By David Nagel
“That’s what we’ve prided ourselves on all year, being harder for longer, and that’s the way it panned out today,” Berwick coach Stewart Kemperman after leading his side to an unbeaten season. For the second time in three years the Berwick Football Club left an indelible mark on the South East Football Netball League.
There were no four premierships on the same day – as happened in 2015 – but the Wickers total and utter domination of the senior competition set a new benchmark at Edwin Flack Reserve.
Under first-year coach Stewart Kemperman the Wickers would go through undefeated, becoming premiers and champions for the first time in the club’s history with a commanding grand final performance against Narre Warren.
Relentless domination and being harder for longer were the hallmarks of the Wickers’ success.
“That’s what we’ve prided ourselves on all year, being harder for longer, and that’s the way it panned out today,” said proud coach Kemperman after lifting the premiership cup.
Berwick was led brilliantly by its inspirational skipper Madi Andrews who had a Dustin Martin-like season in 2017. Andrews became the only player in the 13-year existence of the Casey Cardinia-South East Football Netball League to back up a league best and fairest award with a best-on-ground display in the following week’s grand final.
Off-field controversies were a common theme with AFL South East’s decision to host a night grand final at Casey Fields overturned after a savage backlash from clubs.
The grand final was eventually played in the traditional timeslot at Holm Park Reserve, where the football and netball was played in close proximity with a strong community spirit shining through.
Further backlash was ensured when it was decided that the SEFNL Football Record – a staple diet of footy spectators for generations gone by – would disappear and become an online publication.
But the night grand final and footy record debates would pale into insignificance in early June, when AFL South East released its draft recommendations to emerge from its Senior Football Competition Review – encompassing the Nepean, Peninsula and South East Football Netball Leagues.
The review panel presented two options to the AFL South East Commission. The first to implement a full divisional structure between the three leagues, and the second option a partial divisional structure, initially three divisions, with a Premier Division supported by two lower divisions of equal standing, geographically structured into Northern and Southern from the balance of the teams.
AFL South East has since announced that the Nepean and Peninsula leagues will combine to form two divisions of the Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League (MPNFL) in 2018, with SEFNL clubs to join the throng in 2019.
But – given the high degree of angst from MPNFL clubs about the merge with SEFNL – there will be some hot debate before the clubs run out side-by-side in 2019.
On-field controversy was never far away either with Cranbourne’s Luke Bee-Hugo being suspended for four weeks for his hit on Berwick’s James Magner, while a melee between Doveton and Pakenham at Robinson Oval resulted in 11-weeks suspension and $2,100 in fines being handed out between the two teams.
Some magnificent milestones were also achieved by some of the most respected players in the game, with Officer’s Ben Tivendale and Doveton’s Ryan Hendy chalking up 300 senior games, while Narre Warren superstar Michael Collins racked up 250 for his beloved Magpies.
The 32-year-old has played in six of the club’s nine premierships, two as captain, while his eight best and fairest awards bare testament to his unparalleled standing at Fox Road.
Collo – quietly spoken but full of self-belief – has to be the mightiest Magpie of all!
“I’ve heard people say that, and I hope they think that because I’ve played good footy for such a sustained period of time, week in, week out, and people notice that above everything else,” Collins said.
Cranbourne’s Troy Tharle played his 200th senior game against Berwick in round 11.
Collins and Tharle were part of the SEFNL interleague team that finally had its colours lowered against the Jonathon Brown led Hampden at Casey Fields in May.
Coach Michael ‘Jock’ Holland, who had led the Demons to five-consecutive victories prior to the loss, stood down from the role post-match.
Some huge honours were bestowed on club icons with Beaconsfield’s naming of the Peter Evans Pavilion and Charlie Doro Goals honouring two of its greatest contributors.
Evans – life-member, past president, volunteer and benefactor to the club, received that ultimate accolade at a special ceremony held at Holm Park Reserve.
The Eagles also mourned the passing of 93-year-old life member, and number-one ticket holder Alex Robson, who moved to Beaconsfield in 1928.
Officer stalwart Frank Wyatt was also honoured with the Kangaroos naming their past-players pavilion ‘The Frank Wyatt Room’.
And how can we bid farewell to 2017 without mentioning Hampton Park who, after six years of on-field struggles, will join the Southern Football Netball League this season.
The reason for the move is simple according to co-presidents of the Redbacks, Tim Ziegeler and Mick O’Brien.
“We are looking forward to becoming a productive member of the SFNL and seeing the club become competitive again,” the pair said in a statement.
Good luck Redbacks – we’d all like to see that!
