis
Kaelan Hegerty
Declan Carroll
Ayman Wahby
Thomas Te Paa
U14 Girls Division 2
Game 1
EDFL 1.0 (6) def. by YJFL 11.18 (84)
Game 2
F&DJFL 4.4 (28) def. EDFL 1.3 (9)
Game 3
EDFL 1.1 (7) def. by SMJFL 2.5 (17)
U15 Boys Division 1
Game 1
NFNL 7.7 (49) def. by EDFL 15.4 (94)
Game 2
EDFL 14.11 (95) def. RDFNL 1.2 (8)
Game 3
EDFL 2.2 (14) def. by WFNL 5.14 (44)
U15 Girls Division 1
Game 1
NFNL 6.11 (47) def. EDFL 4.5 (29)
Game 2
EDFL 8.10 (58) def. F&DJFL 4.3 (27)
Game 3
EDFL 3.7 (25) def. by EFNL 9.10 (64)
U15 Boys Division 2
Game 1
NFNL 5.2 (32) def. by EDFL 10.14 (74)
Game 2
EDFL 15.16 (106) def. RDFNL 3.2 (20)
Game 3
EDFL 5.5 (35) def. WFNL 1.9 (15)
U15 Girls Division 2
Game 1
NFNL 6.12 (48) def. EDFL 1.1 (7)
Game 2
EDFL 7.8 (50) def. RDFNL 6.6 (42)
Game 3
EDFL 0.2 (2) def. by WFNL 14.16 (100)
Maeve McIldowney
Willow Lysaught
Madison Gilcrist
Lily Reivers
Abbey Bradler
Gemma Mahoney
Audrey Mahoney
Annabel Steel
Olivia Lovell
Harvey Stevens
Ali Kassab
Aidan Plunkett
Ben Verzaci
Archie Huddart
Dash Di Felice
Joshua MacFarlane
Ali Merhi
Max Hill
Linda O’Brien
Willow Ciantar
Eve Lawrence
Mia Colgan
Charlie Lilja
Scarlett-May Wood
Grace Salter
Zoey Steer
Olivia Goldstein
Josh Evans
Orlando Macri
Dean Micallef
Maikeli Rodan
Aiden Merrifield
Lachlan Fleming
Archie Power
Joshua Rideg
Henry Smith
Coach: Heath Mahoney
Eliza Grech
Ava Magri
Mackenzie Felmingham
Lucy Villalobos
Isabella Volpi
Laila D’Amico
Mia Fraser
Sienna Cefai
Mahli Hope
Coach: Brad Swain
Nathan Wing
Chase Byrne
Christian La Porta
Oscar McIntosh
Archie Seidel
Benjamin Tranter
Lugh Kavanagh
Marcus Gagliardi
Nate Harris
Coach: Troy Newton
Laerke Davie
Keira Halpin
Marlo Atkins
Fadilla Taleb
Grace Coghlan
Hazel Lichter
Kalistah Bugeja
Sophie Harper
Krista Zikos
Coach: Jamie Albanis
Ryan Mulipola
Ned Dullard
Jack Wallis
Samuel Limoli
Max Featherby
Lachlan Barley
Mitchell Liersch
Logan Purcell
Finlay Mumford
Sienna Hemley
Elke Katerinskaja
Brianna Comer
Blessing Smith
Violete Henry
Chloe McMullin
Nicholas Peroukaneas
Antonius Kupper
Chase Green
George Barber
Brock Fletcher
Oliver Rados
Victoria Goudy
Sophie Waters
Dimi Papadopoulos
Sage Verga
Honor Cartlidge
Makayla Hall
Olivia Boyd
Chloe Dynan
Imogen Hellyer
Miami Jenkins
Maddison Linegar
Amelia Hindmarsh
Sophie Lyons
Isla Rutley
Milla Watts
Coach: Danyel Waters
Matilda McNiven
Alice Nelson
Sierra Gatt
Jada Kraja
Ruby Mercieca
Angelina Panaia
Jazelle Barbuto
Eden Blythe
Chanel Caruso
Bradie Dorian
Cody Robertson
Damon Lynch
Jacob Horo
Noah Jordan
Nicholas Hill
Lucille Hardiman
Sadie Cottom
Kassi Vlasakakis
Emily Douglas
Lexi Boyd
Trinity Ellis
Ladders & Finals Results
Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division
Qualifying Final - Saturday August 30
Aberfeldie 9.7 (61) def. by Strathmore 18.8 (116)
Elimination Final - Sunday August 31 Deer Park 9.9 (63) def. by
West 12.21 (93)
Semi Final 2 - Saturday September 6
Keilor 12.8 (80) def. by Strathmore 18.12 (120)
Semi Final 1 - Sunday September 7 Aberfeldie 14.15 (99) def. by
West 15.10 (100)
Preliminary Final - Sunday September 14 Keilor 16.12 (108) def. Airport West 11.13 (79)
Grand Final - Saturday September 20
Strathmore 11.18 (84) def. Keilor 9.10 (64)
Premier Division Reserves
Qualifying Final - Saturday August 30
Keilor 4.8 (32) def. by Strathmore 6.3 (39)
Elimination Final - Sunday August 31
Maribyrnong Park 7.6 (48) def. by Airport West 7.9 (51)
Semi Final 2 - Saturday September 6
Aberfeldie 9.15 (69) def. Strathmore 2.7 (19)
Semi Final 1 - Sunday September 7
Keilor 19.9 (123) def. Airport West 2.5 (17)
Preliminary Final - Sunday September 14
Strathmore 4.7 (31) def. by Keilor 7.6 (48)
Grand Final - Saturday September 20
Aberfeldie 6.7 (43) def. by Keilor 7.5 (47)
AGA Under 18.5 Premier Division Men’s
Qualifying Final - Saturday August 30 Marib. Park 3.7 (25) def. by Ess. Doutta Stars 2.15 (27)
Elimination Final - Sunday August 31
4.6 (30) def. by Aberfeldie 7.6 (48)
Final 2 -
September 6
Final 1 - Sunday September 7
Grand Final - Saturday September 20
2.10 (22)
Grand Final Review
Strathmore has capped off a perfect finals campaign to claim the Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division premiership after defeating Keilor by 20 points at Windy Hill.
After being the third best side in the competition across the home and away season, the Mores put together a faultless three matches on their way to an eleventh A-grade premiership.
After belting Aberfeldie by 55 points in the qualifying final, Nick Ash’s side took it up to an all-conquering Keilor outfit, winning by 40 points in the semi final and repeating the heroics on Saturday.
The victory marks a fourth premiership for stalwart Adam Iacobucci at the age of 39, as well as a third premiership for inspirational captain Mitch Purcell.
Youngster Chris Scerri claimed the coveted Reg Rose Medal as the best on ground with an eye-catching performance on the big stage.
The 19-year-old has had an incredible first season of senior footy and cemented his spot as one of the brightest young stars across the competition, not just in the EDFL but at VFL level as well.
It was the zippy midfielder’s burst and speed from stoppages that set him apart, winning a game-high 13 clearances from his 26 disposals.
Scerri had some tough competition for the medal from veterans Luke Jarrad and Liam Cavanagh, while Nick O’Kearney was excellent in a losing side with 40 possessions.
Corey Grindlay lit the fuse early with two stirring goals in the opening half, while Kyle Weightman helped finish the job with three majors after half time.
Keilor will be left to ponder what if after another strong home and away season, however left Windy Hill without the silverware.
The reigning premiers sat on top of the ladder for the whole home and away season, however still had plenty of areas for improvement which were exposed by Strathmore in the finals.
The Blues had no one able to fill the void left by Brad Xavier, Cody Brand, and Josh Honey who were all missing for Saturday’s decider through injury or suspension.
It was the Mores’ dominance early in the game that set up the victory.
With Strathmore winning the toss and kicking with the wind, Nick Ash’s side put three goals on the board and held the reigning premiers goalless in the first term.
The Blues were unable to wrestle the momentum back in their favour with Strathmore’s dogged backline led by Cavanagh, Jarrad, and Lucas Cavallaro standing tall all day.
After four straight behinds, Ryan Brodie got Strathmore up and running when he put through the first of the match.
Grindlay followed suit moments later before Brodie slotted his second for the quarter to open up a 23-point lead.
With their backs against the wall, Keilor responded just after the break through Jovan Petric, however it did little to lift the side’s spirits with Strathmore hitting back through Athan Tsialtas.
Grindlay was back to wreak havoc once again with the sharpshooter drilling a goal on the run from the boundary to open up a game-high 27-point lead.
The Keilor bench were left scratching their heads when Iacobucci’s long bomb sailed through for Strathmore’s third goal in a row against the breeze.
The Blues did receive a lift just before halftime with goals to Will Burke and O’Kearney helping breathe life into the contest.
The misery however continued for Keilor after the break with two quicks goals to Weightman continuing the Mores dominance from the opening half.
With the game slipping away, the Blues’ day went from bad to worse when Kade Long was helped off with what looked like an ankle injury.
Late goals to Liam Hude and Chris Kosmas gave the Keilor faithful some hope that a comeback was on the cards.
A Matthew Allison major on the stroke of three quarter time meant the Mores still had a healthy lead heading into the final term.
Petric gave the Blues just what they were looking for when he kicked his second two minutes into the final term.
Another stirring goal from Weightman had the Strathmore crowd on its feet with the navy and gold supporters believing another premiership was in touching distance.
Jermarl Daly kicked two awesome goals to cut the lead back to just 17 points, but it mattered little as Strathmore maintained control through to the final siren to salute once again.
- Luke Mathews
Ladders & Finals Results
Airport Toyota Premier Division
Semi Final 2 - Saturday August 16
Semi Final 1 - Saturday August 16
Preliminary Final - Saturday August 23
Grand Final - Saturday August 30
Women’s Reserves
Semi Final 2 - Saturday August 16
Semi Final 1 - Saturday August 16
Preliminary Final - Saturday August 23
Grand Final - Saturday August 30
AGA Under 18.5 Women’s Premier Division
-
Semi Final 1 - Saturday August 16
Final - Saturday August 23
Grand Final - Saturday August 30
Grand Final Review
Hillside has claimed its first EDFL senior women’s premiership in the most remarkable circumstances.
After leading for most of the day, the Sharks premiership hopes came down to the final kick of the day.
The Kangaroos won a free kick about 20 metres out from goal with the side five points down.
The siren went meaning the shot at glory and a third straight premiership would come with the final kick of the day.
The kick went straight into Ash Thorneycroft, who was standing the mark, giving the Sharks the ultimate prize, 3.4 (22) to 2.5 (17).
Sharks coach Blaise Ferraro told Star Weekly he only had one thing going through his head as Nunn had the ball.
He said it wasn’t surprising to see Thorneycroft with that little bit of extra effort to make sure she got a hand on that kick.
In Round 1, Thorneycroft broke her finger on that same hand in the first contest of the year against Oak Park.
“My first thought was making sure that it’s not 50,” he said. “I was making sure that Ash didn’t run over the line.
“I knew it was the full back and I knew it was the fairytale story to have a three-peat, I thought it was lined up for that.
“It’s a bit ironic that the hand that broke in the first contest of the season against Oak Park, was the hand that saved the day.
“It was a bit symbolic there, which was nice.”
The Sharks came into the grand final as underdogs against a Kangaroos outfit looking to make history.
Ferraro said he was fairly confident heading into the game that his side could find a way to get across the line.
“We had done everything that we needed to do,” he said. “There was a bit of calmness about that.”
The Sharks did most of the attacking in the first half and kicked the only three goals of the first half.
Ferraro said they knew that the Kangaroos were going to come. It proved to be a similar story to 12 months ago, but on that occasion the Kangaroos were in front and had to hold off Aberfeldie.
“We just had to make sure that we didn’t panic,” Ferraro said. “No matter what happens, you know that they are going to come and you have to absorb that pressure.
“Get a break and reset from there. They came in the third quarter and managed to hold them off just long enough to hold a three score lead heading into the last.”
Ferraro said they wanted to score in the second half but couldn’t get it out so they were resigned to holding on for dear life.
He said they played like that last year and had played in some tight ones against the Kangaroos in the past two years.
Ferraro said he always thought they had done enough heading into the final quarter to get the win.
The premiership win is two seasons in the making after finishing on top last season and then going out in straight sets.
Ferraro said the hurt of last year really drove them this year.
“They were really devastated that they didn’t make it last year,” he said. “It was a lack of experience.
“Through the year they took a few knocks and they had to rebound, it really held them in good stead to not to freak out and panic.”
Madalyn Kelly kicked two goals for the Sharks, while Emily Paterno kicked the other.
Annalise Wilkie was awarded the best on ground medal.
“She has been fantastic all year for us,” Ferraro said. “She wasn’t happy with her season last year, even though she came top five in the league best and fairest.
“She put in a mountain of work. Really put her head down and definitely the hardest worker on the track.”
It was a spread of contributors for the Sharks to get the job done. Ferraro said that was one of the differences from last year to this year.
The Sharks Reserves side fell just short in the grand final in the second straight year.
“The buzz around the club was fantastic,” he said.
- Tara Murray for Star Weekly
Ladders & Finals Results
Strathmore Community Bank Division One
Qualifying Final - Saturday August 23
Coburg 12.8 (80) def. by Hillside 13.14 (92)
Elimination Final - Sunday August 24
Heights 10.10 (70) def. by Craigieburn 13.15 (93)
Semi Final 2 - Saturday August 30
Park 13.13 (91) def. Hillside 6.13 (49)
Semi Final 1 - Sunday August 31
Coburg 5.15 (45) def. by Craigieburn 8.9 (57)
Preliminary Final - Saturday September 6
18.7 (115) def. Craigieburn 8.8 (56)
Grand Final - Saturday September 13
Park 5.14 (44) def. by Hillside 9.12 (66)
Division One Reserves
Qualifying Final - Saturday August 23
(44)
Elimination Final - Sunday August 24
(86) def. West Coburg 9.7 (61)
Semi Final 2 - Saturday August 30
12.8 (80) def. Taylors Lakes 4.5 (29)
Semi Final 1 - Sunday August 31
Park 5.4 (34) def. by Moonee Valley 8.8 (56)
Preliminary Final - Saturday September 6
Grand Final - Saturday September 13
6.17 (53) def. Moonee Valley 7.7 (49)
Under 18.5 Division One Men’s
Qualifying Final - Saturday August 23
Elimination Final - Sunday August 24
Grand Final Review
Hillside will be playing in Premier Division for the first time in club history following its remarkable win over Oak Park in Saturday’s Strathmore Community Bank Division One grand final.
As the sun began to set on Coburg City Oval, it was the Sharks who capped off a remarkable day to swim away with a thrilling 22-point victory and claim the premiership for 2025.
The day was no doubt sweetened and celebrated even more because of the feats of vice captain Josh Covelli, who four minutes into the final quarter, sensationally kicked 100 goals in a year for the second consecutive season.
In what was one of the greatest days in the history of the Hillside Football Club with the Reserves also winning, they are now off to the top flight.
While it’s the holy grail for Hillside, it’s heartbreak for Oak Park as they fall agonisingly short of tasting premiership success and capping off a brilliant season.
With the Kangaroos looking to clinch a second bout of premiership success in just three years, the favourites ultimately fell short.
It was on from the start with both sides opening their accounts in ruthless fashion.
With a hot footy bobbling around, players hardly had a second to act before opposition pressure was felt.
In a low-scoring opening term, the Sharks made the most of their opportunities in front of the sticks, highlighted by a mercurial running drop punt goal from the boundary line by captain Zak Wunhym four minutes into the contest.
The Roos were proving to be wasteful in front of goal, and this pattern extended into
the second quarter with the minor premiers recording just two goals from 12 scores at half time.
On the other hand, the Sharks were making the most of their opportunities and held onto a mere one-point lead going into the third term.
The second half was poised to be a thriller, and it was the Sharks who made the Roos pay with a three-goal-to-one effort in the premiership quarter.
Josh Covelli and Khalil Kaakour set the game alight five minutes into the third term, with Kaakour converting a loose ball in front of goal after a bone-crunching, “WWE-like” tackle from Covelli on Oak Park’s premier defender, Lachlan Stredwick.
In the final quarter of the season, Hillside were firmly parked in the driver’s seat and simply had to stave off a pressing Oak Park.
The magical moment for Josh Covelli came at the four-minute mark of the final term.
After receiving the footy at the top of the goal-square, Covelli rolled around onto his dangerous left foot and booted through goal 100 of the season.
It made for a remarkable scene, and gave the Sharks a tidal wave of surging momentum for the remainder of the final quarter.
It was always going to be a challenge for the Kangaroos to come home after this, and with that said, the Sharks went on to claim victory and capture senior men’s premiership success for the first time since 2013.
Hillside’s hunt around the contest and pressure rating was a defining element of the match, with the Sharks dominating at stoppage and strangling the Roos all day with their intensity.
They won the clearance count by 10, 48-38 and were relentless in winning the ball back off turnover.
Ultimately, it was the Sharks’ pressure which was the standout.
They had 52 more tackles than Oak Park and posted a final figure of 86 tackles to the Roos’ 34.
Aligning with this, Hillside produced a final pressure rating of 200 for the day, with Oak Park only mustering a mere figure of 91.
These figures aren’t surprising, with the Sharks’ hunt and endeavour on full display for onlookers.
Khalil Kaakour put a stamp on what has been a brilliant first season with the Sharks with a performance that saw him take home the David McWilliam Medal for best-on-ground honours.
He racked up a pivotal 27 disposals, 11 tackles, and booted through two critical goals in what was a low-scoring affair.
Kaakour also recorded a whopping 27 team involvements for the day, highlighted by his 11 tackles and 12 pressure acts.
Fort Caruso was also exceptional and produced a match-defining performance, with his impact in and around stoppage a key takeaway from the game.
He had 27 disposals, 20 of which were contested, to go along with nine clearances and seven tackles.
In what was a disappointing day for the Roos, Josh Hotchkin and Paul Pascu were both among their best yet again.
- Ben Parker
Ladders & Finals Results
Airport Toyota Division One
AGA Under 18.5 Women’s Division One
Grand Final Review
Strathmore has booked its ticket back to the top flight with a thrilling six-point win in the Airport Toyota Division One finale at Coburg City Oval.
The Mores won every single game in a dominant 2025 season, but earnt their return to Premier Division with their closest game of the season.
Strathmore deservedly entered the matchup as favourites despite Burnside Heights’ scintillating form in recent weeks.
The Bears had built throughout the season and produced their best two matches of the year to win through to a second straight decider.
It was rinse and repeat for Strathmore which dealt with all challengers.
With immense challenges seldom seen by the Mores this season, it was important for the Bears to carry through momentum from previous weeks into the start of this contest.
That’s exactly what they did with a tense first quarter going goalless.
Burnside Heights hit the scoreboard with the first two goals of the game in
the second quarter to open up a handy margin.
The Mores would then get on the board late to make it a 12-point ball game at half time.
It increased to 18 points early in the third quarter after skipper Kayla Ravanello converted a 50 metre penalty.
Yasmin Welsford then did the same thing at the other end.
The More took the lead late in the third quarter, before the Bears levelled the scores heading into the final break.
It was all to play for, the undefeated Strathmore won every game by 18 points or more and hadn’t been challenged like this, but the Bears had to maintain a high level to get the premiership.
The ball spent most of the last quarter in the Mores’ forward half without any knockout blows landing.
Talia Motta, who has been the source of several Bears nightmares in finals before, kicked her third to put her side seven points up.
Tayla Iglesias had a shot late to get it back to the Bears, but it fell short and was rushed over the line.
That would be the ball game with the Mores winning, 5.5 (35) - 4.5 (29).
Motta finished with three goals with Welsford and Emma Artigas the other goal scorers.
Yasmine Guzel was awarded the best on ground medal with Elisha Wain and Milla Murphy also prominent.
Isabelle Young kicked two majors for the Bears with Chloe Jordan and Ravanello adding one each.
Payton-Ani Ozols and Sina Mason were named their best, with Sarah Poni and Jorgia Redmond strong in the defensive half.
The Bears will reload and go again next season, while the Mores will look to continue the development of the women’s program and make Airport Toyota Premier Division their home.
- Michelle Dunstan
Ladders & Finals Results
Bank Division
Preliminary Final 1 - Sunday August 31
Division Two Reserves
18.5 Division Two Men’s
Grand Final Review
Rupertswood claimed its first piece of senior EDFL silverware after a thrilling threepoint victory over Westmeadows in the Strathmore Community Bank Division Two grand final.
In front of a huge crowd packing the stands and surrounds at Highgate Recreation Reserve, both sides put on a show to remember.
The Sharks opened the contest hard and fast, with their leading goalkicker Fraser PhelanSmith striking first blood in the opening minutes.
Jackson Pranauskas backed this up with the side’s second goal moments later to extend the lead, proving the Sharks were unfazed kicking against a strong wind.
Westmeadows were unable to capitalise as much as they would’ve liked in the opening term, with strong tackling all round by Rupo preventing them from better-utilising forward 50 entries.
The Tigers were just on three behinds 10 minutes into the decider, but a long and effective kick from the boot of Ryan Capron set Mitch Church up to break the goal drought.
Tiger Harley Gleeson snagged the second for his side after a 50-metre penalty saw him launch the kick from 50.
Daniel Spencer, Aaron Evans, and Rupo’s Matt McDonald were also some key figures in that opening term.
Westy’s Capron was all over the ball wherever you looked in the first 30 minutes with 12 disposals contributing to his match-total of 25 and the Ian Price Medal for best on ground.
The Tigers took a three-point lead at the first change, but it didn’t come easily. With the wind behind them, they would’ve been further in front had they been more accurate.
It was a fast and furious second quarter for both Westy and Rupo as they sought to edge closer towards ownership of the premiership cup.
It was becoming clear that Rupertswood was gaining the advantage over Westy, but the Tigers did not give up through it all.
The Sharks were just too good at preventing their opposition from breaking out. Jackson Cardillo contributed to this with his 12 tackles laid throughout the day.
In the ruck we saw Michael Mayne and Daniel Kavanagh go head to head at nearly every ball up and throw in.
Mayne was performing well in the ruck and was able to start some fast ball movement for his side.
The siren for the main break sounded to see Rupertswood up by seven points, but it should’ve been higher after some wasted opportunities saw them not use the wind to their full potential.
The third quarter was when things started to get interesting for everyone on and around the ground.
Westy struck first through Church before some of Rupo’s key men in Pranauskas and James Fox slotted goals to send the Sharks up by 13.
But that’s when the Tigers put pedal to the metal and started to attack their forward 50.
While there weren’t goals immediately flowing for the trailing Tigers, you could tell something was starting to brew and this game was getting interesting.
Korey Flavel-Wood and Shaun O’Grady booted one each in the latter stage of the term and gave Westmeadows some sense of belief and a one-point lead at the final change.
Westmeadows dominated the early stages of the final term with Hugo Jenkins and Jordan Kosteas being among the standouts when applying pressure and marking.
Jenkins accelerated and snapped to teammate Evans who went on to kick a goal and extend the lead to seven.
Ryan Stingel added quickly with a goal from an angle to take it to a 13-point lead. It seemed as if Rupertswood were unable to keep up.
But it was Mitchell Johnston who rose to the occasion for Rupo late into the match and kicked a goal for a six-point margin.
The energy continued for the Sharks, whose attempt to tie things up moments later was denied by a strong mark from Tiger Michael Portelli.
Portelli had been a stunning ball-controller throughout the contest with six marks.
A couple of behinds later for Rupertswood and a goal kicked by a running Clayton Bonello saw Rupertswood over the line to win the 2025 premiership by three.
There were joyous scenes for the victorious Rupertswood as they hoisted the premiership cup at the conclusion of a stellar year.
The Sharks will be back in Strathmore Community Bank Division One next year. It’s a level of football they all know well having played there from 2021 to 2024.
The Tigers will feel the effects of this second consecutive grand final loss, but they should hold their heads high knowing that they were one of the most entertaining teams all season and such a dynamic force in this competition.
- Evan Tudor
Ladder & Finals Results
Airport Toyota Division Two
Semi Final 2 - Saturday August 9
Gisborne-Kyneton United 11.4 (70) def. Taylors Lakes 1.3 (9)
Semi Final 1 - Saturday August 9
Premliminary Final - Saturday August 16
Grand Final Review
The flawless Gisborne-Kyneton United has completed its fairytale unbeaten run with a dominant 64-point victory over Taylors Lakes in the premiership decider at Coburg City Oval.
It was the biggest margin between the two sides in their fourth meeting for the year.
In front of a very healthy crowd for the EDFL’s first senior grand finals day for the season, the Dogs were able to storm home and raise the premiership cup for the first time in the league.
A fast first quarter for both outfits saw Dogs co-captain Amanda Crooks snag the opener just a few minutes into the match.
The Lions immediately responded with captain Sarah McNally piercing the big sticks from an angle after a strong mark, momentarily giving her side the lead by one.
But it was all Gisborne from there, with the Dogs controlling the match until the final siren.
Another first quarter highlight came from one of Gisborne’s greatest skills in effective handballing when it led to an impressive goal by Chey Macumber.
As the match progressed, so did Gisborne’s grip on the premiership cup, with three second-quarter goals extending its lead to 41 at the half.
The Dogs’ strong tackling was becoming a significant issue for the Lions who
were under an immense fight for each possession, especially in their forward 50. It was becoming clear that their day was coming to an end early.
Macumber slotted another two goals taking her grand final tally to three, the most scored by a player in the match.
The second half saw Taylors Lakes’ beston Rebecca Foggie elevate her efforts, standing tall with many marks and throwing her body on the line to prevent any Gisborne score.
At the other end of the field was Dogs’ Lucy Lenius who displayed similar efforts to those of Foggie.
The Dogs’ duo of Amy O’Kelly and Katrina Bau combined to give their team great run through the centre of the ground.
Taylors Lakes’ Sarah Sullivan tirelessly took on Belinda Hateley in the ruck contests, with Hateley later winning the best-onground medal for her courageous efforts that saw her win contests all over the ground.
A tackle laid down by a determined Taylah Egan stopped an almost certain Gisborne goal approaching the break.
In her 70th career match, Charlotte Bracey finally broke her goal-drought, scoring two goals to be joined by her premiership teammates in celebration.
But the pressure of Gisborne-Kyneton United was certainly too much for Taylors
Lakes as the Dogs displayed aggressive footy all around.
A high-spirited three-quarter time huddle saw Lions’ coach Joseph Antonetti encourage his team to enjoy the last quarter and stay strong, regardless of the 55-point margin.
Lions’ Charlie Goodwin and Stefania Valerio made their efforts felt during the match with the pair quick to the ball on many occasions.
In what can be noted as a consolation, Taylors Lakes held its strong opposition to just a lone goal in the final term.
But in the end, Gisborne-Kyneton United ran away comfortable winners to take home the flag after a perfect season of 16 straight wins.
While it may be a disheartening result for Taylors Lakes, the Lions should be extremely proud of their 2025 efforts. Making a grand final in a maiden finals series is something alone worth celebrating. We look forward to seeing how they respond next year back in Airport Toyota Division Two.
It’s promotion for Gisborne, with the Dogs moving up the EDFL pyramid into Airport Toyota Division One.
