Taylors Lakes hopes a two-week break will be the perfect lead-in to the second half of the Essendon District Football League season.
The Lions were handed the extended break after last week’s round eight bye fell seven days before the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
After a fast start to the division 1 season, winning four of its first five games,
Taylors Lakes suffered back-to-back losses
in the lead-up to the break, going down to West Coburg by 11 points and Tullamarine by 30 points.
That left the third-placed Lions part of a logjam of sides on the division 1 ladder, with just one game separating third through to sixth.
Despite the losses, Taylors Lakes president Peter Gavos was happy with the way his senior side fought out the first half of the season.
“Under the circumstances… I think we are doing a great job,” he said.
“It doesn’t help when you have a few injuries in the playing group.
“I think it is going to be a very close end to the season and I’m confident that we will be a part of that.
“Having the extended bye is a good thing for us. It gives us an opportunity to give some guys a bit of a break.
‘‘A week to regroup and freshen up will be good.”
Taylors Lakes will have the chance to break out of the ladder congestion when it faces bottom-of-the-ladder Craigieburn on June 14.
However, it’s not just the prospects of the senior side that has Gavos excited about the future.
The Lions’ reserves side is on top of the ladder, while the club’s under 18 side is in fourth.
Gavos praised the club’s coaching staff for creating depth in the senior and under 18 teams.
“For any club, having that depth is very important,” he said.
“This year, it’s fantastic. It’s a real credit to the coaches.
“We are all for development, even in junior level we are very strong in believing that.”
