Harper Sercombe
Albanvale’s ability to hit the scoreboard will be a key for the side in the rest of the Western Region Football League division 3 season.
The second-placed Cobras had the bye on the weekend following four consecutive 100-plus point wins
Coach Nick Smith said he is happy the way the team has been able to cash in and score heavily. He said they had been really happy with the last month of football.
“We’ve been really trying to focus on using these games as real preparation on how you want to play and move the footy,” he said.
“We’re trying not to go into those games like you can’t get anything out of them, because you can get lots out of them.
“We’ve certainly got a lot of players that now feel like they’re in form. In particular we’re trying to focus on keeping other teams scoring down.
“When you play a less competitive team, the defence might relax, and can give up easy goals, get into bad habits.
“We’re trying to prepare as if it’s a finals game and go in with trying to score heavily, defend well and we’re really trying to practice our game plan.”
The Cobras have guaranteed themselves a finals berth and are keen on trying to finish in the top two and secure the double chance.
Smith said he is happy with the way the team has spread the goal kicking load unlike some other teams in the competition.
“We think it’s a real strength of what we’ve got, especially in comparison to maybe the Suns and others,” he said.
“They seem really reliant on one or two goal kickers.
“We think it makes us a little harder to stop because you can stop one player but that won’t stop us from scoring.
“It also gives us an indication that we’re being fairly unselfish in terms of sharing the ball around.
“[We say] it’s not about you scoring it’s about us scoring.
Following the weekend’s bye the Cobras face third placed Sunshine Heights, before coming up against the ladder leaders, the Suns.
Smith is looking forward to the challenge.
“We think it’s important to get tested,” he said. “We’ve dropped two games to the Suns and we’re trying to learn from that.
“We’re looking forward to our next hit out with them, and we rate Sunshine Heights highly too.”
Smith said he and the team wants to take good form into finals and there is no better way than to do that by taking wins from fellow finals competitors.
“From our point of view we want to be really ruthless,” Smith said.
“We’re really trying to focus on playing the type of footy that will win you a premiership.”
