Bulls buck 37-year trend in Division 4

Jake Morris

After an historic 18-year long stay in Division 4 and an even longer 37-year gap between premierships, North Brunswick were able to cap off an incredible season and down a gallant Parkside by 36 points to finally, elevate themselves into Division 3 for season 2019.

North Brunswick AFC

After falling short last year, the Bulls put together an incredible home and away season and topped it off with the club’s first premiership since 1981, an exclamation mark on what was a memorable year for the club. Led by the George brothers, Jake and Brendon, and the always dangerous Michael Salloum, the trio put together one of the more electrifying forward combinations in the club’s history, allowing North Brunswick to stand head and shoulders above the rest of the competition. The Bulls will now enter Division 3 for the first time since 2000 and will be sure to make a lot of noise in season 2019.

Parkside Football Club

The Red Devils ended the year as one of the hottest teams in the competition, winning 11 of their final 12 games before running into the unstoppable locomotive that was North Brunswick. As well as putting together one of the club’s best seasons in recent memory, individual brilliance from Isaac Romano, Adam Wells and D4 best and fairest winner Marco Creek headlined the Red Devils’ year. Despite falling short in September, Parkside will follow the Bulls into Division 3 next season, and should hold all the confidence in the world that they’ll be able to surprise a few teams.

St Francis Xavier OC

Finishing their 2017 campaign with just two wins and a freshly carved wooden spoon, the X-Men were in the driver’s seat to once again be cannon fodder for the rest of the competition. But thanks to an electrifying 4-0 start and wins in six of their first seven contests, a high-scoring game style led by Harrison Coe, Dylan Alexander and Andrew Daly, as well as a dominate midfield core of Brendan O’Hara, Stephen Chin and club best and fairest winner Daniel Chin, the X-Men were able to right the wrongs of 2017 and put together a campaign they can be proud of.

South Melbourne Districts

Entering Division 4 after a winless season in Division 3 last year, the Swans were eager to hit the ground running and begin their comeback year with a bang. The Bloods managed to put together a perfect six weeks of football to start the season, notching second position and a healthy percentage in tow. But an inexplicable change in form saw their season spiral out of control, managing only four wins from their next 12 encounters, and barely managing to scrape into September action. Veteran Steve Clarke was once again the bright light for the squad, placing equal sixth in the OJ Meehan Medal count.

South Mornington

Re-entering Division 4 after a two-year stint in Club XVIII, the Tigers were one of the big unknowns as the 2018 season tipped off. A slow 0-4 start, followed by wins in nine of their next 11 matches, and three heart-breaking defeats to end the year saw them miss September action by just one game. Travis French was dominant up-forward all season long as he booted 83 goals from his 15 games to take home the goal-kicking award, helping the Tigers put together a significantly improved season at the newly-redeveloped Citation Oval.

Elsternwick

Like South Mornington, the Wickers were slow out of the gates but exploded in the back half of the year to firmly put their name in the mix for an unlikely finals berth. Sitting in eighth position with just three wins after Round 11, Elsternwick claimed six of their next seven games, averaging over 124 points in those six wins. Lachlan Lloyd put together an outstanding year as he finished ninth in the OJ Meehan Medal with 10 votes, while Julian Yeatman and Justin Hunter both booted over 50 goals apiece to give the Wickers some major confidence heading into next season.

Eley Park Sharks

Hovering around a 50%-win rate for the majority of the year, Eley Park were always in a position to pounce and make that leap but struggled to find the required consistency. Sitting in equal fourth after Round 14, battling against a slumping Swans side and red-hot Tigers outfit, the Sharks had the opportunity to jump into the top four and perhaps put together a solid September campaign, but four losses to end the year meant they narrowly missed out. Joshua Balon was once again the Sharks’ star, putting together another memorable year.

Mt Lilydale OC

After cracking the top four last year, the Rams were expected to once again be a prominent side in season 2018. Unfortunately, Mt Lilydale only managed to put together five wins in what was a lacklustre year. After claiming the upset of the season by downing North Brunswick in Round 11, the Rams were sitting in sixth and hot on the heels of both the Swans and Sharks, but seven straight defeats to end the season ended any hope of an unlikely finals berth.

Box Hill North AFC

Premiers in the Club XVIII (2) competition in 2017, the hopes for the Dees to produce a competitive and successful campaign in Division 4 were strong. Despite an impressive Round 1 win over grand finalists, Parkside, the Dees were unable to follow in the footsteps of fellow Club XVIII counterparts South Mornington, as they struggled to find their groove. Finishing with five wins for the season, the Dees will use it as a good measuring stick to see where they are at as 2019 approaches.

Masala Football Club

Under the guidance of new senior coach, Alan Sutherland, the Tigers managed just two wins in 2018. They were, however, significant victories against South Melbourne Districts and Mt Lilydale. Sam Freeman was once again a standout for the Tigers with 12 votes in the OJ Meehan Medal count as they now look to build their future at Fotheringham Reserve after making the move throughout the year.