SUNSHINE has primed itself for a strong finish to the Western Region Football League division 1 season with a 17.11 (113) to 10.17 (77) win over St Albans on Saturday.
The Kangaroos are fourth on the ladder, equal on points with Spotswood and Altona but well behind both on percentage.
The emphatic win, set up with an eight-goal-to-one second term, deflated the Saints, who got within five points of beating Sunshine back in round six.
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Sunshine plays Yarraville Seddon on Saturday before clashes with Spotswood and Altona in the final rounds.
St Albans has an easier run with Altona, Albion and North Footscray and it would be a shock if the Saints dropped out of the top five.
In a strong wind at Kinder Smith Reserve, St Albans opened with eight shots on goal to Sunshine’s two but couldn’t convert, kicking 2.6 and giving the Saints just a six-point lead at quarter-time.
By half-time Sunshine led by 40 points, and it killed off the contest in the third quarter with 4.2 to 3.6, taking a 42-point lead into the final break. St Albans won the final term but was left to rue many missed opportunities in front of goal.
Kieran Murphy, Simon Wiggins and Chris Tripodi all kicked three for Sunshine, while Tim Jenkins (3) was the only multiple goalkicker for St Albans.
Sunshine coach Brett Jacobs didn’t get the big victory he was hoping for but praised his players in windy conditions. “I thought we were really good against a strong breeze in the first quarter,” he said. “St Albans didn’t take their chances and we were able to break away in the second quarter. It was disappointing that we weren’t able to get a big win with a strong wind in the last quarter but they’re a good side and they were always going to come at us. We’re happy with a six-goal win.”
Jacobs said the remaining home-and-away rounds would hold the Kangaroos in good stead come finals. “It gives us a really good window into what we can expect in finals,” he said. “We’re excited to be playing in these blockbusters. We’ll look to turn around our performances against Spotswood and Altona earlier in the year.”
Deer Park romped to its biggest win of the season, belting North Footscray 42.19 (271) to 1.6 (12). Steve White kicked 10 goals, Cameron Trewin eight, Chris Stewart seven and Kevin Klix five in the massive win as the Lions booted eight, 11, 10 and 13 goals in each of the quarters.
Albion suffered a 9.10 (64) to 18.14 (122) loss to Port Colts. The Cats were in touch at half-time, trailing by 15, but managed just three goals in the second half to the Colts’ 10.
