Thorpdale wins four matches in a row after ending barren run

A country club has gone from one of the longest losing streaks in the state to a four-game winning run. Find out how the club bounced back.

Thorpdale has its eyes set on finals after one of the most remarkable turnarounds in country football.

The Mid Gippsland league club has gone from struggling to win a game to being one of the in-form teams in the competition.

On Saturday, the team defeated Toora by 103 points at Thorpdale Recreation Reserve in its biggest win in years and fourth win in a row.

It follows the team losing 17 games in a row from Round 2 last year to Round 3 this year.

The return to form has come down to the return of Blues junior and former Essendon midfielder Jason Winderlich.

He’s returned to coach the club after playing a few games last year and has provided an instant impact.

Thorpdale FNC coach Jason Winderlich. Picture: Paul Amy

“He’s working with my son (Ray), they are working together,” Thorpdale president Keith Pickering said.

“They are good mates and it helps when you have got an AFL standard coach, it is easier to attract players.”

The team, through Winderlich, was able to get more than half a dozen recruits come to the club with Matt Powell returning after playing in Gladstone last year.

Powell kicked seven goals in the match against Toora, taking his total to 34 for the season.

“My son might have had trouble getting the right and better players to the club,” Pickering said.

“He’s (Winderlich) been able to convince them to play.”

Pickering revealed the team was slow out of the blocks this season, which led to three straight losses.

But now it is starting to find form.

“We’re only training one night a week,” Pickering said.

“We knew we were going to have a slow start, we didn’t have any practice matches.

“So 12 of the blokes never played together (until Round 1).

“They are just starting to come good and getting used to playing together.”

Thorpdale being 4-3 after seven rounds is roughly where Pickering thought the team would be.

But he was surprised with how the team was able to beat Toora by a big margin.

“We got them on a day where their captain coach was unavailable, he’s their best player by a mile,”

“We haven’t had a win like that in years.

“I’ve been president six years and we’ve never had a win while I’ve been president like that.”

The only issue for the club is Winderlich not playing as much as he’d like to with a hamstring injury.

Pickering said his knowledge of the game, on and off the field, has had a major impact on the club.

Thorpdale FNC president Keith Pickering. Picture: Paul Amy

“Jason has had trouble with his hammies and keeping on the ground, he’s only played a couple of quarters,” he said.

“When he is out there, he is very knowledgeable and he knows what his game plan and as long and the players keep to his game plan they’ll keep winning.

“All is looking good going forwards, but we’re not going to have a win like that every week.”

Pickering hopes the run of form can push them into the finals for the first time since 2018.

“We’re in the six now, we’ve just got to keep there,” he said.

“I think if we can pick up another player or two, potentially a centre back, you never know (how far we can go).”

Thorpdale play Stony Creek away from home this Saturday.

Originally published as Thorpdale wins four matches in a row after ending barren run