The stage is set for a perfect day for footy to return to Bennettswood Reserve this coming Saturday as Emmaus St Leo’s first triple header of the 2021 season kicks off, with the women welcoming the Bulleen-Templestowe Bullants and the men Westbourne Grammarians. The Animals Thirds will debut away at Melbourne High School against the Melbourne High School Old Boys. April 10 is not going to be a day to miss, as the men’s reserves 2019 premiership flag gets unfurled at the closing of the women’s game and before the reserves themselves take the field to begin their flag defence.
Emmaus St Leo’s and Bulleen-Templestowe met each other twice in the 2019 season, with the ledger currently sitting at 1-1 after both teams got the upper hand when they had to travel away from their home ground. For the second year in a row, the Animals won four games for the season and sat 7th on the ladder at the end of it, while the Bullants will still be lamenting the lost opportunity to play finals as they finished one game below the top four in 5th. The last time these two teams took the field, albeit separately, was the 27th of July 2019, which was a very long time ago.
The 2020 non-season gave the Animals the time to rue a missed opportunity, with early signs promising what would have been a great year for the Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team. The silver lining is that it has set them up for a very competitive 2021. In what can be described as a pretty comprehensive player turnover, there will be more than a few new faces debuting on April 10 and pulling on the blue and blue for the first time.
Team selection news has the Animals looking as strong as they have ever been, with a full team named plus six interchanges and two emergencies. 8 returning players will again don the blue and blue, while 16 get to pull the jumper on for the first time, with both emergencies also set to make the debuts in blue if needed.
Starting in the backline is Celine Khong, Eilish Wallace at fullback and seasoned backman Bec Herne, and joining them at halfback is Mel Barlow, newly-appointed captain Dee Burden and Lilly Hutchinson. Ebony Ratcliffe and Lilli Fogarty will start the game on either wing, while in the centre of the ground Maddy Mazar will take ruck duties with Vic Holt at her feet as ruck rover, and the Morley sisters in Sarah and Ash share the midfield. The forward line is bolstered by new players in Susan Sohar and Molly Tancred, while Sheridan Harris returns to half forward. At full-forward, Shannon Harris is named, with Dani Barton and Emily Kerr either side of her. Rounding off the team is the interchange with five out of six players fresh faces in Sam Neal, Amber Walker, Kiah Duncan, Ash Curtis, and Taylia Hough, as Sam Hogarth returns after a stellar 2019 season. Emmaus St Leo’s are also boosted by emergencies in new players Carla Varani and Emma Johnson.
Notable outs include Bridget Monaghan, Brooke Bishop, and Kate Lucas, who were arguably apart of the Animals’ best 24 in 2019.
Footy is finally back to Bennettswood Reserve and it’s been a long time coming, meaning Saturday’s game is set to be a cracker as the women’s team hopefully set up what will be a very successful return for the Emmaus St Leo’s Football Club. The numbers are high, as is the Animals spirit. How many new faces will score their first goal in the blue and blue? Whose gameday heroics are going to get everyone fired up? Get down to Bennettswood Reserve this Saturday for a 9:20am start and find out.
