Men's Premier Division Grand Final

CEO's Perspective

McGuane who has his eyes firmly set on a fourth Senior flag at Keilor.

His counterpart, Marty Allison has had an exceptional first year back in charge at the Mores and will be looking to take the club to the first back-to-back Premier Division premierships since Aberfeldie in 2017 and 2018.

The Mores have tested their depth with a number of injuries and have built into the finals series as one of the most in-form teams alongside Keilor.

This Saturday will be the first Senior Grand Final meeting between these two sides since 1998, which I was lucky to play in. The Mores were victorious that that day I can't wait to see who comes out on top in this contest.

We applaud Deer Park on their significant achievement taking out their first Senior EDFL flag in their first year in the competition. They have been a wonderful addition to the league and we all look forward to seeing them challenge themselves in season 2024 in Premier Division.

We also extend our congratulations to Coburg Districts Under 18.5s and Hillside Reserves who took home a premiership cup in brilliant contests.

What a way to wrap up the 2023 season this weekend with our Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division Grand Final.

It will be a sight to behold when Keilor and Strathmore run out this Saturday one the hallowed turf of Windy Hill.

Both these sides have had terrific seasons and are worthy competitors in the grand finale of our season.

Keilor are one step away from replicating their perfect 2019 season and have been emphatic in their pursuit of glory, superbly led by Mick

It will also be the second consecutive season that Strathmore will feature in all three games on Premier Division Grand Final day which is a terrific achievement.

Strathmore will meet Keilor in the Reserves, while Pascoe Vale will commence the day in the AGA Under 18.5 contest.

We wish all teams the best of luck this Saturday.

I also congratulate our premiers from last weekend. It was terrific to see premierships celebrated in front of full and jubilant stands here at Windy Hill for our Rookie Me Division One Grand Final day.

As our season comes to a close, I would like to thank all of our participating clubs, players, volunteers, umpires, officials, staff, and EDFL Board who have made 2023 a season to remember.

Without the countless hours contributed by our members, the success of this season would not have been possible.

The unparalleled support from our partners and sponsors has also played a huge part in the EDFL continuing to grow.

We look forward to a bigger and better 2024 for our great league.

Andrew Johnston EDFL CEO

Phone: (03) 5221 4408

Email: edfl@adcellgroup.com.au

Web: www.redonioncreative.com.au

Address: 203 Malop Street, Geelong VIC 3220

OFFICIAL

All editorial and photographs are prepared by the Essendon District Football League Media Manager including articles and those contributors, published in the Essendon District Football League official record The Footballer, are subject to copyright laws and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Essendon District Football League. Action photos courtesy of Shaun Sharp (Moments by Shaun)

Address all correspondence to: Essendon District Football League, 78A Napier Street, Essendon 3040

PUBLISHER OF ESSENDON DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE RECORD “THE FOOTBALLER”

Rookie Me Division One Grand Final Review

BY ERIC FORMAN

LIONS ROAR INTO THE TOP FLIGHT

Deer Park has added their first senior EDFL premiership cup to their trophy cabinet after a 21.14 (140) to 6.8 (44) thumping against West Coburg in the Rookie Me Division One Grand Final.

The Lions were coming into the game as the favourites after handing the Burgers their first loss of the season in convincing fashion in the Semi Final and were quick out of the gates.

Lachlan Smart bagged the first goal of the day after a nine-minute stalemate to begin the game.

A second 50-metre penalty sent Deer Park to the goal square as Luke Goater opened his account and kicked Deer Park’s second.

Todd Elton was collected high inside 50 and duly dobbed the set shot to round out their three firstquarter goals.

West Coburg were held scoreless in the first quarter and trailed Deer Park by 22 points heading into the second quarter.

Damian Galofaro got West Coburg on the board eight minutes into the second quarter as the Burgers kept the contest relatively even with just one point added to the margin at the main break.

Deer Park threatened to burst open the dam wall at times in the third quarter, but did so emphatically in the fourth quarter piling on 11 goals.

It was party time for the Lions as they neared the 100-point margin before eventually taking out the premiership by 96 points.

Nash Holmes was awarded the David McWilliam Medal for best on ground honours for a superb performance in Deer Park’s engine room, complemented by powerful midfielders Jack Dorgan and Wade Lees who shut down the dangerous Thomas Baravi.

Kier Bol was staunch in defence keeping Omar

Saad goalless, while Bailey Morrish was pivotal in setting up a lot of the Lions’ drive from their back half.

Goater was available from VFL duties and continued his finals form with six goals, while Elton (four goals), Scott Greenhough (two goals), and Smart (two goals) each kicked multiples.

It was a complete team performance from Deer Park and the culmination of a season of hard work.

Coach Heath Scotland told Star Weekly they were confident they could get the job done on the biggest stage.

“We didn’t really settle with our best side for most of the year,” he said. “We knew every team rose to play us during the year. For us getting the runs on the board and getting a system, the confidence come that pointy end of the season that our game style matches and stands up.

“I’m just pleased for the boys that they executed what we were rehearsing all year and extremely disappointed for some of those guys who have got us here and we couldn’t fit in the side.”

While the celebrations will continue on for a few days, the club will quickly turn its attention to next season when it will be in Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division.

“Certainly the administration were keen to get us straight across to Premier,” Scotland said. “[We went into] Division One and we were happy, bide our time.

“We’ll get over the celebrations and try and maintain our playing list. Hopefully all those will go down a point or two and we can target and recruit.

“We have to build from grassroots. We can’t keep adding players in and be on the points threshold every year.”

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Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division Grand Final Preview

BY TARA MURRAY

Can Keilor be stopped?

That is the big question heading into the Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division Grand Final between Keilor and Strathmore on Saturday at Windy Hill.

While these two clubs have built up a really strong rivalry, the Blues will go in red-hot favourites to claim the premiership.

The Blues have had one of the strongest seasons in recent history in the EDFL and are aiming to go through the season undefeated.

The Blues averaged nearly 133 points per game, the clear best in the competition. Defensively, they conceded a miserly 47 points per game.

While sometimes those figures can be blown out by big margins in games, for the Blues they did it against everyone.

In 18 regular season games and one final, only three times has the Blues winning margin been less than 50 points.

Their first final against Pascoe Vale, they were as clinical as they had been all season.

For the Mores, their premiership defence started slowly with more than 40 players getting their opportunity at senior level.

They were able to build into the season and while they finished the season in third, they entered the finals the second most in form team.

During the season, they had the second most points on the board and conceded the second least points, both behind Keilor.

Since Round 11 they’ve had just one loss, to Keilor, while they had a draw with Aberfeldie in Round 17.

Both of the Mores’ finals performances have been impressive, with East Keilor and then Pascoe Vale proving no match for them.

In both matches they put the game away in the first half before running away with big wins.

All their stars are back and the side will back themselves to match it with Keilor.

Coach Marty Allison would be happy with what they’re putting together at this time of the year.

If the Mores are to cause an upset, they will have to change things from during the season.

On Good Friday, the Blues led by 15 points at half time before going on to win by 73 points against the reigning premier in an early statement.

Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division Grand Final Preview

In Round 13, the margin was 76 points with the Blues leading by 50 points and keeping the Mores to just one goal in the first half. It was a couple of their young guns in Keighton Matofai-Forbes and Jovan Petric who led the scoring for the Blues in those games.

Will Jury, Daniel Mighell, Athan Tsialtas, and Lachlan Johnson missed the last game between the two sides for the Mores, but on the other side Damian Cavka, Darcy Cassar, and Riley Ham missed for the Blues.

Surprisingly it’s the first time since 1998 that the two rivals have played each other on Grand Final day.

On that occasion Strathmore came away with the premiership in a big win and halted Keilor’s dreams of a fourth flag in a row.

On Saturday, the key to the game will be in the middle of the ground.

The Mores need to shut down the Blues run and carry which leads to plenty of inside 50s.

Both sides have class in the middle of the ground with Nick O’Kearney, Will Jury, Corey Ellis three that will see a lot of the ball.

If it becomes a shootout, the Blues will most likely come out on top.

The Blues have an unpredictable forward 50 with different options across the board.

Six players have kicked more than 20 goals for the Blues this season led by Matthew Clark with 52.

All six of those players have kicked bags of six or more.

Only the Mores’ Tom Condon has kicked more goals than Clark, with 63 goals from one less game.

He is one of just four players for the Mores to score more than 20 goals. Condon is the only player to kick six goals or more in a game for the Mores.

If the Mores get up, they will need someone to step up and kick a bag.

Strathmore will bring plenty of experience into the match and will know that last year’s grand final thriller will hold them in good stead.

Fourteen of last year’s premiership side played in last week’s Preliminary Final with most, if not all to feature in the grand final.

For the Blues, they have plenty of premiership heroes too in their side. Eight of the 2019 premiership team played in the first week of finals.

Allison will be hoping for his first premiership as Strathmore coach in his second stint at the club, while Mick McGuane is going for his fourth premiership.

The two club’s seniors won't be the only ones in action that day either. The two clubs will face each other in the Reserves, while Strathmore is aiming to win the AGA Under 18.5 premiership as well.

The Blues have already claimed the Thirds and Under 16 Division One premierships, with both clubs again having successful seasons.

Come Saturday, that will mean little with the biggest prize up for grabs.

There’s little doubt that most people believe Keilor will come away with the premiership, but we’ve seen stranger things than a massive upset on the middle of the turf at Windy Hill.

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AGA Under 18.5 Men's Premier Division Grand Final

Strathmore

President: John Elliot

Coach: Mark Hassall

Colours: Gold & Navy Blue

Pascoe Vale

President: Tony Paragalli

Coach: Jake Pantas & Daniel Fiteni

Colours: Black & Red

1 Christopher Scerri

2 Oscar Mammoliti

3 Jake Waters

4 Lachlan Plant

5 Patrick Flatman

6 Hugh Allison

8 Hugo Jenkins

9 Sam Valensisi

10 Finn Hanegraaf

22 Nicholas Fluke

23 Harry Ryan 24 Brodie Hassall

25 Amin Naim

26 Ryan Maddox

27 Jack Cook

28 Michael Cross

30 Max Cirigliano

31 Will Ryan

32 Blair Huggins

33 Dante Iacovone

35 William Janky

36 Isaiah Konstantinidis

44 Taylor Moxon

53 Alex Tonelli

56 Jai Prince

60 Alex Alessio

1 Ahmed Zahraman

2 Carled El Khodr

3 Khalil Kaakour

4 Zakaria Abou-Eid

5 Dylan Arnold

6 Sebastian Carta

7 Max Carta

8 Noah Hijazi

10 Jalal Abou-Eid

11 Isaac Kako

12 Abdullah El-Rafei

14 Adrian Radio

16 Metuisela Mua Tavo

17 Noah Saad

18 Jack Scollo

19 Michael Tiligadis

20 Charles Bolmat

21 Ali Khoder

23 Daniel Bird

25 Noah Scott

29 Dean Ciccarone

30 Benjamin Pascoe

35 Fares Hamoud

40 Omar Aboud-Eid

43 Luca Tullberg

44 Antonio Spataro

48 Fouad Chaabani

51 Denzil Whelan

71 Hussein Taleb

72 Joseph Pennella

74 Lachlan Fazzolari

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Premier Division Reserves Grand Final

Keilor

President: Ray Sheridan

Coach: Stephen Pace

Colours: Blue, Red & White

Strathmore

President: John Elliot

Coach: Zack Carey

Colours: Gold & Navy Blue

17 Brock Jacobsen 19

35 Daniel Ruscigno

37 Mitchell Newman

38 Michael Teal

39 Kobe Long

40 William Teal

41 Jayden Teal

42 Benjamin Radloff

48 Julian Seol

49 Lachlan Sneddon

53 Cooper Mackenzie-George

56 Daniel Sargent

66 Benjamin Mazziol

75 Ashley Reed

7 Lachlan Currie

9 Callum Clinnick

12 Jack Duggan

14 Luke Butcher

15 James Dwyer

17 Hudson Radecki

18 Mathew Pellegrino

21 James Kefalas

27 Isaac Brill

31 Jordan Koo

43 Jacob Manzie

44 Nicholas Owens

45 Alessi Leggieri

46 Andrew Pellegrino

50 Declan Harvey

51 Jai Murphy

53 Lachlan Gee

55 Zeke Pollock

56 Jay Swidryk

59 Thomas Sayers

60 Jye Harry

61 James Hall

62 Campbell Mann

63 Cooper Newton

66 Max Johnston

Season Summary | Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division

ROUND 1

Pascoe Vale 14.9-93 Aberfeldie 10.9-69

Strathmore 25.17-167 Essendon Doutta Stars 5.3-33 East Keilor 7.14-56 Greenvale 7.10-52

Airport West 6.6-42 Keilor 23.12-150

Avondale Heights 11.16-82 Maribyrnong Park 12.8-80

ROUND 2

Essendon Doutta Stars 11.6-72 Airport West 9.7-61

Maribyrnong Park 9.9-63 East Keilor 12.10-82

Keilor 14.19-103 Pascoe Vale 13.13-91

Greenvale 6.8-44 Strathmore 19.8-122

Aberfeldie 21.13-139 Avondale Heights 6.12-48

ROUND 3

Keilor 17.16-118 Strathmore 6.9-45

Essendon Doutta Stars 15.15-105 Avondale Heights 9.7-61

Airport West 8.9-57 East Keilor 24.12-156

Greenvale 9.15-69 Pascoe Vale 17.14-116

Maribyrnong Park 9.12-66 Aberfeldie 12.11-83

ROUND 4

Strathmore 11.12-78 Airport West 10.5-65

21.18-144 Maribyrnong Park 6.7-43

East Keilor 7.10-52 Pascoe Vale 9.11-65

Strathmore 15.17-107 Aberfeldie 11.8-74

ROUND 9

Greenvale 13.11-89 Airport West 8.13-61

Pascoe Vale 22.13-145 Avondale Heights 9.9-63

Aberfeldie 11.10-76 East Keilor 6.9-45

Keilor 23.26-164 Essendon Doutta Stars 2.5-17

Maribyrnong Park 11.10-76 Strathmore 15.9-99

ROUND 10

Avondale Heights 6.5-41 Aberfeldie 24.13-157

Airport West 6.11-47 Essendon Doutta Stars 7.9-51

Strathmore 5.6-36 Greenvale 6.9-45

Pascoe Vale 6.5-41 Keilor 14.16-100

East Keilor 11.21-87 Maribyrnong Park 10.4-64

ROUND 11

Keilor 24.19-163 Airport West 11.5-71

Maribyrnong Park 11.8-74 Avondale Heights 14.7-91

Greenvale 11.6-72 East Keilor 12.10-82

Aberfeldie 9.7-61 Pascoe Vale 18.8-116

Essendon Doutta Stars 4.2-26 Strathmore 22.11-143

ROUND 12

Keilor 13.12-90 Aberfeldie 10.11-71

Greenvale 18.14-122 Avondale Heights 9.10-64

East Keilor 12.14-86 Essendon Doutta Stars 10.9-69

Maribyrnong Park 10.5-65 Pascoe Vale 13.10-88

Airport West 9.7-61 Strathmore 18.14-122

ROUND 13

East Keilor 13.10-88 Airport West 10.12-72

Avondale Heights 15.14-104 Essendon Doutta Stars 12.9-81

Pascoe Vale 9.10-64 Greenvale 14.14-98

Strathmore 5.11-41 Keilor 17.15-117

Aberfeldie 16.13-109 Maribyrnong Park 7.15-57

ROUND 14

Greenvale 13.5-83 Aberfeldie 12.9-81

Airport West 20.15-135 Avondale Heights 13.13-91

Essendon Doutta Stars 9.2-56 Pascoe Vale 17.9-111

East Keilor 13.8-86 Strathmore 15.19-109

Keilor 27.23-185 Maribyrnong Park 6.4-40

ROUND 15

Pascoe Vale 4.15-39 Airport West 7.12-54

Aberfeldie 16.10-106 Essendon Doutta Stars 11.9-75

Maribyrnong Park 12.14-86 Greenvale 16.9-105

East Keilor 8.10-58 Keilor 8.17-65

Avondale Heights 12.9-81 Strathmore 16.13-109

ROUND 16

Airport West 5.13-43 Aberfeldie 14.19-103

East Keilor 19.16-130 Avondale Heights 5.8-38

Greenvale 4.4-28 Keilor 13.19-97

Essendon Doutta Stars 16.19-115 Maribyrnong Park 5.7-37

Strathmore 11.9-75 Pascoe Vale 10.12-72

ROUND 17

Maribyrnong Park 8.14-62 Airport West 14.15-99

Keilor 39.22-256 Avondale Heights 2.2-14

Pascoe Vale 21.12-138 East Keilor 6.10-46

Greenvale 8.18-66 Essendon Doutta Stars 10.8-68

Aberfeldie 11.7-73 Strathmore 10.13-73

ROUND 18

East Keilor 14.12-96 Aberfeldie 9.11-65

Airport West 18.16-124 Greenvale 22.11-143

Essendon Doutta Stars 3.5-23 Keilor 19.12-126

Strathmore 13.16-94 Maribyrnong Park 7.3-45

Avondale Heights 11.7-73 Pascoe Vale 18.10-118

SEMI FINALS

Keilor 20.14-134 Pascoe Vale 6.10-46

Strathmore 22.17-149 East Keilor 9.12-66

PRELIMINARY FINAL

Pascoe Vale 10.9-69 Strathmore 18.13-121

Season Summary | Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division

PREMIER DIVISION LADDER

LEADING GOALKICKERS

2

Premier Division Grand Final

Keilor

President: Ray Sheridan

Coach: Michael McGuane

Colours: Blue, Red & White

Strathmore

President: John Elliot

Coach: Marty Allison

Colours: Gold & Navy Blue

5

7

3 Luke Jarrad

4 Liam Cavanagh

5 Thomas Condon

6 Benjamin Holian

7 Lachlan Currie

8 Mitchell Purcell

10 Adam Iacobucci

11 Andrew Gallucci

12 Jack Duggan

13 Kyle Weightman

18 Matthew Pellegrino

19 Brock Egglestone

20 Daniel Mighell

23 Xavier Allison

25 Brendan Butler

28 Lucas Cavallaro

29 Daniel Mammoliti

30 Cooper Keogh

32 Athan Tsialtas

34 Matthew Doody

35 Cooper West

37 Jack Condon

45 Alessi Leggieri

48 Matthew Foley

52 Lachlan Johnson

54 Carlos Egan

58 Lucas Scerri

61 James Hall

65 Kade Mueller

68 Andrew Vavra

Umpire Appointments

Strathmore Community Bank

Premier Division Seniors

Pascoe Vale Vs Strathmore

Field Umpires Jack Gordon Michael Knight Alex Turner EMER: Ky Shennan

Boundary Umpires Lachlan Cullen Josh Cunningham Shane Mallia Daniel McNeill

Goal Umpires Mark Kelly Adrian Serratore EMER: Tony Di Paolo

Premier Division Reserves

Strathmore Vs Greenvale

Field Umpires Brett Macauley Ethan McCall Hayden McDonald EMER: Kyle Forbes

Boundary Umpires Matthew Curtolo Seth Mack

Goal Umpires Joshua Aydin Nabil Yassine EMER: Chris Leatham

AGA U18.5 Premier Division Pascoe Vale Vs Keilor

Field Umpires Clinton Dodd Noah McCall Daniel Turner EMER: Arthur Williamson

Boundary Umpires Thomas Antonius Kyle Taylor

Goal Umpires Christopher Mikhael Amar Yassine EMER: Chris Leatham

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