Yarra Glen Season Preview

Men’s Football

Yarra Glen look to be one of the teams to win a lot more games in 2023 than in 2022.

They have been moved to Division 2 and have had a more than competitive finish to last season.

Despite only winning four games, they were ultra competitive and another handful of games, taking it right up to Gembrook Cockatoo (Premiers and now in Premier Division) in Round 20, including leading by four goals at 3QT.

They also made Berwick Springs fight hard in Round 19, only losing by 14 points.

Their win that wasn’t against Belgrave (wooden spoon), came against Healesville in Round 16, by five points. They lost to Healesville in Round 2 by just five also. This is promising as Healesville were 5^th and won half of their games.

Yarra Glen ranked third for tackles with 68.2 per game and more importantly ranked third for forward 50 tackles, with 8.9, highlighting strong forward pressure.

They would like to turn this into a higher score in 2023 though, averaging 60 points a game last year, whilst conceding 92.

Callum Morison topped their goal kicking, with 26 for the season, operating at 2 per game. Jayden Schille, Team of the Year and Marcus Kikidopoulos kicked 14 and 13 respectively at just under a goal a game.

Yarra Glen will be an interesting team to watch in 2023.

 

Netball

2023 shapes as an exciting season for Yarra Glen, following a super strong finish to their 2022 campaign.

They made the preliminary final after winning 6 of their last ten H&A games, after only winning three of their first 9. They were too strong for Emerald in the Semi Final, a team that beat Yarra Glen three times during the season. They then basically matched it with Seville for a half before they were blown out. No one can fault them for this as Seville were a ridiculously good team (and eventual Premiers).

They should gain confidence from making the Preliminary Final, especially given their first half of the season.

Something that Yarra Glen possess is contributors across the board week in, week out.

Peta Fay’s excellent second half of the 2022 season as GK and Chelsea Birchall in the Centre were both in Team of the Year as GK and I/C respectively. A few other standouts were Stephanie Gibbs (GS), Jacqueline Hibberd (WA) and Lara Wandin-Collins (GA).

On average they scored and conceded roughly 48 goals per game, which they will be looking to build a bit of a gap in.

The 2023 season is one Yarra Glen should be looking forward to, as they look to be right in the finals mix again.

 

Written by Jordan Peeler