Braybrook’s finals hopes received a big boost with a hard fought win against Sunshine Heights in the Western Football League division 2 competition.
Four teams are fighting for two finals spots including both the Brookers and the Dragons in the close middle part of the table.
Saturday’s win for the Brookers has them in the top five, a game clear of Sunshine Heights and Albanvale.
Brookers coach Geoff Maddern said their season had been on the line for a number of weeks.
“It’s very much so (in our own hands),” he said. “It has been like that for a few weeks.
“It’s definitely in our own hands now. We’ve been treating every week as a little bit of a final, exactly what yesterday [Saturday] was.”
It was a game of patches on Saturday with the game going down to the wire.
The Brookers led by 27 points at the first break before the margin was reduced to just two points at the final break.
Five goals to three in the final quarter ensured the Brookers walked about with a 14.12 (96)-11.16 (82) win.
“It was a tight tussle,” Maddern said. “It was one of those games where we started really well and Sunny Heights bounced back in the second and third quarters.
“It was a real arm wrestle in the last quarter. It was fantastic.”
Maddern said they adjusted the way they moved the ball into their forward line in the last quarter having played into the Dragons’ hands early in the game.
He said he thought that was the difference in the end.
Brandon Austin kicked five goals in a best on ground performance, while Jack Vivian chipped in with four goals.
Maddern said both were among their best along with Justin Condos.
He said the backline was also really strong across the day in a good team performance.
The Brookers’ hard run doesn’t let up.
They face ladder leaders Wyndhamvale this Saturday before facing another finals hopeful in the Suns in the final round.
Maddern knows if they make finals they would have deserved to be there.
“It’s not easy to take on Wyndhamvale,” he said. “It’s a tough one and then the Suns game could be telling.
“We take it week by week. It’s been a good season and nice even around our area.
“We were a bit inconsistent to start the year, but we’ve started gelling well.
“I thought we might be better in the second half of the year once we got to know each other and we are much better.”
In other results, the Suns had a big win against Tarneit, Albanvale accounted for the Western Rams, North Footscray beat Laverton, while Wyndhamvale was too good for West Footscray.
