By Tyler Lewis
Narre Warren coach Shane Dwyer is fully aware of the old footy cliché: premierships aren’t won in June.
And while the Pies have been basically flawless after eight rounds, Dwyer isn’t inspiring his boys by the prospect of matching the heroics of the 2012 and 2013 Narre Warren side that won 36 successive matches, but warning them that they have seen great sides unravel before.
“We have addressed a few times the fact that in 2019 Berwick were in a similar position and it got taken away from them by us at the end,” he said.
“We just remind them we don’t want to be arrogant, we’re winning, we’re winning well, but at the end of the day – there is a lot of blokes in that side that haven’t played in grand finals or premierships.
“The drive is there for them and to their credit they have been really good, they turn up every night for training.
“Last Tuesday night for training we had about 40 guys on the track, it was teaming down with rain, their attitude has been first class.
“We keep touching on it, and there is no arrogance in that group, they are just keen to play well, get better and win every week.”
The Pies walloped Upwey Tecoma, 22.18 (150) to 2.6 (18), on Saturday in the sides biggest win of the season.
So far this season, Narre Warren has kicked 100 points on all seven appearances; hold an average score of 133, concede an average of 57 and have a current winning margin of 76 points.
With the numbers reflecting some fine coaching, Dwyer believes the side is very player driven and never need to wait for motivation.
“I am really big on it being player driven,” he said.
“Not relying on me to motivate them week-in-week-out, we’ve got really good leaders.
“We give them a fair bit of rein at training, in game, they adapt on the run – they don’t wait for me to send the runner out.
“The leaders drive it, I have been rapt with how the leaders, there is six of them and probably even more to be honest, that take ownership at training and on game day.
“They have been first class with that.”
The Pies under-19’s and reserves are also undefeated, which has led to great competition for spots.
Dwyer debuted three more on the weekend, pushing the club’s senior debutant tally to nearly double-figures.
“We have probably had up to four guys out every round this year, that would generally play senior footy,” he said.
“You have to look to see who’s playing well, we have always promoted kids from the nineteens, we played seven last year, we played nine games and seven under-19’s.
“They’re playing well, you have to reward them and give them a taste of it and hopefully they kick on.
“One young kid from the under-19’s, my nephew, Daniel Toner; Bailey Mayworm came up from the twos, his first year of senior footy out of the under-19’s and they both hit the scoreboard and did a job for us.”
In other results across Premier Division; Olinda Ferny Creek inflicted further pain on Mt Evelyn 23.13 (151) to 10.18 (78); Monbulk had seven multiple goal-kickers and 13 individual goal-kickers in its 23.18 (156) to 4.3 (27) win over Officer and Pakenham went down to Woori Yallock 13.8 (86) to 7.16 (58).
