It’s been a bittersweet Western Region Football League season for Albanvale.
The club was one of the highest ranked casualties of the move to a three-tier competition at the end of round 13 and now finds itself in the league’s third division.
Although disappointing, the shift has also given the Cobras a chance to taste premiership success.
Albanvale is one game clear on top of the ladder and among the flag favourites.
However, Albanvale coach John Thrush isn’t forgetting the first two thirds of the season and believes his side learnt a lot from playing against stronger opposition.
“We definitely use it as a reference point,” he said. “We played some really good sides before the split. We copped some beltings and we gave a couple out as well.
“We are in this position because we are at the lower end of division 2. You can’t lose sight of that fact.”
Albanvale has secured big wins against North Sunshine and Laverton since moving to division 3. However, the club’s most impressive performance came last Saturday with an eight-point win against Sanctuary Lakes, 11.18 (84) to 11. 10 (76).
With one round left before finals, the Cobras will face Braybrook on Saturday for what could be a grand final preview. The Bombers are second on the ladder and have also made a mess of most division 3 opponents.
Thrush and his players are looking forward to the challenge.
“They [Braybrook] beat us by five points on Anzac Day. We are only down the road from each other. Our blokes see each other out and there is a bit of banter going on, but that’s all good stuff.
“From my point of view, it’s another home and away game that we want to win.
‘‘If we don’t, we will look at why we didn’t and take something from it. We will certainly put our best 22 out there.”
Thrush has already equalled the club’s 2013 win tally in his first year as Albanvale coach.
He was full of praise for associate coach Adam Borg, who he said had been fantastic to work with.
“It has worked well,” Thrush said.
“I was heavily involved in cricket and there was a proviso that if I was going to take the job, I would need help early in the year.
“Adam’s been fantastic.
“I will be pushing as hard as I can to keep him, because he has been great.”
