Powelltown FNC – 2021 Season in Review

Powelltown Football Netball Club proved themselves to be a powerhouse in division two.

With its senior football side finishing second with a rock solid eight and two record, a deep finals run looked almost certain until covid lockdowns ruined any chance of silverware ending up at the sawmill.

The reserves team were also looking dangerous with a nine and one record, missing out on the top spot on the ladder by percentage.

Reflecting on the 2021 season, club president Geoff Mooney was pleased with the Demons’ efforts despite its disruptions.

“It was extremely successful, even though we didn’t play finals,” he said.

“On and off field it was a huge success for the club.”

The Demons best players consisted of the likes of Ben Wratten, Michael Fowkes, Jarrod Bayliss & Jack Garthwaite who were all named in the division two team of the year.

Fowkes won the league goal kicking award with 53 majors, while also joining his teammate Wratten as triple winners of the Jim Wandin Medal.

Mooney was full of praise and sheer delight for how well his two players performed this year.

“Looking at Ben, he was a runner up in the league best & fairest at Thornton Eildon, then runner up again in his first year with us before eventually winning in 2019,” he said.

“His last four years of football have just gotten better and better.

“And for Michael coming from Wandin to win the league goal kicking award and the Jim Wandin Medal is fantastic.”

The netball sides were in contention for finals all year, with the highlight being the D Grade side who won all 10 of their games to finish as minor premiers.

Hayley DeBuf and Olivia Caneva were named in the second division team of the year, as a result of their outstanding performances.

Mooney was proud of the efforts of everyone within the netball program at Powelltown, while also highlighting the individual efforts of Jess Coffey & Eden Duff Smith who won the B and D Grade best and fairest medals.

“The high level of coaching lifted those girls to a greater standard and I expect big things from them next year,” he said.

Looking ahead to the 2022 season, Mooney is hopeful a premiership flag can be brought home to the club rooms at seasons end.

“The hunger is there to play finals footy and netball, it’s a very driven group who are focused on where they want to go.”

With the arrival of former AFL player Joel Perry, as well as a number existing players continuing with the club, there is going to be an awful lot to like about how the Powelltown Football Netball club will approach the 2022 season.

“We’re going to play a cleaner brand of footy because all these guys know how each other play given they’ve played juniors before,” he said.

“It’s good to build a younger core around what we’ve already got, I look at it as a five year plan.”

Mooney also took the opportunity to thank his players, coaches, committee and the volunteer group at Powelltown for their efforts in a tough year, as well as everyone at Outer East for their efforts this year.

“It was an enormous effort by everyone Outer East to be able to facilitate what we could from a tough season.”

FOOTBALL	LADDER POSITION	WINS	LOSSES
ATC Traffic Division Two	2nd	8	2
PFG Australia Division Two Reserves	2nd	9	1
NETBALL	LADDER POSITION	WINS	LOSSES
Kärcher Division Two A Grade	4th	5	4
Kärcher Division Two B Grade	2nd	8	2
Kärcher Division Two C Grade	3rd	7	3
Kärcher Division Two D Grade	1st	10	0