In 2021, Emmaus St Leo’s Football Club once again debuted four teams, who all ran out in the blue and blue (except for that one day where they all wore pink and the club collectively raised $18,744 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation) and played like Animals. In a season interrupted by COVID, to be able to get some footy in was nothing short of fantastic. To send the year off before the club begins its preparation for season 2022’s campaigns, let’s take a brief look at how all four teams finished in 2021. First up is the Thirds.
Ladder position: 8th out of 9
Win/loss ratio: 1 win/10 losses
Summary of season: 2021 was a tough introduction to VAFA-life for the Emmaus St Leo’s Thirds, as they finished the season with one win and ten losses from their eleven games. Animals stalwart Jonathan Greensides took the coaching reins to begin the year as he recovered from injury, before Gideon Sands came on board as official head coach in round 10, which gave her five games to sink her teeth into the role.
The one win of the Thirds’ year was in round 2, against La Trobe University at Bennettswood Reserve. The Animals got in a great start, up by 16 points going into the second quarter before a La Trobe fightback cut the margin to just seven at half-time. Eventually, with enough of a buffer kept in the second half, Emmaus St Leo’s ran away 32-point victors. Thomas McBride kicked four, while Samuel Heffernan and Adrian Mazzeo both snagged three each. In his only game for the year, Blade Wells was best-on.
Blue and blue best: It was an interesting time in 2021 for the Emmaus St Leo’s Thirds as they became the club’s fourth team. An influx of numbers at the end of 2020 gave the men’s squad quite the depth, and many players who debuted for the Animals this year managed games in both the Thirds and the Reserves sides throughout the season.
In the club’s best and fairest, the form that saw Lachlan Hicks make his Reserves debut in round 7 also saw him take top honours for the Thirds with 15 votes, slightly edging out Jackson Campbell and Alex Lavery on 14 each to be awarded the Chris Kenny Perpetual Trophy. Rounding out the top 5 was a Thomas-affair, with Thomas Bent and Thomas McBride equal on 13.
Luke Foley was the Thirds’ Most Improved at Presentation Night, while Joe Caldow took out Most Consistent and David Cowell earned the Coach’s Award.
Goalkickers (top 5): Adrian Mazzeo (8 goals, 8 games), Sean Nathan (4, 9), Thomas McBride (4, 3), Jonathan Greensides (3, 2), Samuel Heffernan (3, 3)
Coach’s comments: Fresh to Emmaus St Leo’s in 2021, it’s safe to say Gideon Sands never expected to be handed the reins of a whole team midway through the season, but handed the reins she was. Joining the Animals at the start of the year as placement for her university course, Sands was an assistant to the men’s coaches, and quickly fell in love with the club.
After being away from her local football/netball club back home, ‘the Animals quickly became my new favourite place to be.’ It wasn’t long before Emmaus St Leo’s reciprocated the love, giving her more responsibility before eventually she was given the head coaching role of the Thirds. ‘Although I was nervous, the lads and the club made me feel at home and really welcomed in.’
Throughout the season, her enjoyment came from working closely with the team, seeing how they integrated and socialised with each other, and their ability to keep morale up despite the scoreboard.
Next year: Sands returns as head coach for 2022, and is hugely excited to see the continual growth of the club. In what will hopefully be an uninterrupted season, the Thirds have nothing but positives to take from their first year and have strong foundations to build on.