Tara Murray
Altona coach Corey McCall has been slightly surprised by his side’s start to the Western Region Football League division 1 season.
While the Vikings entered the season as the reigning premiers, a number of off season departures meant a very different looking side is taking to the field.
Despite this, the Vikings are one of two teams to be undefeated after five rounds.
“We can not complain,” McCall said. “We’re really happy considering the draw that we have.
“We play Point Cook, Werribee Districts and Caroline Springs three times each.
“That’s nine games out of your 18, it means a lot for us to get early wins if we’re going to make finals.
McCall said he had been expecting the team to take some time to gel, considering how young they are this season.
He said they are still to hit their straps but their had been some good signs.
“It’s going to take some time to get things going,” he said. “The guys have been really professional in their approach to the game plan.
“We still have some up and down moments, like in the third quarter on Saturday against Caroline Springs, but we’ve played some good footy.”
McCall said the win against the Lakers on Saturday had been their most complete performance so far.
The Vikings jumped out of the blocks and led by 21 points quarter time and the same margin at the main break.
That margin was reduced to just eight points at the last break.
Four goals to one sealed a 12.12 (84)-8.6 (54) win.
“We started really well and were able to execute in the second quarter,” McCall said.
“Unfortunately in the third we didn’t execute what we wanted to be able to. We reassessed and were able to get it back on our terms.”
Mitchell Vandenberg and Ethan Taylor kicked two goals each for the Vikings.
McCall said Josh Bench and Taylor were their best two.
He also made mention of the games of a couple of the younger players.
“Cooper Atchison and Colby Redpath are a couple of young guys in the ruck,” McCall said.
“They battled it out against Liam Read and were a bit out of their depth in terms of size.”
It’s a second big win for the Vikings in two weeks after beating Point Cook last week.
The tests continue this week as the Vikings now face the other undefeated team in the competition, Werribee Districts in a rematch of last season’s grand final.
McCall said they were looking forward to the challenge.
“We have great respect for them,” he said. “We’ve had some good battles and we face them again after the grand final.
“It should be a cracking game of football.”
In other matches, Spotswood made it two in a row, beating Yarraville Seddon Eagles 14.10 (94)-9.13 (67).
Point Cook Centrals got its first win of the season against Hoppers Crossing, while Werribee Districts snuck home against Point Cook.
