St Mary’s coach Con Borg believes his side’s one-point win against Epping could go down as its most important of the season.
The Burra now sit eight points clear in third spot on the Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 ladder.
With an 8-3 record after Round 12, the Burra are just one game and percentage off the top-two – albeit having played an extra game – and now have something bigger to strive for than just a finals berth.
“If we had dropped the Epping game, we still would’ve been in a pretty good position to make finals but it probably would’ve ruled out top-two,” Borg told NFL.org.au.
“It was important to get that win on the weekend just for our guys to stay focused because now they have that aim that top-two is still a possibility.”
Four of the past five matches played between Epping and St Mary’s have been decided by less than a kick, and while the previous four results went the Blues’ way, Borg said it was a focus on defensive pressure that allowed the Burra to prevail on Saturday.
“For whatever reason we always seem to play really close games so it was good to get that win,” Borg said.
“In this case I think it was the way we set up defensively. It sounds a bit silly because they had more scoring shots than us but I think we looked a little bit more dangerous going inside 50.
“Down back was probably where it was won. I’d say our defence held up really well.”
The Burra still have ladder-leaders Banyule and South Morang to come in the next six weeks – two other scalps Borg believes need to be taken before the finals in order to gain a mental edge.
“We still have to play both of those sides so we have a chance there (to close-in on the ladder-leaders),” he said.
“It’s going to be tough because there’s a game and a fair bit of percentage separating us as well. Hopefully we can go 1-1 with those sides like we did with Epping at the weekend which will be really important for us.
“If we get top-two it’s a bonus, but if we can just get into the finals with at least a 50-50 record against those sides above us then we’re pretty confident with the side we’re putting out.”
After a 0-2 start to the year, St Mary’s has now won eight of its past nine matches ahead of a trip to Kilmore this weekend. It will be the first time the Burra have ventured to J.J Clancy Reserve since the opening round of 2016.
“We enjoyed the win on the weekend but now we’ve got to challenge ourselves and make sure there is no let down against Kilmore,” Borg said.
“They’re going to throw everything at us so we have to be ready for it.”
After the Kilmore trip, the Burra take on bottom-placed Reservoir before travelling to Banyule in Round 15, where Borg hopes his side will put up a better showing than its 37-point loss in Round 3.
“We lost to Banyule (in Round 3) coming off a three-week break, so we really don’t know how much effect that had on us,” he said. “You look through the fixture and everyone who has had that three-week break earlier in the year has lost in that return game.”
But it’s mainly all positives at Whatmough Park. The club is on track for its second-successive finals series, while many players shown great improvement and have taken a leap in their careers to assist reigning best and fairest Dillan Ronalds.
“Dillan has definitely been a good player, but I think we’ve become a better side because we’re not relying on him so much. This season he is really showing his versatility,” Borg said of his club captain.
