Animalettes caged by the zoo

If you were going by the scoreboards, Emmaus St Leo’s didn’t have a very good weekend, with all three sides losing away from home. The men’s teams were competitive all day, just losing out on the scoreboard. But it wasn’t all bad news for the women’s team either despite losing without a score on the board. There were good signs all round, with everybody playing their role and doing what was asked of them, even with some switching around of positions and some tough opponents.

Assistant Coach Brendan Ellwood was impressed by the team’s willingness to go in and have a real crack in unfamiliar positions, with Amy Ronchi having a run in the midfield and defence at times, and Kate Fletcher having a short stint on ball where she competed hard every time. Delaney Morvell moved into a full forward role and showed some good signs while Sarah Smith played well on the wing.

‘None of them complained or got hesitant because they were unsure, all just went out and had a go.’

Head Coach Roy Fenton was happy with the way everyone kept trying and didn’t give up, with Ellwood adding that ‘our persistence is becoming the identity of this team. They never dropped their heads or gave up because the win was out of reach, instead the focused on doing the things we want to do and played much better than the scoreboard says.’

The ball was coming in quick to the backline and Fenton was pleased with how well they stood up. Claire Anderson had an incredible game down in defence before she played off half-forward and Dee Burden got knocked around a bit but continued her efforts all game.

Another good sign was the way the Animalettes were able to shut down the scoring speed of UHS-VU, who scored 10 goals in the first half before only managing to 3 in the second. Ellwood laments that a lot of their early goals were opportunistic ones from goalline scrambles, but was impressed with how the team responded.

Since her first game, Shino Walsh has continuously impressed with her football abilities and her run off halfback, something not lost on Ellwood.

‘Shino had the footy on a string and had a strong defensive presence as well. Her work rate both ways was excellent, and when we put her on the ball, her impact was immediate.’

He also couldn’t talk more highly of Emmaus St Leo’s debutant Kayla Hetherington, stating that she ‘looked a natural at CHB and in her brief stint in the ruck. She adds some height too which gives us flexibility in our structure.’

It’s safe to say the new additions to the Animalettes this season have boosted the team in so many ways. The camaraderie shown every weekend on game day and during the week on training nights is second to none and an absolute product of the Animals spirit. The willingness to play for each other and never give up is amazing to watch. Despite being down, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team were never out, and that counts for something. UHS-VU ran away winners 13.17.95 to 0.0.0 at the final siren.

Three losses on the same day for Emmaus St Leo’s sets up for what will be an incredible Mother’s Day weekend, with a triple header where all three teams will be looking for some redemption and the annual ladies’ luncheon being held in the clubrooms for the first time ever. The Animalettes will be running out for a 9.20am start to take on Oakleigh, who are playing their first season in Division 3, whilst the men’s teams will look to get one over Manningham, reserves at 11:40am and seniors at 2pm. Get down to Bennettswood Reserve this weekend!

Animals look to draw blood on Milestone Day

It shapes as an early season defining game on the road for the Animals against the highly touted Bloods from Aquinas

It is a game of high significance for the reserves with Co-Captain Steve Jones lining up for his beloved blue and blue for the 100th time, Jonesy is an integral part of this team with his strong leadership and marking presence around the ground.

It serves as a crucial game being 2nd vs. 3rd and we have a great chance to leapfrog into second and possibly 1st (barring other results) with our superior percentage over Aquinas and Richmond Central. It is of vital importance that we solidify our position in the higher echleons of the ladder as we may drop back to as low as 5th with a loss.

Complacency may have been a factor after a cruisy round 1 victory over Parkside followed by a narrow loss to a red hot Richmond Central last weekend. Once again we have a raft of changes with 17, Max Hunt and Zac Kearns will make their debuts for the club, while Joe Anker and dynamic goalkicking duo Tom Birkett and Dan Hill all make their seasonal debuts

In the Seniors it is a mouth watering top of the table clash between the leagues only remaining undefeated sides with Aquinas just holding edge on the Animals by percentage (180-165)

Emerson Lemkau, Jonathon Greensides and Kieran Mair have been rewarded for their strong form in the magoos with their 2019 senior debuts. It’s been a promising start for the team being undefeated in two games with solid wins over Parkisde and Richmond Central.

Murmours going around the league are that these are the top two sides in the seniors so it will be important to have bragging rights and to instill fear in opposition teams by remaining undefeated and to climb to the top of the ladder which a win will achieve.

This week will be a real acid test and a true indication of where our boys stand in the pecking order for both grades

The women also have a tough challenge facing leader leaders UHS-VU at Brens Oval (The Zoo) at 9:20AM

The lads head out to Aquinas College with the Reserves kicking off proceedings at 11:40Am followed by the Seniors at 2Pm

As all games are away don’t forget to #WildAnimals on your carpools to the games

Best of luck to all teams! #AnimalsFooty

Animals look to rule the zoo

Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team will be looking for three wins in a row this weekend when they fly the coop and head for the zoo to play Division 3 new-kids-on-the-block UHS-VU at Brens Oval. After the Easter break, the Animalettes came out firing against a not-so-quietly confident Swinburne University outfit, and secured, for the first time in their history, two wins in a row with a strong fourth-quarter effort that saw them over the line by two points after being down at every break. The belief Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team has in themselves and in each other is undoubtedly crucial and they will look to bring that strength into the game on Saturday.

UHS-VU are sitting at the top of the Division 3 ladder, unbeaten on 3-0 with an enormous percentage of 488.89%, while the Animalettes sit comfortably one game clear in the top four. After a less-than-stellar start to their 2019 season with an unfortunate loss, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team dug their heels in and since then have produced almost two full games of consistent pressure and teamwork that is clearly a staple of the Emmaus St Leo’s Football Club and the Animals brand. UHS-VU are fresh off a 37-point win away from home and will be hoping to continue their unbeaten streak when they take the field. The battle will well and truly be fierce but the Animalettes are more than up for it.

Team selection news has the ever-formidable backline in Brooke Chapman, Claire Anderson and Sam Bridgland named, with Shino Walsh, Kayla Hetherington who will play her first game in the blue and blue, and Emmaus St Leo’s stalwart Dee Burden at halfback. On the wing and playing her first game of the home and away season is Kate Lucas, joined by Soraya Jeanes on the other side. Sally Hood will start the game in the middle for the first time this season, boosted by efforts from Shanelle Blachford, Rhiannon Stute and Tara Ingham. Shannon Harris and Bridget Monaghan will start the game both in the deep forward role, with Sam Hogarth, Kate Fletcher, Shellby Lonie and Emily Kerr beginning the game at half forward. With a strong team named to start, they are only strengthened by the bench, with Delaney Morvell, Sarah Smith, Ashleigh Morley, Maddy Hogan, Amy Ronchi, and Sheridan Harris rounding it out.

Notable outs include VFLW duo Paige Nash, who has been named in the Collingwood VFLW side for their first game of the season, and injured Gab Biedenweg-Webster, as well as Jess Evans who is nursing an unfortunate broken finger.

Another away win against quality opposition will only boost the faith the Animalettes have in themselves and the team. Their strengths are their ability to play for each other and believe that they can win, regardless of the score. Is Tara ‘silent assassin’ Ingham likely to fly under the radar and swoop in for another goal? Can UHS-VU be caged? Make the trek over to Brens Oval this Saturday and watch the women in blue take on some serious opponents and find out. Despite some confusing advertising, the Animalettes will be running loose earlier than first expected on Saturday morning, with the first bounce being 9.20am.

Animals 'swin' cements early top 4 position

Persistence, hard work, and sheer weight of territorial dominance saw a ‘rowdy’ Swinburne University fail to hold on to a 3-goal half time lead as Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team, for the second week running, staged a stirring comeback victory. It was a win that Assistant Coach Brendan Ellwood was ecstatic with despite the slow start on the scoreboard.

“Despite falling behind on the scoreboard, I'm not too worried about the start. On paper it looked slow, but the girls were actually playing decent footy. Once we tightened up a few fundamentals, we were on top.”

The Animalettes once again applied early pressure with the ball locked in their forward half for the majority of the quarter, until a quick Swinburne slingshot move saw them dribble home the opener. A small break in the game followed with injuries to both sides halting play, before Swinburne quickly nabbed a second goal and established a margin to work with.

The second quarter would be a carbon copy of the first with extended periods of forward pressure for the Animalettes going unrewarded, before the only forward 50 entry of the quarter led to another goal just making it across the line as Swinburne enacted another well-executed counter. The work of Paige Nash off halfback continued to see the Animalettes launch raid after raid into the Swinburne defence but a flood of numbers back saw them clog up any free space and hold a 3.0 to 0.1 lead in to halftime.

But the game switched after the long break. The Animalettes came out the more focused of the two teams and whether it was the magic words of Ellwood and Head Coach Roy Fenton or a lapse of focus from Swinburne, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team applied even more pressure than before, and it was rewarded. Captain Sally Hood nabbed her fourth goal of the young season as she got the handball receive from Jess Evans at 40 out and ran her allocation before calmly slotting home the Animalettes’ first and lighting the blue touch paper for the rest of the game.

Hood’s new-found home up front has allowed the discovery of Shellby Lonie’s rebound 50 capabilities, something not lost on Ellwood.

“Being able to send Sally forward has been great for us, she gives an experienced head and mobile presence who can lead, mark and win the footy at ground level. Shellby's versatility is fast becoming a vital factor to our success - she has already shown she can make an impact up forward, and when we were falling behind on Saturday she went back and steadied the ship, thriving across halfback, despite the fact that she doesn't like leaving the forward line. We also know that she can be damaging on ball and is a great clearance player.” But this is only enabled by the step up of some established players and the rise of newcomers. “The reason they are able to move to new positions is thanks to the emergence of some returning players (e.g Sam Bridgland at CHB and Rhiannon Stute/Shanelle Blachford in the middle) and the immediate impact of some new girls (e.g Bec Herne, Tara Ingham, Shino Walsh).”

Walsh and Herne have slotted in nicely to a backline that is ever-evolving, and quickly becoming a force within the division. After suffering a battering in round one, a siege mentality sees those who enter the 50 met with a ferocity on the football that is hardly matched in the league above board.

In the middle is where the real surprises come however, with Blachford, Stute, and newcomer Ingham beginning to form a partnership that rivals that of Kerr, Cousins, and Judd. They’re a catapult forward and an immovable wall when fought against, and it’s showing in the pressure being able to be applied by the Animalettes in 2019.

It was Ingham in the final term who would kick a goal to get her team to within a point, and through sheer weight of time, territory, and possession, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team kicked ahead point by point with less than a minute remaining. For the first time in the quarter after the go-ahead point, Swinburne made it past halfway, only to meet Lonie as the first line of defence. Her superior marking ability saw her easily cut off the final roll of the Swinburne dice and secure back to back wins for the first time in the women’s team’s short history.

“Tackling was a highlight all day. As Roy put it, we really wore them down over the four quarters and when the game was on the line with a few minutes to go, our ability to lock the ball in our forward line was crucial,” said Ellwood, as he and Fenton are now faced with the unenviable task of taking down a UHS-VU team which has swamped all before them. If it is to come down to the wire though, you’ll find the coaching staff confident of the result.

“To win tight games you need to be able to find a way to step up when you're behind or challenged, and to display that on Saturday shows once again the character within this group.”

The Animalettes travel to the zoo to take on UHS-VU (3-0) in an 11.40am start this weekend, and will look to not only knock off one of the form teams in the division, but cement a spot in the top 4 early in the season.

Seniors charm Snakes, but Central claim two's - Lachlan Chapman

The reserves were high on confidence following the 110 point demolition job of Parkside in the previous round and on the back of the women’s side coming from behind to win in the curtain raiser. It was a new look side with no less than 18 changes and 10 Animals debutants. The boys jumped out of the blocks early with four of the first 5 majors with Ashley Kaufmann, Emerson Lemkau and The Difference proving very lively early doors

I’m not sure what was in the water bottles for Richmond Central at quarter time because they came out a completely different side. The backline led by Chook O’connor did their best to stem the tide however a lack of two way running saw the snakes level the scores at the major break. J-Rod and TC implored the lads to stay calm in their half time address

It seemed to have an effect with the Animals jumping out the blocks with a good 5 minute spurt in the third registering a couple of majors with Kaufmann again the prominent figure. Flynn was impressive all day with his elite speed burning up the Bennettswood wings and Tom Wales found plenty of the ball and took some good contested marks. Despite this the Snakes came back and went into the final change with a 7 point lead.

It was a last quarter to forget with Richmond Centrals having their day in the sun. Zac Durrant and James Rippon were huge in the final quarter to withstand the charge however the boys in the end couldn’t end up kicking a winning score.

Many of lessons will be learnt from the loss and it’s only one game that doesn’t define a season. Captain Steve Jones suggested post match that the boys remember how much this loss stung to use as motivation in the coming weeks

It was a tight tussle early in the Seniors as Richmond Central showed they were up for the fight after two narrow losses. After trialling for most of the first term the Animals found their groove and managed a minor lead at the first break. Despite being first at the contest early Ian implored the guys you use their run and spread as we were the younger and fitter side.

The Animals got things rolling in the second term aided by some inaccurate kicking from the snakes. Co-captain Harry Davis had an inbuilt radar for the goals inside his head and had no issue finding them all day. At the main break the boys had breathing space with a 16 point lead

The third quarter saw the game become a real slog as both teams struggled with efficiency and accuracy in front of goal with Emmaus edging Richmond Central out 2.4 to 1.5. Hugh Schaeche and Paul Baranello were doing well in the guts while Ben ‘Trigger’ Collins was breaking the lines with his elite ball use.

The game opened up in the final term with both sides registering 5 majors however the Animals maintained enough breathing space with a 3-4 goal buffer for the majority of the second half leaving the result never in doubt.

Harry Wines was named BOG following his best on in the reserves the game prior while H was the difference (sorry Greensides) with 6 majors.

Animals look to dole out lesson to start Triple Header

The scene is set for an incredible day at Bennettswood Reserve when Emmaus St Leo’s hosts its first triple header of the season this Saturday, with all three teams set to take on some new foes. The men will play Richmond Central, the reserves game kicking off at 11:40am and the seniors starting at 2pm, but it’s the Animalettes who will be taking the field first against Division 3 newcomers Swinburne University. Fresh off a 12-point win that saw the ladies gel on the field in a way they haven’t before to pull off a hard-fought four-quarter effort against the Bulleen-Templestowe Bullants, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team will look to consolidate the form that allowed them to hold on.

Swinburne are coming to Animals turf intent on righting some wrongs after losing their last match by 65 points against fellow new Division 3 team in the Hampton Rovers. Both Emmaus St Leo’s and Swinburne are sitting on 4 points with one loss and one win, with Emmaus St Leo’s perched in 4th position, just above Swinburne, on the ladder by percentage only. The season has already been full of teams winning by more than just a couple of points so it’s safe to say that a percentage-boosting win would be an absolute bonus.

At the selection table, Bec Herne, Sam Bridgland and Dee Burden are the last line of defence, with Delaney Morvell, Gab Biedenweg-Webster and Ashleigh Morley aiming to provide some run out of halfback. In the middle, Shino Walsh, Tara Ingham and Soraya Jeans will be boosted by efforts from Bridget Monaghan in the ruck, Shanelle Blachford as ruck rover, and Caroline Simon as rover. At half forward is Jess Evans, Rhiannon Stute, Amy Ronchi, and captain Sally Hood who will start further up the ground due to both Shannon Harris and Shellby Lonie sharing the deep forward line role, pushing up when needed. Rounding out the bench is Emily Kerr, Sam Hogarth, Maddy Hogan, Brooke Chapman, Sheridan Harris, and Paige Nash.

This game is set to be a cracker, with the Animalettes hoping to kick off another weekend of wins for Emmaus St Leo’s. Numbers at training have been impressive, but what’s been more impressive is the skills and how they’re consistently getting better, despite some wet weather. Hood is fresh off a 3-goal clinic that nobody’ll forget anytime soon, but will she kick some more? Will one of the Harris twins get their first goal for Emmaus St Leo’s? Get down to Bennettswood Reserve for a 9:20am start this Saturday and find out!

Stowe-Stoppers!

On a history-making weekend, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team kicked off proceedings with a hard-fought 12-point win after making the trek over to Ted Ajani Reserve to play the Bulleen-Templestowe Bullants for the first time. Following the women’s game, the men’s reserves team smashed Parkside by 110 points with the seniors team coming away 55-point winners after an intense battle.

After a less-than-perfect first round, the Animalettes started their game off a little bit sluggishly like they were paying homage to the season past but kicked it up a notch as the game wore on. At the quarter-time break, the Bullants had a 6-point lead, which would be the only time they would spend in front. The main break and 3-quarter-time saw the Emmaus St Leo’s women up by one point and after a rousing speech from Head Coach Roy Fenton about playing out the game in our style, the women came out firing again in the fourth quarter.

Captain Sally Hood kept everyone on their toes all game, kicking a goal a quarter before Gab Biedenweg-Webster kicked her second in the 4th, having kicked her first in the 2nd quarter. The movement in the forward line allowed for some beautiful running goal opportunities that were well and truly taken advantage of. There were some dramatic scenes in the third quarter where a goal kicked by Paige Nash ended up being called a behind after a Bullants player took it upon herself to say it hit the post. Amy ‘Goalsneak’ Ronchi in her first game of the season subconsciously decided to bring back the nickname given to her in the first game of last season, floating down to the goalsquare to receive the ball from a Shellby Lonie kick, who had busted through the pack on the 50-metre line and gone for a run. Whether she meant to kick it to Ronchi or not remains to be seen!

The feeling out on the ground on Saturday was something different. Atmospherically, the will to win was incredibly strong, with actions encompassing every ounce of Animals spirit. Contests were hard, the pressure on the ball-carrier was constant. The second efforts of the ladies were second to none with leads all over the ground resulting in beautiful passages of play where targets were well and truly hit. The backline were tested for most of the last quarter but stood strong, the Bullants only adding 1 point to their score during the entire 20 minutes. It’s of no real surprise that the Animalettes ran away winners, finishing the game 6.7.43 to Bulleen-Templestowe’s 4.7.31.

Assistant Coach Brendan Ellwood was most impressed by the consistent effort. ‘We were in control of the game for at least three quarters, and the girls upheld the fundamentals and worked well as a team.’ The little things were also crucial to the game, with consistent talk around the contests showing in the way they played. Ellwood is also enjoying the structure of the team at the moment, as the emergence of a few girls has allowed Hood and Lonie to push forward without weakening the midfield and making the Animalettes look all the more dangerous.

And though football is a team sport, the assistant coach lauds the efforts of Dee Burden in particular. ‘We know she can be a good rebounding defender, but what impressed me was her ability and willingness to contest marks against much taller girls. She was outsized all day, but her efforts were crucial.’ Another player who keeps getting better every time she takes the field is Tara Ingham who Ellwood calls a ‘quiet achiever’ but he loved how involved she was in everything and how hard she ran to make good position. He also recognises where there’s room for improvement, stating that ‘the challenge for us is to perform like this consistently. Last year, we were really up and down on any given day, so we need to play like this, week in, week out. Our defensive transition after a turnover could do with some improvement, plus not getting caught drifting off our opponents. But overall, the win was a really strong performance with a lot of character.’ Fenton vehemently agrees, impressed with the pressure applied despite the attention the team was getting from the opposition.

The Animalettes win started off a massive weekend for Emmaus St Leo’s Football Club, who lost a valued, long-time member of the club in Brendan Bourke during the week with all three teams wearing black armbands in support. If there was ever a day to sum up the Animals spirit and all that encompasses it, it would be Saturday. It really is family at Bennettswood Reserve and it’s not hard to see. Following the three wins, which hasn’t happened since the inception of the women’s team, was the club’s first function of the year and was undoubtedly a hit, given the cause for celebration.

This coming weekend sees a VAFA-wide bye, which means the next time the Animalettes run out onto the field, it’ll be at home for the first triple header of the year, playing Division 3 newcomers Swinburne University. Get down to watch the ladies at 9:20am and stick around to see the men take on Richmond Central!

Men's Leadership Group announced

Emmaus St. Leo’s is proud to announce the six men chosen to lead our two sides in Division 3 for 2019. The Seniors and Reserves team have high expectations for the 2019 season, and the men chosen will be at the forefront of the expected success. Both sides will have two co-captains, and a vice captain.

The Seniors see the return of a familiar face in the co-captaincy role, with Chris Beluszar retaining a leadership role in 2019. He will be joined by Harry Davis in the other captaincy role after a breakout year in 2018. Their vice will be fellow 2018 breakout player Nathan Bird.

Foxy Beluszar taking yet another one of his signature overhead marks

For Beluszar, sharing the captaincy with Davis is a special moment.

“Very excited and honoured to be a captain again, even more so than last year as my good mate and fellow leader H does it alongside me... he may not have had the title of Captain last year but in my eyes and I think everyone he certainly was - I know I emotionally could not have done it without him last year as I needed a bit of time away he stepped right up and that’s where he stayed. H in my eyes is the present and the future of the club... and a bloody good beer pong partner as well.”

The admiration is reciprocated by Davis, who has been around the club and seen players such as Beluszar put their bodies on the line for the Animals for many years now.

“It is an absolute honour to have been chosen to lead this amazing footy club in such an exciting period of change and growth. I’ve always looked up to the past leaders of the club and to think that I’m now one of them is pretty surreal and very special to me.”

Rounding out the trio is Nathan Bird, who is only in his second year with the Animals. His ascendancy to the role is something he sees as a vote of confidence from the new coaching panel.

Nathan Bird

“Being chosen in the leadership group is a huge accomplishment for me and gives me a lot of confidence that the coaches and the club believe I have to the attributes they are looking for and the belief that I can help the club accomplish something big this year.”

All three will be on the field to start the 2019 season against Parkside this afternoon, with the Seniors looking to rectify what was a disappointing 2018.

“I don’t think I have ever been as excited for a footy season as I am for this one. We have got such a talented young group and if we can come together and play for each other, then there is nothing stoping us from going all the way.” said Davis ahead of the match.

For the Reserves, they also see two changes to the leadership group for the 2019 season.

Staying on in a co-captaincy role is Steve Jones, but he will be joined by good friend Adam Athorne in the role, who took some time before finding his home within the Animals Family.

Steve Jones (left) and Adam Athorne (middle) take a photo with a fan before a game

“How much I love this club is represented in its culture. Having played at 4 other footy clubs before finding my way to Emmaus St Leo’s you realise the heart and soul of a club is it’s culture. And it doesn’t get any better than at The Animals!”

They’ll be joined by one of the more popular members of the playing group as vice in Nic “The General” Glanville.

Glanville has spent the pre-season generating hype for a “Twos Dynasty” and will now be an integral part of it’s execution.

“Personally I am really looking forward to seeing the development of the reserves side going forward, bringing great depth to the club and hopefully plenty of success. I couldn’t be happier with how St. Leo’s are looking this year and it’s a true pleasure to be a part of such an outstanding club, both on and off the field.”

But “The General” knows that there is work to be done.

“After a somewhat rough first year at the club last year, getting relegated and all that, it’s a real honour to get involved on this level at a club that I love so much and one that is really headed in a good direction this season.”

The reserves kick their season off at 11.40am at Picther Park against Parkside.

Women travel to new Ant foes

For their first away game of the season, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s side will be making the trek over to Ted Ajani Reserve to face Bulleen-Templestowe for the first time ever. Whilst the men’s team are no strangers to the ground, it’ll be a first-time visit for the Animalettes who are looking to score some much-needed points on the ladder after a less-than-perfect start to the season. Both teams are coming off first round losses, but a prolific win would be a huge percentage booster for the women in blue.

The new faces keep coming for Emmaus St Leo’s who are debuting two new players in round two. Shino Walsh and Collingwood VFLW’s Paige Nash will both play their first game in the blue and blue, and joining them for their first games of the season is Rhiannon Stute, Amy Ronchi, and Gab Biedenweg-Webster, another Collingwood VFLW listed player. These five changes from round one will no doubt look to increase run from halfback and supply to the forward line.

Starting back is Dee Burden, Claire Anderson and Brooke Chapman, with help from Biedenweg-Webster, vice-captain Sam Bridgland and debutant Walsh. Through the midfield, Ashleigh Morley, vice-captain Shanelle Blachford and Tara Ingham will be bolstering efforts by Bridget Monaghan in ruck, Stute as ruck rover and Caroline Simon doing the work as rover. Kate Fletcher and Soraya Jeans will start at the half-forward flanks with Ronchi and captain Sally Hood keeping her forward role for the second round. Shellby Lonie and Shannon Harris will both start deep in the forward 50 but will look to push up when needed. Nash, Sam Hogarth, Sheridan Harris and Delaney Morvell are set to start on the bench.

In unknown territory and facing an unfamiliar opponent, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team have the opportunity to prove to the rest of the competition just how good they can be. The intensity and effort at training has been second to none, so get down to Ted Ajani Reserve and watch the Animalettes translate that onto game day this Saturday! First bounce is at 11.40am.

Five to watch - Lachlan Chapman

It was quite difficult to narrow down a list of roughly 80 highly talented footballers for this little segment which can only mean good things for the Animals family as we will look to have 44 even contributors running out on the park for both sides each week. A wise man named J-Rod once told me that it’s a team’s bottom 6 players that wins premierships and that’s what we as the Animals strive for. Having said that here’s 5 players that I feel have a bit of X factor about them judging off their pre seasons  

Brent Simons 

Faces on the training track lit up when we saw the return of Brenna to Bennettswood Reserve. Our 2017 Best and Fairest winner returns and that is a big win for our midfield. Those who’ve seen him play know that he is a bull at stoppages who can also be damaging on the outside and is arguably the hardest bloke to tackle in our entire squad. Fellow midfielders Barra, Birdy and Howie will be rapt to have him back alongside them in the trenches. 

Hugh Schache 

Speaking of gun midfielders ‘The Schach Attack’ is a welcome addition from the res factory of footballers and could be the equivalent of Baxter last season as res recruit of the year. He has been ultra-impressive throughout the entire pre season and has featured prominently in all the practice matches. One of many players from our list from The ‘Bendighetto’ he has featured in the Bendigo Pioneers TAC Cup side and the Sandhurst Dragons who are renowned for producing good footballers. 

Collins Bros.  

Thought it’d be unfair to single out just one as let’s be honest they’re a package deal and like the little girl from the Old El Paso ad says ‘Why don’t we have both’? Trigger and Jesse have fitted into the Animals Family seamlessly and have shown great leadership on the training track beyond their years and their flexibility to play a variety of roles will come in handy for the coaching staff. One may cop an unfair tag however as opposition coaches may be seeing double! 

Kev ‘The Postman’ Moloney  

What a post this will be. The Postman has stated that he wants to have a really serious crack at football this season and he has not missed a single beat throughout the pre-season. It looks like he’ll be playing a highly important role rotating through the Ruck with ‘the difference’. It is expected he will give great ‘delivery’ with his taps giving first use of the ball. Some might argue that he will be a great ‘package’ and will put his ‘stamp’ on the competition.  

Jack Hunt 

It’s getting quite hard to keep track of all the Hunt brothers migrating from that little island called Tasmania and we at the animals are always welcoming of those from the Apple Isle. Jack stands out with his height and luscious long hair but he also has a great deal of football talent and has one of the best pair of Mits at the club. He was influential in the forward half against Elsternwick and expect him to be clunking big pack marks and regularly hitting the scoreboard like he showed in promising glimpses last year. 

Men look to start season with a walk in the park

The day we’ve all marked down in our calendars is finally about to arrive! The Animals men finally make their seasonal debut making the road trip to Pitcher Park to face the Devils from Parkside. Don’t forget to #WildAnimals when you carpool (you’re welcome Geoff) 

Expectations are high based off the pre-season and there are 5 players set to debut for the senior side in Ben Collins, Hugh Schaeche, Charlie Simpson, Jesse Collins and Ethan Phillips. We also welcome back Brent Simons and Tom Shannon. Plenty of familiar Animals faces will also be out in force led by co-captains Chris ‘Foxy’ Beluszar and Harry ‘H’ Davis and new deputy Nathan Bird. Seniors kick off at 2pm 

For the reserves or the midday primetime show as some like to refer to it we also 5 to debut for the Animals family. Jordy Rodda, Harry Wines and Isaac Waite will play a vital role in a new look onball division while Shannon Cogan and Conor Hoetzel will be looking to snag a few up forward. The audacious Conor has already declared himself to kick 8 and already has celebrations planned. 

The reserves will be led by co-captains and club stalwarts Steve Jones and Adam Athorne while the aptly named Nic ‘General’ Glanville will be vice captain  

It was a very difficult night for the coaches at the selection table so for those not picked please try to make it out and support the fellas and get involved with matchday roles. We will be set to unveil a whole new team next week as players will all be rotated through for the first two games.  

Hopefully its great day with 3 wins for the men and the ladies who take on Bulleen Templestowe at Ted Ajani reserve at 11:40 

Vale Brendan Bourke

Emmaus St. Leo’s OCFC is saddened by the passing of former player and committee member Brendan Bourke.

Bourke played 91 games for the Animals between 1975 and 1983 across the Seniors, Reserves and Thirds and featured in 5 finals as well.

Bourke in 1980 was also the first Captain/Coach of the Animals Club XIII side, and was third in Best and Fairest voting for the year. He kept the captaincy role for the 1981 season.

The association with the club did not end after his playing days were over, with his support often heard during Animals matches. Many will fondly remember his support from the sidelines which was as boisterous as it was hilarious.

Bourke was also able to use his connections in the business world to help assist the club, with the acquisition of white goods and a large amount of chairs.

Sadly, Brendan’s illness has prevented him from attending more recent matches, and his presence is missed by many.

Everyone from Emmaus St. Leo’s OCFC wishes to pass on their deepest condolences to the family and friends on Brendan Bourke, and the club will wear black armbands on the weekend as a mark of respect.

Vale Brendan Bourke.