Division 3 Men’s: Season Review

Sheridan Harris

Hawthorn AFC

Despite Hawthorn’s season not starting off well, with a senior coaching change on the eve of the season and thrilling one-point loss to North Brunswick in Round 1, they rallied for the rest of the year. The Hawks suffered one more loss and a draw to go with their eight wins to be Division 3’s 2021 minor premiers. Prior to Mark Murray’s appointment as head coach, who will return for 2022, Hawthorn senior captain and eventual Peter Hutchinson Medallist Justin Raiti took the coaching reins and set an incredible standard for his teammates. Darcy Johnston (20), Henry Kain (19) and Raiti (17) kicked the majority of goals for the Hawks, while Hugh Clancey was a standout as he was named in the best eight times.

Parkside

It was a successful season for Parkside as they finished the season with eight wins (the same as Hawthorn) but in second spot due to a 3.15% discrepancy. The Red Devils were unbeaten until Round 7, where they were dealt their first loss of the season at the hands of Hawthorn. Their Round 12 match was set to be the game of the year for Division 3 but ultimately ended in a strange 33-all draw. Benedict Douglas took out third spot in the Division 3 best and fairest, while Simon Mackie ended the year equal-second on the goalkicking list with 34 despite only playing seven games.

Emmaus St Leo’s

Emmaus St Leo’s finished with a respectable 8-3 win-loss record and finished in third spot on the ladder. They were firing late in the piece and playing their best footy just before the season was cancelled. Two final-term nine-goal hauls showcased the range of scoring options Emmaus St Leo’s had, while they also showcased just how difficult their backline can be to score against. Captain Harry Davis was runner-up for the Division 3 Hutchinson Medal, leading by example every time he took the field, while Dan Hill’s nine majors in the last round of the season saw him jump to fourth spot on the goalkicking leader board.

Richmond Central

It’s a familiar tale once again in Division 3, as 20.14% sat between third and fourth spot on the ladder for Richmond Central, with eight wins and three losses. The Snakes’ final game of the year sent them off well into 2022, defeating the minor premiers by nine points. 11 straight majors in the first quarter of Richmond Central’s Round 3 match against Albert Park rocketed them to an eventual 117-point win, so it’s no surprise that the top two in the divisional goalkicking tally was all black and yellow, as Jack Bilson took out first with 39 majors, while Jake Munro finished equal-second on 34.  Matthew Lammeretz and Tom Rivers led the way with five games where they were named in the best.

North Brunswick

North Brunswick’s year was well and truly kickstarted by their one-point win over Hawthorn in Round 1 after claiming just the one win in 2019. But this season was full of ebbs and flows for the Bulls, who finished 4-7 and in fifth spot on the ladder. Given the weird nature of the 2021 season, the Bulls found themselves lacing up against Albert Park three times for three wins. Their Round 12 match against Emmaus St Leo’s was incredibly competitive until the final term before the Animals pulled away. Marcus Watt and Nick Trewhella were named in the best a team-high six times, while Peter Butler (16), Keary Mourelatos (15) and Sam Willatt (15) did the damage on the scoreboard.

Canterbury

Canterbury’s four wins and seven losses for the year means they finished sixth on the ladder, with 18.71% sitting between them and the Bulls. Their first win came in Round 2 after a hard-fought battle against North Brunswick at Allard Park, while Albert Park was their most recent win in Round 12. Unsurprisingly, Nicholas Szabo was Canterbury’s highest vote-getter in the Hutchinson Medal count with his name written all over sixth place, while Thomas Lowden’s 24 goals from 10 games saw him top the Cobras goalkicking list ahead of Steven Pimm on 22.

Westbourne Grammarians

Westbourne Grammarians finished in seventh spot on the Div 3 ladder with a 3-8 record from their 11 games. They registered their first win against North Brunswick in Round 4, well and truly in front for the whole day, while their Round 5 clash against eventual-premiers Hawthorn was a bright spark in an otherwise difficult season, coming within seven points. Chris Hudson rounded out the top five of the Division 3 Hutchinson Medal with 10 votes after being named in the best for the Warriors in 10 of his 11 games. Ben Johnson and Paul Hudson were also standouts while Ali Eqbal topped the leader board with 11 goals.

Albert Park

2021 just wasn’t Albert Park’s year as they finished the season in eighth spot on the ladder with 11 straight losses. A coaching change just weeks out from Round 1 and a loss of playing personnel meant it was always going to be difficult for the Falcons to get going, but they will be buoyed by a 1-2 B&F finish from brothers, Sam and Jack Lee. It was Sam’s first year at the club and he won the award after playing just seven games. The team showed positive signs against Westbourne in Round 7 when they went down by 11 points, and against Canterbury in Round 12 where they went goal-for-goal with the Cobras after quarter time. Club stalwart, Tyson Cattle, did run out for his 100^th game during the season – certainly a highlight for the Falcons faithful.