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.

Women succumb to Ant invasion to start the season

In front of a large crowd at home at Bennettswood Reserve with the men’s team coming out in full support despite having a division-wide bye, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team played their first match of the 2019 season against the Preston Bullants. While it wasn’t a game to remember in terms of the final scoreline, it was definitely one to celebrate for the club in general, with seven women running out for their first game in the blue and blue.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, with the sky clearing up as the day got on. With some new pre-game rules in place, the women all ran out for their warm up together, with plenty of voice and skills on show. The mood was incredibly positive and everybody was excited to get into it.

The first quarter started off well, with the Animalettes providing ample pressure to keep the Bullants at bay despite the ball spending a lot of time down their defensive 50. The backline stood strong with Claire Anderson and vice-captain Sam Bridgland playing their roles well. Shellby Lonie took a strong pack mark in the second quarter, showing off how good her hands are. At the main break, scores were a bit more reflective of the forward pressure that Preston was implementing, going into it 21 points up.

But the scorecard didn’t dull the passion the Animalettes came out with in the second half. Tara Ingham and Bec Herne had brilliant debut games, getting their hands on the ball at crucial times. Caroline Simon was, as always, at her best, her token tackling pressure much needed. Cassy Dutton played a ruck role for most of her first game, and impressed everyone with her second and third efforts. At the last siren, the final scores were 2.4.16 Emmaus St Leo’s to Preston’s 9.9.63 who kicked away in the last.

The two Animals goals that were kicked on the day were both pretty impressive. Emily Kerr kicked the first goal of the game in spectacular fashion during the second quarter, breaking through the pack in the forward 50 and nailing the kick, with Lonie expertly gathering the ball and sending it straight through the big sticks in the third quarter. It wasn’t the start the Animalettes were after, but with some familiar faces looking to return for round 2, they’ll look to bounce back away from home this Saturday at Ted Ajani Reserve.

Their foe is an unfamiliar one in Bulleen-Templestowe who are also coming off a loss after joining Division 3 this season. After a big Monday night training session, which will be followed up by a determined Thursday night session, there’s no doubt the women’s team will come out all guns blazing. Get down to see the Animalettes in their first away game of the season! First bounce is at 11.40am.

EMMAUS ST. LEO’S 0.0 1.2 2.2 2.4 16
PRESTON 0.3 4.5 5.9 9.9 63

GOALS: E.Kerr, S.Lonie
BEST: S.Lonie, C.Dutton, B.Monaghan, S.Jeanes, B.Herne, E.Kerr

RD 1 PREVIEW - Women vs Preston

Football season for Emmaus St Leo’s officially kicks off this weekend at home at Bennettswood Reserve where the Animalettes will be looking to get one over a team looking for redemption in the Preston Bullants, who finished at the top of Division 3 last year. After a standout season which saw the team into the grand final, Preston will have asked many questions of themselves over their preseason after losing to Westbourne Grammarians, and be without a doubt looking for answers when they take the field. Emmaus St Leo’s will be hoping to prove to not only others but themselves what they’re capable of, coming off the back of what was a pretty incredible debut season.

The two teams met each other twice in the 2018 season, with Preston coming away winners both times after hard-fought afternoon games. The scoreboard for those games never reflected the effort and determination that Emmaus St Leo’s prides themselves on as a football club and was shown on the days. Despite losing by more than 40 points, the women’s team gritted their teeth and didn’t give in and they’ll look to bring that kind of attitude to Saturday’s clash.

Intensity and commitment at training has set a really high benchmark of what’s expected on game day and it’s of no real surprise that one of the focuses for Saturday will be centred around team play and having each other’s backs. Coach Roy Fenton and former-team-manager-now-assistant-coach Brendan Ellwood are both looking forward to what the day brings, and are keen to see how training translates into a game, as well as seeing how the new girls handle the excitement and nerves.

Team selection news has Emmaus St Leo’s with seven debuts, with Bec Herne, Kate Fletcher, Ashleigh Morley, Delaney Morvell, Emily Kerr, Tara Ingham and Cassy Dutton getting the opportunity to don the blue and blue for the first time. Sally Hood, Shanelle Blachford and Sam Bridgland also get their first chance to run out onto the ground as captain and vice captains respectively.

In the defensive 50, Herne, Claire Anderson and Brooke Chapman will start deep, with Fletcher, Bridgland and Dee Burden sharing the load at halfback. Morley and Ingham are joined by Soraya Jeanes in the midfield, with Bridget Monaghan in ruck, Blachford named as ruck rover, and Shellby Lonie getting her chance as rover. Dreams do come true for players like Hood who gets her preseason wish and will start at half forward, joined by newcomers in Morvell and Kerr. Pushing up the ground in the forward half is Maddy Hogan, while Jess Evans and Sheridan Harris will share the deep forward role. Shannon Harris, Sam Hogarth, Caroline Simon, and Dutton round out the bench. Notable outs include Rhiannon Stute, Kate Lucas, Kate Versace and Amy Ronchi, who will all look to return for round two.

There are a few similarities between Emmaus St Leo’s and Preston this year, with both teams more than likely fielding sides with more than a few new faces. But that won’t matter much once the ball is bounced, with Emmaus St Leo’s looking to set a new standard after too many slow starts last season. By the time the Animalettes take the field, it’ll have been 283 days since their last game.

The wait will have been worth it! Within the club, there’s been a huge focus over preseason on maintaining the close, ‘Animals family’ that’s naturally continued with the addition of the women’s side, so get down to Bennettswood Reserve on Saturday morning and support the ladies! First bounce is at 9.20am.

Five to watch - Women's Edition

It’s a new-look women’s side this year for Emmaus St Leo’s, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not the same team that captured everybody’s attention last year in a brilliant debut season. It’s pretty safe to say that there weren’t any unnecessary expectations of a first-year women’s team but if there had been any, they would have been well and truly surpassed.

This year, with 12 new additions, 20 returning players and three VFL listed players registered, the excitement is high. And while the Animalettes still have their most-trusted stalwarts returning in the likes of newly-appointed captain Sally Hood, Shellby Lonie, and Jess Evans, it’s the new faces that have impressed immensely over preseason.

There’s no real sign that Tara Ingham is fresh to playing football. The minute she showed up to preseason training, she’s been a natural talent. She’s got an expert brain for being able to read the play and a natural ability to position herself where she’s needed to help out her teammates. And on the back of a fantastic practice-match effort, Ingham is one to keep an eye on this season. As long as she’s not running rings about her opponents and you can actually see her on the ground!

Emily Kerr may be young, but she looks like she’s been playing football for years. She picks up things lightning fast and uses her initiative to take control of the play. Her kicking is incredibly reliable and she’ll be dangerous in front of goal, and can absolutely run for days.

Another newcomer to Emmaus St Leo’s is Shino Walsh, whose second, third, and fourth efforts are incredible to watch. Her ability to cover ground and get to the football, and then win it will definitely become a standard that will hopefully inspire the rest of the team.

Not so much of a new face but more a valued piece in the Emmaus St Leo’s line up is returning player Shannon Harris. A big improver over preseason whose knowledge of football theory helps out her practical application. She’ll be one to watch if she brings 100% effort every game. Another player whose improvement over preseason has been impressive to see is Shanelle Blachford, who will look to make her mark on the game, and in the minds and ears of her opponents.

Rhiannon Stute is one of those players that the whole women’s side feels lucky to have on their side, if only so that they’re not charged at during game day. A ferocious attacker of the ball, last year Stute became fairly well known pretty quickly not only for her tackling pressure, but also for her love of the ‘don’t argue’. If Dustin Martin hasn’t trademarked it yet, Stute might be onto something.

In all honesty, Emmaus St Leo’s women’s team is looking incredible this season, with every single new player slotting in perfectly and making it feel like they’ve been around from the beginning. Every week training gets better and better, and with consistency being a huge key for the Animalettes in 2019, it’s shaping up to be an amazing year.