Cool Callan Celebrates his Century

By Ken Casellas

The majority of modern-day midfielders are muscular and menacing, but one who does not conform to the type is Claremont’s smooth-moving Callan Egland.

England is the Mister Cool of the WAFL competition. Calm, composed, calculating and canny, he possesses the delightful attributes that make him a champion.

He glides around the field as graceful as a cheetah in full flight, and his form this season has been outstanding as he coexists seamlessly with his midfield colleagues Bailey Rogers, Jye Bolton, Declan Mountford and Ben Elliott.

And in Saturday’s match against East Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium the 24-year-old England will celebrate a significant milestone --- his 100TH league appearance. “I’m not the biggest bloke and I weigh under 80 kilos,” he says.

“I’m certainly not a big-and-bash midfielder, and I try to use my pace and agility to advantage. Composure is a big thing in today’s game.”

England is an outside midfielder, whose ability to get into the open and then make use of his precise disposal constantly sets up successful attacking moves. But he also gets involved in plenty of tough midfield tussles, and his tally of 51 tackles places him in fourth spot in that category at Claremont this season, behind Ollie Eastland (64), Rogers (60) and Zac Mainwaring (55).

Rogers, who will play his 150th league match for the Tigers on Saturday, was lavish in his praise of England, saying: “I wouldn’t want to share the day with anyone else. Cal has done a lot. He has played everywhere, from half-forward to half-back, and now he is dominating in the midfield.

“He makes my job pretty easy. I just flick it out to him, and he gets going. He is a lot quicker than me. Strangely, he doesn’t look as though he tries at all.”

A wonderful all-round record as an athlete has helped England to develop into a quality footballer. Between the ages of 11 and 15 he won several gold medals as a long jumper and in sprints over 100, 200 and 400 metres at State athletics championships. He also enjoyed the challenge of competing in 800m events.

England has appeared in 92 league matches with the Tigers after playing in seven senior matches for East Perth in 2018 when he was a rookie with the West Coast Eagles.

The Eagles drafted England in October 2017 after he had enjoyed considerable success, being a member of Hale School’s winning Alcock Cup team in 2015 and 2017, as well as shining with the State 16s and 18s teams, and playing in three colts grand final for Claremont and being on the winning side in 2015 and 2017.

England was runner-up to Fraser House in the fairest-and-best award for the colts side in 2017, and he finished seventh in the Jack Clarke Medal (awarded to the best player in the WAFL colts competition).

“Being drafted just after my 18th birthday was tough, and I probably wasn’t ready or mature enough to go into a full-time football environment, which is so demanding, day to day,” he said. “It was a lot different to school football and after having an easy upbringing with Mum and Dad.

“Going into that environment was a major change. But if I had my time again, I wouldn’t change a thing. I probably needed a year out of school to find what the real world was like.”

England played in the 2018 reserves grand final at Optus Stadium when East Perth lost to Perth. He then was delisted by West Coast.

“I kind of knew it was coming, but it was disappointing to be cut so short,” he said. “I was relieved and the first thing I wanted to do was to get back to Claremont and enjoying my footy again and playing with my mates.”

England made his senior debut for the Tigers in the round one match against East Fremantle on April 6, 2019, when the Tigers won by 78 points.

“I have been lucky with injuries and have hardly missed a game at Claremont,” said England. “I was one of 14 plyers who couldn’t play in the round one match against Subiaco in 2020 because of Covid, and I missed the round one match against West Perth last year when I had a broken hand.

“It has been a bit of an up and down season for us this year, but we have a good list and have the coaches, players, game plan and ability to beat anyone.

“On Saturday I want Bailey to have the limelight, while I’ll be happy to hide in the shadows. Bailey is a fantastic player and an even better friend. It’s great to be a member of such a good midfield, playing alongside two Sandover medallist and Dec Mountford, as well as Ollie Eastland, who might go close to winning the Sandover this year.

“You learn so much from these players, at training and on game day, and it is the friendships you build that I cherish most.”