Better Burra a danger

By Brad Kingsbury
KEYSBOROUGH coach Greg Siwes predicted that his side would be an even harder unit to beat this season after it demolished the challenge from ROC by 110 points in its first official hitout for 2008.
Siwes said several areas had been targeted during pre-season including pace around the ground, fitness and attitude, with the Burra players responding and acknowledging that they could improve further in those and other areas.
“We’re a lot quicker and it’s a matter of winning more positions on the ground. They have worked hard (over pre-season) to improve in those areas,” he said.
“I don’t reckon this group will get flogged this year like we did a couple of times last year and that’s the difference.
“I believe we’re a good side and opposition always look to beat good sides so it’s a great prospect.”
If the Keysborough players continue to put their work into action, there is no doubt that they have the talent to go one or two spots better than the last two seasons.
Saturday’s game was a good contest until mid way through the second quarter, with the home side attacking the ball hard and taking it right up to their more fancied opponents.
ROC came out in an attacking frame of mind and looked as though they had something to prove after an unhappy pre-season.
They had a good go for the first quarter and a half and led by two goals mid-way through the second term, before the Burra’s obvious edge in skill and experience took over.
Delivery to key forwards Luke McGuinness and Matthew Freeman (both ending the day with seven goals) became slicker, while Shaun Daly, Corey Wilkinson and Kris Fowler all started the season in good fettle.
After half time it was all one way traffic and coach Greg Siwes was content with the effort.
“I’m pretty happy with that,” he said.
“After half time we moved the ball well and switched the play.
“I think the club is heading in the right direction and we’ve got some kids that are showing really good signs”.
ROC was well served by veterans including Mick Moylen, Ben Tivendale and Craig Eagleton, while youngster Neil Adams also made the step up with aplomb.
Coach Ben Delarue was philosophical but not disheartened afterwards.
“We just couldn’t contain them in the end. They were just too good for us,” he said.
“They ran the ball extremely well after half time. I thought we won a lot of the in and under stuff but we let ourselves down with our delivery in to the forward line.
“We had four under 18 kids play and eight new players made their senior debuts
“I was happy with the way we went under the circumstances. I knew we would run out of petrol tickets but there were some good signs.”
In other results, reigning premiers Narre Warren stormed home to down Doveton by two goals at a packed Robinson Reserve, with Magpie star Brett Evans booting six goals.
The game was a cracker from start to finish with the Doves breaking free and shooting out to a 20-point lead with under 10 minutes remaining, only to take their foot off the pedal and allow five unanswered Narre Warren goals through their defence in a stunning finishing burst.
Other winners in round two of Casey Cardinia league football were Beaconsfield over Devon Meadows, Pakenham over Tooradin and Hampton Park who fell over the line by two points against Berwick thanks to a goal after the final siren to captain Josh Taylor.