By Lance Jenkinson
Sunshine Heights has left its run too late to figure in the Western Region Football League division 3 finals.
The Heights are one of the form teams in the competition after stringing together five consecutive wins, including a shock come-from-behind seven-point win over premiership contenders Wyndham Suns on the road at Goddard Street Reserve on Saturday.
But finals were officially ruled out for the red hot Heights when Braybrook locked in fourth place with a win over Laverton.
Heights coach Damien Farnfield lamented Laverton’s inability to assist his side’s cause.
“We were hoping Laverton was going to help us out and get up against Braybrook, but that wasn’t the case,” he said.
While the benefits of Sunshine Heights’ winning run will bear no fruit in the short term, it could have a positive effect beyond this season.
The Heights have generated a buzz, the players are growing in confidence and the winning run could make the club a more attractive proposition for recruits.
“It’s something – for the current group to go into the pre-season, knowing we can take it up to the top sides,” Farnfield said.
“We’re trying a few things that we can take into next year and they seem to be working quite well for us, so that’s a positive.”
The key to Sunshine Heights’ stronger second half of the season has been selection stability.
In the first half of the season, the selectors were making up to six forced changes through injury. But slowly and surely, players returned and the Heights have enjoyed some line-up continuity.
The barometer for Sunshine Heights is onballer Justin Zahra. When he is in good form, the rest of the Heights’ players follow his lead.
“He’s had an awesome month of football,” Farnfield said. “Most of our form is based on the way he goes about his football.”
In Saturday’s win over Wyndham Suns, which Farnfield described as “definitely our best win of the year”, Heights ruckman Jarrad Neilson had a major influence.
Neilson rucked one-out all day in tough conditions to secure best-on-ground honours in a game in which his side came back from 17 points down at half-time for a memorable win.
Jamie Porter’s three goals in a low-scoring game were massive for Sunshine Heights.
In division 1, the merry-go-round among the top five continued in the penultimate round with the big loser being Deer Park.
When the music stopped, the Lions found themselves down in third and officially out of the running for the minor premiership.
The Lions went down to Werribee Districts by 22 points away at Soldiers Reserve.
If the Lions win their final game of the season, against bottom of the ladder Wyndhamvale on Saturday, they will hold a double chance in the finals.
Sunshine beat St Albans by 32 points, Caroline Springs kicked one goal in a 33-point loss to Spotswood and Albion failed to register a goal in a 134-point defeat at the hands of Hoppers Crossing.
