Powerhouse junior pathway club Beaconsfield took out the Under-19.5s premiership on Sunday.
The Eagles stunned Park Orchards, which has been the benchmark all season and beaten them three times by an average of 29 points.
But Beaconsfield rose to the occasion in the grand final, winning 10.9(69) to 8.5(53) at Pinks Reserve.
The Eagles were the walking wounded, with Josh Tiberi knocked out in the first minute of the game, and Flynn Maher unable to play the game out due to a fractured finger, while winger Lachie Watson provided Jordan Waters with important ruck support, despite suffering a suspected torn hamstring before halftime.
Despite having significantly reduced rotations, Beaconsfield was able to kick three goals to one in the last quarter after leading by just a point at the last break.
“Our first quarter was outstanding, kicking four goals to nothing against the wind,” coach Peter Brough said.
“Our pressure was really good.
“They kept coming all day.
“Their ball movement and key pillars are good and they’re really good inside to outside so we knew we had to be on.”
Defender Leo Smith-Clark was named best on ground, with his intercepting, marking and spoiling enormous in the backline.
Archie Nicholas was also influential at fullback.
Park Orchards’ Sammy Prest, who last year played in the Coates League, kicked five goals, but the rest of the Sharks attack was kept quiet.
Beaconsfield has a strong complement of Coates League experienced players of their own.
Defender Riley Hilliard, midfielder Dylan Vogrig, mid/fwds Kayleb Lovett and Harper McCullough, and ruck Waters all contributed to the premiership.
Hilliard and Waters senior experience in 2025, Lovett kicked four goals in the grand final and McCullough was named in the Under-16s All Australian team earlier this year.
Gippsland power winger Jack Hilton missed the premiership due to Coates League commitments, but played nine games in 2025 and has a bright future.
Julian Roland is another viewed as likely to push for senior opportunities early next year.
“They’re a very talented squad,” Brough said.
“They made a lot of finals throughout juniors and now starting to play against big boys, we were found out a little bit early in the year.
“But by the end of the year once they learned structures, they understood what to do, when to do it and took on information the coaching staff gave so their game awareness is great now.”
Beaconsfield prides itself on providing a clear and visible pathway for players to progress through juniors, into the Under-19s and then senior lineup.
The Eagles won the Under-19.5s premiership in 2023, with defenders Ethan Winterton, Finn Devine, Connor Mouat and Jamie Roberts establishing themselves as important posts in Beaconsfield’s backline this year.
Livewire forward Marley Appleyard was another 2023 premiership player who has become a senior regular.
“They’re a great bunch of people who will play a lot of senior footy and have probably flown under the radar so far,” Brough said.
“There were no passengers, everyone played so well.”
