By Lance Jenkinson
PEGS is approaching the most important phase of its Victorian Amateur Football Association Premier C season – and the players know it.
The battling Bombers are bottom of the ladder with a 1-7 record, so will be fighting for survival in the division in the second half of the season.
While PEGS coach Dane Pound gave the team last Thursday night off training leading into the bye, the players did not clock off mentally or physically at the weekend.
With most opposition clubs taking in a little bit of rest and relaxation, the PEGS players decided to use the match-free weekend to improve their fitness base.
The team made a pact to keep up their standards over the Queen’s Birthday break following its gut-wrenching loss to Hampton Rovers in which it faded out late in the game.
That sort of drop-off has been a regular occurrence for PEGS in recent times – a young side that competes hard for three quarters, only to run out of petrol late in games.
The leaders want to change that trend and have called on the players to take it upon themselves to build on their fitness over the break so they can better run out games.
“I noticed as a group after Saturday’s loss to Hampton, they were very disappointed,” Pound said.
“They were actually furious with themselves – and that was a by-product of them and not me.
“I’m trying to keep it as positive as possible because I know where they’re at and they’re playing some good footy.
“But they were the ones that were like, ‘That’s not good enough’ … on the bye weekend, everyone has to log in to Strava, which is a team fitness app we’ve got, do three sessions, two minimum.
“They understand that at this time of the year they can take advantage of the fact that some C-grade amateur teams might relax a bit and have this week off and kind of cool their jets a bit. We’ve identified this period as crucial.”
PEGS will face a must-win game against third-last Ajax on June 15 at PEGS Sporting Fields after the break.
This is your classic eight-point game for the Keilor Park-based Bombers – four points acquired to build some confidence and four points denied to a rival in the relegation mix.
“We are really pushing the barrel up hill if we lose this next one,” Pound said.
“It would be a really long road home.
“If you want to avoid relegation, which is our aim at the moment, you want to be winning five or six games. So if we get to the halfway 1-8, it will make it tough.
“If we go 2-7 and get that win they’re after, things could turn and could turn quickly for us, I reckon.”
Since taking a 99-point battering at the hands of Williamstown CYMS on May 5, PEGS’ form has turned for the better.
The Bombers claimed a 30-point win over Old Camberwell and were competitive against Marcellin and Hampton Rovers, with a poor game against Mazenod wedged in between.
“We’re playing some good footy at times,” Pound said. “I’ve been impressed because they’re having a crack each week.
“It’s good to see them all improving and
I’m sure a couple of more wins aren’t too far away.”
