Feast your eyes on these in Division 2 Men’s

Following the announcement of the 2023 Division 2 Men’s Fixture. VAFA Media has compiled the five games across the opening half of the season that you can’t afford to miss:

Round 1: Old Paradians vs. Brunswick

These sides made up the top four in 2022. Along with Ivanhoe AFC and West Brunswick. It was the green, blue and purple monster that advanced to Preliminary Final weekend, leaving Brunswick behind with a 10 point victory in the semi-final. 

Earlier in the year they played out a six point thriller at Garvey Oval with Old Paradians walking away successfully on that occasion too. When the season opens at the ground with the most lovely white picket fence in the competition, expect fireworks. Both Old Paradians and Brunswick are expected to be the Division 2 frontrunners and the round one clash will go a long way to determining who will be the early season Premiership favourites. 

Round 1: Old Yarra Cobras vs. Aquinas

The first time we will see the amalgamated Yarra Old Grammarians and Manningham Cobras run out under the banner of the Old Yarra Cobras. Aquinas, finishing sixth and missing out on the finals in 2022 will be the first assignment at Koonung Park. 

The club’s record is L W L W at Koonung. If they’re going to continue following that trend then perhaps the Cobras could be 1-0 at 5:00 PM on that first Saturday of the season. What Aquinas has in their favour is they’ve beaten both Yarra and Manningham convincingly through 2022. 

Although history will count for very little when it comes to round one of the new year. 

Round 3: Parkside vs. South Melbourne Districts

What a year both clubs had in Division 3 Men’s. South Melbourne have done the double climb. Coming up from Division 4, then again to Division 2, as the Premiers. 

Parkside knew they’d make the top four weeks out from the finals finishing four wins clear of Hawthorn, Emmaus St Leos, Richmond Centrals and North Brunswick. To make the Grand Final from fourth was an even more phenomenal run. 

Ultimately, they fell short on Grand Final day but they have the armoury to match it with the Bloods winning their Round 16 encounter and losing earlier in the season by under a goal. 

South Melbourne are on the road for the first four rounds of the season due to the F1 Grand Prix engulfing their home ground. Therefore they’ll be two weeks into the road trips when they meet for the Grand Final rematch. Round 5 they’ll get the chance to unfurl the Premiership flag against the relegated Whitefrias. They’d love to be able to do that having four wins on the road. 

Round 4: Whitefriars vs. St Mary’s Salesian

The two sides to come down from Division 1 Men’s will find the going more suited to their gamestyle in Division 2 in 2023. 

Whitefriars have been here before recently and had great success in this section. In 2019 they took out the Premiership over Brunswick. Kristian Height was awarded the J Fullerton Medal as the best player in the competition. 

Hopefully for St Mary’s, by the time they reach the Friars in Round 4 they’ll have ended the current 19 game losing streak. The last win dates back to July 3, 2021 when they beat Oakleigh. They club has a new coach at the helm, Clay Tait after bidding farewell to Erwin Leyden signifying a new, fresh start with a fresh direction for the club. 

Round 7: MHSOB vs. Brunswick

The boys of Melbourne High were tipped to finish in the top two at the beginning of the 2022 season. Unfortunately injuries, and players going away cost them the opportunity to take their sensational 2021 form right through this year and finished in fifth. 

One of the early encounters of the season saw Brunswick give the Unicorns an old-fashioned trouncing. In Round 16, it was a different story. On for young and old as the game finished in a thrilling draw at Alec Gillon Oval. 

Round 7 at Woodfull-Miller Oval, by then we’ll have a fair indication of how these sides are both tracking as we head into the winter grind. Can the Unicorns recapture their best form? Or will Brunswick be making up for the 2022 heartache? 

Other games to note:

Round 9: Brunswick vs. Whitefriars

• Replay of the 2019 Division 2 Grand Final

Round 5: South Melbourne Districts vs. Whitefriars

• Unfurling of the Division 3 Men’s Premiership Flag

Round 1: Bulleen Templestowe vs. MHSOB

• Open their season under club legend Andrew Verga
• Stay tuned for the clubs 40 year anniversary since the 1983 B-Grade Premiership