Ex-AFL, VFL talents lead Sunbury to come-from-behind win over North Ballarat

Sunbury launched a second-half comeback to successfully kick start its Ballarat league season, unveiling ex-AFL and VFL talents.

Former Essendon draftee Cody Brand impressed for Sunbury. Picture: Daniel Pockett

An Essendon draftee and two returning VFL talents helped spark Sunbury to a come-from-behind win over North Ballarat on Saturday.

The Lions kicked off their Ballarat Football Netball League campaign with an 11-point win at Clarke Oval, overturning a 20-point half-time deficit.

Cody Brand, playing his first game since being drafted by Essendon in 2020, and Josh Guthrie and Mitch Lewis, back full-time from VFL commitments, were critical in the 10.15 (75) to 9.10 (64) victory.

Drafted as a key defender, Brand impressed in attack and kicked 1.4.

“As a target forward of the footy he was sensational, he really provided us what we’ve been missing,” Sunbury coach Travis Hodgson said.

Harry Power was one of Sunbury’s best. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

“His inaccuracy probably cost him a spot in the best but he definitely made us look a better side.

“He actually surprised me when he came to the club – he’s obviously learnt a bit in two years at an AFL club, even though he was playing as a defender, he was playing on good forwards – and has good forward craft.

“He looks fairly natural as a forward and it’s a needs thing really, we’ve struggled to score over the years and struggled for a big target.”

Meanwhile, Guthrie and Lewis will be full-time for Sunbury this season after being VFL-listed by North Melbourne and Port Melbourne last season.

The pair were dynamic in midfield and have been big additions through pre-season with their experience and leadership.

“Josh was sensational, to the eye he was clearly the best player on the ground and the numbers reinforced that,” Hodgson said.

“He’s had 44 touches and 25 contested and gone at, I think, 89 per cent, he was everywhere.

“He was well supported by Mitch around the footy and to have those two full-time compared to four or five games and no at training has been a significant win for us.

“I think Mitch played five last year and Josh four, so it’s a big difference and you wouldn’t even see them on Thursday night.”

Despite having the same number of scoring shots at half-time, Sunbury trailed by 20 points – kicking 2.6 to North Ballarat’s 6.2.

Stewart Crameri in action for Geelong in the VFL. Picture: Arj Giese

The Lions turned it around after half-time, making more of their midfield dominance to kick five unanswered goals in the third term to take a nine-point lead at half-time.

North Ballarat was back in front early in the last but Sunbury rallied again, much to the relief of Hodgson after a number of close losses in 2022.

“We lost a lot of close games last year, so to be in that situation for the first time this year and come out with four points is a really positive sign,” he said.

“They took the lead back early in the fourth and then to find a way to win, fair to say, wasn’t the norm last year.

“We actually liked how we were travelling at half-time.

“I thought we were on top through the middle of the ground, they just had a couple of defenders that were marking the footy and looked more dangerous inside 50m.

“When you’re three goals down at half-time you feel the need to change but the numbers reinforced what we were doing – we were plus-10 inside 50m and had the same amount of scoring shots.”

Four players made their club debuts; Josiah Garisto, Bryce Caldone, Patrick Doyle and Rivva Karpany.

For North Ballarat Harry Loader was named best afield, while Stewart Crameri impressed in his first game since 2019.

The former Essendon, Western Bulldogs and Geelong star rolled through midfield and showed his class with the opening goal of the game.

“He’s big and strong and played predominantly in the midfield,” Hodgson said of Crameri.

“I heard (Brendan) McCartney on the radio say he’s in the top few aerobically, he’s 33-34 and hasn’t played since 2019, and the quickest player at the club.

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“We had the first 10 minutes of play, the first time they went forward he jumped on someone’s back and then slotted it from outside 50m into the breeze.

“When they get up and running and can afford to leave him forward, I think he’ll be a horrible match-up – he’s a really good get.”

Elsewhere, Darley travelled to Ballarat and picked up a 40-point win over the Swans, Melton smashed Melton South by 161 points, Sebastopol hammered Bacchus Marsh by 121 and Redan were 92-point winners over Lake Wendoree on Good Friday.

Sunbury hosts reigning premier Melton at Clarke Oval in Round 2 in a massive test of the Lions’ capability.