Keilor is continuing to bank the wins as the challenges continue to come in the Essendon District Football League premier division.
The undefeated Blues have been tested in recent weeks but have passed every challenge so far.
The latest was on Saturday as the Blues took on Airport West at Hansen Reserve.
Blues coach Mick McGuane said it was never an easy ground to go and win at.
“It was a good battle,” he said. “It’s never an easy ground to go and play at considering how small it is.
“Hard to get any flow in the game. We had a lot of personnel that didn’t participate that would be in our best team when they are healthy.
“All you can do is bank wins at this time of the year, the grind period.”
The Eagles put up a fight for the first half, trailing by 18 points at the main break.
The margin increased to 30 points at the final break before the Blues put their foot down in the final quarter to win, 19.13 (127)-12.6 (78).
The big finishes have become part of the Blues games in recent weeks.
“It validates the program in terms of our fitness,” McGuane said. “Commination of work rate match day and things built during the week.
“The cold wintery nights play wonders with the mindset and a huge part of looking after yourselves.
“Our boys are at the high end of the expectations around that. Give themselves and ourselves the best chance of them playing well individually along with collectively.
“It has to be a squad mentality and we would have played around mid-30s at senior level already and haven’t lost a game.
“Overcome the adversity we’ve had with a lot of good players on the sidelines at the moment.”
Liam Hude and Blair Wylie kicked three goals
McGuane said they were missing “too many” out of their best side but it opens the door for other players to step up.
He said it should bode well for the players and the club going into the future.
“We have given players a chance to go to fortresses where you are challenged obviously,” he said. “You’ve got a target on your back when you’re a winning club like we are at the moment. You see the amount of effort that certain clubs put in and they flow it up the next week and get beat.
“We’ve got to keep rising to that occasion. The hardest thing in footy is to win, that is why I’m so proud of the group and what they have achieved to this point.”
While the young players have stepped up, it’s skipper Kane Barbuto that is leading the way.
McGuane said he had a new lease on life when he changed jobs from being a teacher to a firefighter.
“He’s a marvel, isn’t he?” he said. “He’s playing great footy… I think it reinvigorated him to put him down to one of the EDFL’s legends of the game the way he goes about his stuff.
“You never question what he stands for.”
The Blues face Strathmore this Saturday.
The Mores enter the game on the back of two straight losses.
