By Lance Jenkinson
It was a coming-of-age moment for some of Braybrook’s youngsters in an unexpected seven-point win over previously undefeated ladder leader Wyndham Suns in the Western Region Football League division 3 at Goddard Street Reserve on Saturday.
The Brookers yearned for a big scalp and they come no bigger than a Suns side that had won its opening 12 matches of the season to move into premiership favouritism.
Making the victory even more special was the injury toll the Brookers had to endure leading into the match, forcing coach Jason Hamilton to call on reinforcements from the reserves.
“The young blokes that came up from the reserves did a great job and to get over the line was a big effort,” Hamilton said
Braybrook had to think outside the square to inflict the upset and deployed a radical game plan that worked to perfection.
“As a coaching group, we decided to put three extra players back early, so we had a nine-man backline going for the first quarter,” Hamilton said.
“We had three blokes that could run and could also get to the contest if they had to get to the contest.
“I think it confused them a little bit and we got some goals out of that.
“We wanted to clog it up and make it hard for them to run and spread like they normally do.”
The strategy worked to a tee.
Braybrook finished the opening quarter 24 points up and left Wyndham to play catch-up throughout.
The Brookers extended that lead to 31 by the last change before the Suns’ kicked four goals to one in the last term to make it a nervous finish.
Hamilton was thrilled with his players ability to carry out instructions.
“They executed the game plan really well,” he said. “They got a bit tired there in the last quarter, but we always knew they were going to come at us.
“I couldn’t be happier with what they did today.”
Paul Cutajar-Milosev was the finisher for Braybrook with six goals.
It was not only Cutajar-Milosev’s converting that was important for the Brookers, but also his ability to halve a contest for his side when he was double teamed.
“There was a couple on him at certain times, but he really made a contest for us,” Hamilton said.
Nick Gregson was arguably the best player on the ground for Braybrook. The ruckman won the lion’s share of taps, but also contributed defensively.
“He can get from one end of the ground to the other very quickly, can get to one contest and get to another contest and he runs all day,” Hamilton said.
Nathan Calleja played a good “captain’s game”, focusing on the one-per centers that makes his team better, while Nathan Smith, who did most of his damage as a rebounding defending, bobbed up for two late goals to clinch victory for the Brookers.
Braybrook, four games clear in fourth with five games to go, will face third-placed Point Cook Centrals in a finals-like game at Pennell Reserve on Saturday.
