By Tyler Lewis
Gembrook Cockatoo is in roaring touch ahead of the Outer East Division One finals.
The Brookers have finished the marathon 21-round season with eight wins on the hop, the most recent over fellow-finals contender Berwick Springs.
“Yeah we are, but we have had players out too,” Brookers coach Brad Coller said of his side’s momentum.
“So we’ve done pretty well to maintain our form at the moment, considering the disruptions to our line-up.
“I think everything as of now goes back to zero anyway for the finals, so we start all over again and hope to maintain our line-up and get some consistency going forward.”
While the Brookers are finishing matches like a freight train, Coller isn’t prepared to label his side the fittest in the competition, instead announcing Saturday’s 15.11 (101) to 9.16 (70) win came from between the ears.
“I wouldn’t say we’re the fittest, I would say Berwick Springs are similar to us,” he said.
“They’re (Berwick Springs) a young group and pretty fit as well, but on the weekend it was just the third quarter that did the job.
“We kicked five goals to one I think it was, that was just concentration levels more so than fitness.”
Despite finishing as minor premiers, Coller will urge his players to maintain a balance between modesty and ambition.
“ I think the message will be one quarter at a time,” he revealed.
“Even one contest at a time, pretty much… we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but we still need to have eyes on the ultimate goal.
“We need to do what needs to be done to get there first, we’re very young, but we have a bit of experience, so we’re hoping that will guide us when it comes to the crunch.”
Myles Wareham booted five majors for the Brookers, to secure the league goal-kicking award ahead of Healesville’s Max Donegan.
The Brookers named Wareham, Michael Firrito, Joshua Tilly, Konner Allcott, Caleb Crestani, and Dean Smith as their best, while Blake Simondson, Dysan Morris, Jarrod Hocking, Nick Rattle, Jayden Malek and Corey Green were among Rodney Benstead’s best.
In the other matches across the competition; Seville got a bit of its mojo back against Healesville, whacking the Bloods 25.19 (169) to 8.4 (52).
Donegan kicked five of the visitors’ eight majors, while Rob Petracca slotted six for the Blues.
Emerald, meanwhile, recorded a triumphant win over Belgrave, 19.27 (141) to 2.7 (19).
The Bombers had 23 shots to half time and kept the Pies goalless up until the final stanza.
In next week’s opening round of finals, Gembrook Cockatoo and Seville will face off for a place in the grand final, while Berwick Springs and Emerald will play in a do-or-die final.
