WEST PRESTON-LAKESIDE coach Frank Raso credited his young side’s defensive pressure and resilience for its surprise 12-point win over Bundoora at Yulong Reserve.
Fielding six players eligible for under-19s and a further two under-17 youngsters, the Roosters were still able to outlast the reigning premier in tough conditions in the 13.12 (90) to 11.12 (78) result.
Trailing by nine points during the last quarter, Raso’s men booted the final three goals of the game to claim their second win of the 2014 season, securing their place inside the top five on the Division 1 ladder.
The second-year coach said his side’s ability to sustain pressure without the football was a key factor in the victory.
“Our biggest challenge was going to be our work without the footy – our chase, our tackle our pressure. We’ve trained a lot on our defensive transition,” Raso said.
“To keep on top of a side at home was very pleasing, especially to come home in the last quarter.
“I really put it on the guys at three quarter time and demanded a little bit more from everyone to play better footy. We had 60 per cent of the contested ball to their 40 and we kicked 3.8 to their three or four scoring shots.”
West Preston-Lakeside’s back six were all instrumental in the victory, containing Bundoora to its lowest score of the season.
Talls Nathan Valladares and Kirk Lang were able to nullify the impact Cameron Cloke and Neil Gloury, while Ali Fahour, Joel McDonald, Travis Stevens and Luke McKenna all offered drive from the back half.
Electrifying forward Alroy Gilligan again thrilled the crowd with his high leaping and magical acts inside attacking 50.
He kicked a match-high four goals, including two in the final quarter, to take his season tally to 11 from three matches.
Raso said he was still looking for more refined performances from Gilligan, although he was happy with the last-quarter output of the new recruit.
“He’s still got some improvement but he’s definitely got some tricks,” Raso said.
“Our defensive side is something we’re big on and he had some harsh words spoken to him about doing that and he actually made two tackles inside forward 50 and one led to a goal.
“That was the pleasing thing, that he was doing the defensive work in the last quarter, even though it wasn’t there in the first three.
“He’s played well in the last quarter the past three weeks now. He’s definitely valuable for us.”
West Preston-Lakeside now sits fifth on the ladder, with two wins and a draw from its opening four matches.
Its record could well have been 4-0, but for a final quarter fadeout at Northcote Park in Round 1 and a wayward late snap from Glenn Robertson in the three-point defeat to Greensborough in Round 3.
Despite those missed opportunities, Raso said he was pleased with the way his club was tracking during the opening month of the season.
“For 90 per cent of the four games the guys have followed the coaches’ instructions and that’s really pleasing,” he said.
“We’ve definitely got the ability with the players we’ve got and their work rate without the footy to compete against the top two or three sides from the past year or two. I think the guys are starting to believe that a little bit.
“We need to win the games we’re expected to win and the Greensborough game last week was one we should be winning. We could easily have been four-zip or 2-2, but the boys are playing the way we’re asking them to play.”
A home game against bottom-placed Eltham awaits the Roosters in Round 5. Raso said it was paramount his side didn’t take its winless opponent for granted following such an impressive win at Bundoora.
“There’s no doubt that my message this week to the boys is to not get too over confident and to get the process back in place,” he said.
“We don’t just deserve to win against Eltham who aren’t travelling so good simply because we beat Bundoora. We’ve got to go out there and do it all again. The process has to be reinforced and we’ll have a hard week on the track.”
