Saturday was the one that got away for Beaconsfield.
Travelling to Park Orchards to take on the second-placed side in the Eastern Football Netball League Division 1 competition, the Eagles led by 22 points at three-quarter-time.
Holding on for victory would have laid the perfect foundation for the second half of the Eagles’ season; instead, they went down 13.9(87) to 13.8(86), giving them little wriggle room if they want the double chance in September.
The game was set up for Beaconsfield to make a statement to the competition: it was beating the hosts around the contest and punishing them on the scoreboard with precise connection.
Those were the elements that fell away in the last quarter, allowing Park Orchards a sniff.
The Sharks played with a spare man behind the footy who was regularly able to intercept and start Park Orchards counterattacks.
Jake Aarts kicked his third, a clutch stoppage goal, at the 13-minute-mark of the last, giving Beaconsfield a 22-point-lead.
Within seven minutes, Park Orchards had snatched the lead back.
Three of those goals came in a two-and-a-half minute period where Beaconsfield didn’t have a possession, with the Sharks winning it out the front of clearance and able to connect inside 50 twice consecutively after a Cristian Ciampa goal from 50.
That gave Park Orchards momentum and belief, with the last goal of the game at the 20-minute-mark.
Chasing, rather than saving victory seemed to somewhat liberate Mick Fogarty’s troops who had most of the play in the dying stages, but lacked composure forward of centre, with Park Orchards defenders, time and the scoreboard all heaping on pressure.
“We were happy to give them (a player behind the ball),” Fogarty said.
“We just had to defend the ball and once it hit the ground, our smalls went to work and were awesome: Tylah Stokoe, Marley Appleyard, Myles Currie, Devon Smith.
“Unfortunately in the last quarter, they had three really strong clearances which resulted in goals.
“They’ve got some really good players in their side, they’re going to get you and unfortunately they got us when it mattered.
“That’s what an experienced team that have played together for a fair few years now can do.”
The Eagles’ best opportunity to wrench the lead late came via an Ali Zijai snap from 30 at the 26-minute-mark, but his shot fell a metre short and looked like tumbling through before taking a leg-break that Shane Warne would be proud of.
Fogarty was upbeat despite Beaconsfield’s second-consecutive loss.
“We lifted our intensity in the contest from the Bayswater to Park Orchards game,” he said.
“That’s what we needed to do, we know they’re a very good outside team when they do get it out.
“They’re dangerous and have some very good forwards and they’re a really good aerial team and we were able to defend that for three quarters.
“Our intensity at every contest was something that had been missing for a few weeks but we found it and it almost got us over the line.
“It gives us so much confidence going forward that we can not only compete, but beat the best sides in the competition, even though we didn’t get over the line on this occasion.”
SHIPP RETURNS
Casey-listed teenager Kobe Shipp played his first game of 2025 on Saturday and was influential in the backline.
The rebounder missed the first half of 2025 with an ankle injury, but took no time to impact with his dash and intercepting.
“He was brilliant off halfback, providing good run and linking up really well with our midfielders and for a guy who has had 12 weeks off with an ankle, I couldn’t have been prouder of his efforts,” Fogarty said.
Co-captain Jake Bowd, meanwhile, was expected to have a medium-term layoff with a Syndesmosis injury but ultimately missed just the one game and also returned on Saturday as a key cog of the backline.
INJURY WOES
Charlie Muley and co-captain Damien Johnston are both set for several weeks on the sidelines following injuries on Saturday.
Muley suffered a dislocated shoulder in the fourth quarter, so is likely to be sidelined for at least two months, while the courageous skipper was knocked out, so will miss at least the next 21 days under community concussion protocols.
He did, however, miss five games last season with concussion so may be sidelined longer as his health is prioritised.
With Brandon White and Travis Stewart also sidelined, a weakened Beaconsfield lineup will take on North Ringwood.
“I’m confident in our group and depth; we’ve built a far better list over the last few years,” Fogarty said.
“While we’ll be a bit undermanned, we’re going to go in and have a crack and if we bring what we brought on Saturday, we’ll have a good result.”
DEVINE BUMP
Beaconsfield’s Finn Devine has accepted a two-match sanction for unduly rough conduct on Jaye Witnish after an ugly incident which caused a break in play late in the second quarter.
Devine committed to the contest and collected his opponent in a vulnerable position, leaving him stricken on the ground awaiting an ambulance.
It caused a 30-minute delay just before halftime, with both teams retreating to their change rooms after a few minutes of standing around.
The delay caused the match to finish in complete darkness, with yellow balls used for the second half, played with the assistance of lights.
APPLEYARD SHINING
Marley Appleyard is the latest in a catalogue of Beaconsfield juniors to graduate into the senior side and impact early.
After three senior games interspersed within a season of under-19s footy last year, he has played every game in the seniors this year, and has been named in the best in three of the last four games.
His breakthrough performance came in Beaconsfield’s most recent win, kicking four goals against Norwood.
“He’s been on the periphery for a couple of years dominating under-19 footy and has made the step up quite quickly at senior level,” Fogarty said.
“While he isn’t in his preferable position at the moment, which is on the footy, the more games he gets under his belt, the more comfortable he’ll be and eventually he will move into the midfield.”
Appleyard’s under-19s 2023 premiership teammate Jamie Roberts is another highly-regarded Eagles youngster, and he debuted on Saturday.
Highlighting the strength of the Beaconsfield pathway, all but two Eagles on the weekend were one point players.
EASTERN DIVISION 1
PARK ORCHARDS 0.0 4.3 8.8 13.9(87)
BEACONSFIELD 2.3 7.5 12.6 13.8(86)
Other Games R9 : North Ringwood 13.16(94) def Bayswater 8.6(54), Mooroolbark 7.14(56) def by Boronia 12.9(81), Montrose 6.10(46) def by South Belgrave 19.16(130).
Ladder: South Belgrave 32, Park Orchards 28, Beaconsfield 20, Boronia 20, North Ringwood 16, Montrose 12, Mooroolbark 8, Bayswater 8, Norwood 0.
Fixture R10: North Ringwood (5) v Beaconsfield (3), Bayswater (8) v Montrose (6), Norwood (9) v Mooroolbark (7), Park Orchards (2) v South Belgrave (1). Bye: Boronia (4).
