Mighty Monbulk starts favourite

By Ben O’Brien
THE DROUGHT has caused some anxious moments in the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League, but has escaped lightly with only two grounds not being fit for play by round 1.
All eyes will be on First Division club Monbulk in 2007, to see if they can achieve a three-peat of premierships.
Like most clubs, they have lost a few and gained a few, but still remain the team to beat this year.
Possibly the strongest challenge will come from Silvan, whose ranks have been bolstered by the recruiting of Marc Bullen, Ben Haynes and Aaron Henneman, all recent players for Essendon.
The challenge for the club will be to get its best team on the field each week, which injuries put paid to in 2006, but if they can do so, they should be a definite threat.
Wandin was another club hit by injuries last year, and could be a threat for finals action come September.
The Second Division is likely to be a more even affair this year, with 2006 newcomers Alexandra and Thornton now having a season under their belts, Belgrave dropping back from First Division and 2006 bottom teams in Emerald and Yarra Glen having both embarked on ambitious recruiting campaigns in the off season.
The good news for the division is that, after going into recess in 2006 and through the hard work of their committee, Powelltown returns to the YVMDFL fold in 2007 with a full complement of teams in both football and netball.
This brings the number of Second Division clubs to nine, with the bye making up the 10th team and teams playing each other twice only for the first time in some years.