By ADEM SARICAOGLU
LEADING Essendon District Football League expert Matthew Pillios has been telling pundits his league is the state’s best outside the VFL for a while now.
This Saturday afternoon at Visy Park, he and the EDFL have the perfect chance to prove it.
The EDFL will take on the best of the neighbouring Northern Football League and will be led by Greenvale and Pascoe Vale premiership player, Denis Bicer.
A final squad of 30 players was selected last week ahead of this weekend’s clash and includes several former AFL and VFL-listed players.
Pillios told Star he saw Saturday’s clash as a chance for the EDFL to showcase itself as Victoria’s number one suburban league, and said he expected Bicer’s men to deliver – even if undermanned through injury and unavailability.
“There are absolutely no excuses,” Pillios said.
“We have the chance to prove that we should be playing for the number one (ranking) in Victoria, despite up to 10 walk-up starters not being in the line-up.
“I’m very impressed with the standard that’s in the squad, and I don’t see one weak link in our side.”
Greenvale star Eric Kuret has been named captain for the one-off clash.
Keilor ruckman and last year’s Dick Reynolds Medallist Andrew Browne – who will this week be revealed as the EDFL’s number one player in Pillios’s annual top 50 list – will also take the field on Saturday.
Pillios said Browne was an easy choice as the EDFL’s best current player.
“He’s clearly the best player in the comp and was regarded in the top two by every senior coach I spoke with,” Pillios said.
“The way he came and made an impact in his first year left me with no doubt he is the best player in the comp at the moment.”
