SEGAULLS LOCK IN TOP SPOT
BFL
A SEA of Barwon Heads hats at Howard Harmer Oval on Saturday had one certain year stitched into them.
1993 — the season of the Seagulls’ last premiership.
It’s been a long wait for the Barwon Heads faithful, but maybe, just maybe 2018 might turn out to be their year.
The Seagulls were at their clinical best in Saturday’s convincing 45-point win over premiership contender Geelong Amateur.
With just one loss this season, Barwon Heads is the best team in the competition. It is now the hunted, not the hunter.
The victory also all but assured the minor premiership will be headed back to Howard Harmer Oval in three weeks’ time.
“You probably can (feel the excitement around the club) as it comes closer to finals. There’s a lot more excitement around the place,” Barwon Heads co-coach Mitch Herbison said.
“But we’re just on improving each week. That’s our main goal at the moment.”
While Herbison is happy to let the Seagulls fans dare to dream, there is no way he will let his playing group get ahead of itself as the clock ticks down to finals.
Barwon Heads still has a tough fortnight to come with a blockbuster against Anglesea this week followed by a clash with finals hopeful Modewarre the round after.
Herbison knows both of those sides will be ready to pounce if the Seagulls drop their focus for just a second.
“It certainly gives us momentum,” Herbison said of the 12.17 (89) to 5.14 (44) win over Ammos.
“At the same time we have got some tough challenges ahead. Anglesea next week who are going along really well and Modda, who are in the same boat, the following week.
“So we can’t afford to get too far ahead of ourselves because we have some quality teams still to play.
“I think it’s great for the competition that it runs seven or eight deep in terms of teams that could play finals and beat anyone on their day.”
While the final margin suggests Barwon Heads was a pretty comfortable winner, Saturday’s match was far from easy. Ammos were in the hunt early in the third quarter, getting within 10 points before Barwon Heads responded with two quick goals to stretch the margin back out.
“It was a good effort. We knew coming into the game it was always going to be a tough challenge and that’s what we got from Ammos,” Herbison said.
“They were hard at the contest and with the talent they have, they make you pay for every mistake you make throughout the day. It was great we could stick at the task for four quarters and get the win.”
Mitch Phelps and Damien Horbury were dangerous up forward for Barwon Heads with three goals each, while Cam O’Leary provided plenty of outside run.
Matt O’Dwyer added his trademark grunt through midfield and Dylan Holland did a massive job of Ammos spearhead Mitch Day.
Zac Walter was the best Seagull on the ground.
“For us today it was probably a team effort. You could throw a blanket over 10 or 11 players that could have been in the best,” he said.
“That’s what we pride ourselves on each week and we make sure that’s the mentality we have. We don’t want it to be five or six guys, it’s 22 of us that get the job done.”