By Lance Jenkinson
North Footscray has resuscitated its season with a much-needed 19-point win over Manor Lakes in the Western Region Football League division 2 at Howqua Reserve on Saturday.
The Devils had been ruing a combination of factors that had them lurking in the lower reaches of the ladder as injuries, inexperience and a bit of bad luck has followed the team.
With just two wins from eight starts, Devils player-coach Jonathan Miller admitted it was a “relief” to get back into the winners’ circle.
“The general talent we’re playing with isn’t as deep as it used to be last year, but the application is still there,” he said.
“The boys deserve that win.
“I’ve been reinforcing the message that we’re eight games in and we’ve been in front at half-time in five that we’ve lost.
“To lose two games in the last 30 seconds is tough.
“It’s one of those seasons where we quite easily could have been 5-3, but unfortunately we’re sitting at 2-6.”
The young guns stepped up to the plate for North Footscray in the win over Manor Lakes.
Key forward James Waters was the pick of the bunch with five goals.
“He’s starting to work out his own bag of tricks,” Miller said.
“He’s as good on the deck as what he is in the contested mark situation.
“He’s quick off the mark, he’s got a great leap, a great set of hands and a great kick, so once he learns how to utilise all those strings, he’s going to be a phenomenal player.”
The Vorano brothers – Brody and Jack – were again big contributors for North Footscray.
Jack spent time both at a half-forward and on the ball in an impressive showing.
“He’s stayed confident when things don’t go his way early, so that maturity is starting to come through,” Miller said.
Brody was arguably best-on-ground for his impact across half-forward and capped a fine game with a goal.
Adam Petridis, Troy Manolis and Miller were among the best, while Manolis and Joel Richardson kicked two goals apiece.
North Footscray’s win had nothing to do with the individual and all to do with the team.
“I think it was more the way we structured up as a team,” Miller said.
“We forced them into errors.”
North Footscray will get no better opportunity to close the gap on the top four than on Saturday when it hosts fourth-placed Parkside at Hansen Reserve.
Miller lamented the lack of a true four-quarter performance so far this season.
If they ever needed 120 minutes of their top shelf football, it is now.
“A lot of it comes down to us, it’s mental application, it’s between the ears,” he said.
Elsewhere in division 2, Parkside ran out 39-point winners over Newport with Brent Kelly kicking five goals.
West Footscray sunk to a 27-point defeat to Point Cook Centrals.
In division 1, Altona cruised to a 178-point victory over Albion in a clash of the top-versus-bottom sides.
Spotswood, led by seven goals from Mitchell Coleman, had a 176-point win over newly promoted Point Cook.
In division 3, Laverton secured its first win since the season opener, beating North Sunshine by 30 points.
