EDFL 2018: East Sunbury to meet Roxburgh Park in Division 2 grand final

One of East Sunbury’s gun midfielders could miss this weekend’s EDFL Division 2 decider after being reported for striking. The Thunder hammered Northern Saints in the preliminary final.

East Sunbury's Tom Cree has been referred directly to the tribunal. Picture: Josie Hayden

EAST Sunbury entered its maiden finals foray having to win three sudden-death fixtures to hoist the Essendon District Football League Division 2 silverware.

The Thunder has one task to tick off to complete a remarkable premiership triumph after destroying Northern Saints in Saturday’s preliminary final.

Glenn Hopkins’ team powered its way to a 71-point victory to consign the minor premier to a straight-sets exit and set up a grand final appointment with Roxburgh Park at Windy Hill this weekend.

Hopkins said East Sunbury, riding the momentum of four wins in succession, was capable of going all the way after rebounding from the resignation of former coach Steve Grey earlier this year.

Roxburgh Park prevailed by a solitary point when the pair last met in Round 17 and holds a 2-1 advantage over the Thunder in clashes this season.

However, East Sunbury will be sweating on the outcome of a striking report laid against midfielder Tom Cree, who will front the tribunal this week.

Cree has been referred straight to the tribunal with no set penalty offered.

“The brand of footy we played (on Saturday) is perfect for dry grounds and just the occasion,” Hopkins said.

“We just need to make sure we play the way we want to play.

“They (Roxburgh Park) are a really disciplined, strong side, so we’ve got to play to open the game up and really take the game on.

“That’s going to be our No. 1 (priority), to not be scared of anything.”

East Sunbury dominated from the first bounce on Saturday, piling on 11 first-half goals to establish a 55-point lead at the main break.

It continued to dictate terms in the second half at Coburg City Oval on the way to an 18.13 (121) to 7.8 (50) victory.

Hopkins heaped praise on his defence, while big man Jorden Braddy and midfielder Brad Bernacki also starred. Kamen Ogilvie contributed four majors.

While the margin may have surprised many, Hopkins was not one of them.

“We were always confident if we stayed disciplined and played the way we wanted to play that that could’ve happened, and it did,” he said.

“We played our brand of footy all day and got the result, so we weren’t surprised at all.”

Hopkins, who took over as coach in June and has been reappointed for 2019, heaped praise on his players.

“There’s lots of young guys, and young players are ready to learn,” he said.

“They’re very adaptable and resilient. We’ve been able to really get that into them.

“They had that before, but we just needed to calm them down, get them back to where they wanted to be, and the last couple of months have been excellent. Their football is really growing.”