By Tyler Lewis
The belief is starting to build for Berwick Springs.
By knocking off ladder-leaders Seville, the Titans have remained six points clear in the top four and have now either drawn with, or defeated, each of the three teams above them.
In the last match between the Blues and Titans, the Blues stormed out of the blocks, piling on seven goals to Berwick Springs to ultimately secure victory.
This time around, Berwick Springs coach Rodney Benstead drilled the importance of a strong start into his side.
The group responded in the first, before carrying it on, kicking 11 of the first 14 goals of the game.
“We just looked at that first quarter,” Benstead said of his message to the players during the week.
“We probably weren’t hard enough around the contest, so they won the contest pretty convincingly and we went a little bit into our shell.
“We couldn’t get it on our terms, so we thought if we can win the contested ball, we can really back ourselves on the outside.
“We outscored them after quarter-time last time, so we knew we were building, we just knew we had to get off to a good start and that’s the way it panned out.”
The Titans recorded the 12.16 (88) to 7.4 (46) victory off the back of the first three terms, where they led 80 to 21 at the final break.
And despite holding off a Seville unit that was always expected to come, Benstead blamed himself for getting a bit excited about how his side had moved the footy prior to the final term against the breeze.
“It was probably my doing,” he laughed.
“We were kicking against the wind in the last quarter and I said let’s just take it on.
“Maybe we could’ve played a bit more defensive and locked it down, but the boys were excellent for four quarters and that’s what I was really proud of.
“It was consistent football and that’s what we’re trying to build, the sort of two months has been consistent, we want to implement our brand of football.
“Blooding young talent creates a really good vibe and it was probably the best vibe I have seen there this year, that sort of care for each other and sharing it.”
Young forward Tom Nelson has accounted for 39 goals this season, but has been quiet in the last three weeks against three contenders, to which Benstead has put down to his sides terrific depth, both on and off the field.
“You just want to have more than one avenue to goal, don’t you,” he said.
“We’ve got a young forward line, Dyson Morris, who is our line coach, I must admit I put a lot back on our players and they drive a lot of the standards now.
“To be a modern coach, I have three line coaches that play, they’re doing a fantastic job.
“I am one of those people that think if you surround yourselves with good people, good things happen.
“I have got a good team, they do a good job.”
In other results across Division One: Yarra Glen upset Healesville 10.10 (70) to 9.11 (65) and Gembrook Cockatoo torpedoed Belgrave in a shoot-out, 24.10 (154) to 15.10 (100).
In this weekend’s upcoming matches; two big wins are expected to come from Healesville and Seville against Belgrave and Yarra Glen respectively, while Gembrook Cockatoo will host Emerald in the match of the round.
