EDFL 2019: Mick McGuane’s Keilor beats Aberfeldie to stay undefeated

With former AFL legend Mick McGuane at the helm, a western suburbs club improved its record to 15-0 and moved a step closer to an unblemished season after a final-quarter blitz gave it a convincing win over its main flag rival on the weekend.

Keilor had the better of Aberfeldie in a tough contest. Picture: Jamie Morey

Indomitable Keilor is just three wins away from a perfect home-and-away season in EDFL Premier Division after cementing its position as flag favourite with a convincing victory over rival Aberfeldie on Saturday.

With four points separating the powerhouse clubs at each break of their top-of-the-table clash at Clifton Park, The Blues piled on seven goals to two in the final term to prevail by 37 points and extend their winning run to 15 games.

Keilor and Aberfeldie have met in two of the past three grand finals, winning one each, while Abers had an unblemished year in 2015.

While acutely aware there is still a long way to go, Blues coach Mick McGuane said he had turned his attention to the prospect of completing a remarkable achievement.

Brett Stillman lays a big tackle for Keilor. Picture: Jamie Morey

“You’ve got your eye on it, in the view that it’s a reality,” McGuane said.

“It can happen and we’re in control of that. But we also know there’s bigger fish to fry come finals.

“We know we’re in that position, after having enough wins three or four weeks ago, to be part of the September action. But I suppose the add on to that — perfect season, premiers — is something that would be looked back on in the history of time as a great achievement.

“I don’t subscribe to dropping a game for the sake of reinvigorating the group going into a finals campaign. That’s not just the way the competitor thinks, or should.

“Winning is a habit as far as I’m concerned and if we can continue to do what we do well, play the manner we’re playing, that might be an add on to what we’re all about — and that’s to try and give ourselves every chance to win a premiership.”

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McGuane dismissed last year’s 61-point grand final defeat as “irrelevant”.

But his Blues have positioned themselves strongly for a shot at redemption and a third premiership under his guidance.

Keilor has knocked off Abers by a combined margin of 73 points in their two meeting this year, giving them plenty to ponder.

The visitors powered to a 12.11 (83) to 6.10 (46) victory on Saturday, with their midfield dominance proving telling in the latter stages as skipper Kane Barbuto, Dylan Joyce and David Isbister all shone.

David Gourdis kept Jayden Foster goalless, while Billy Iles did the same to Josh Pound.

Stefan Radovanovic and Jesse Wallin also starred in the defensive half, while at the other end Matthew Clark bagged four goals and Dean Galea three.

“It was a pretty tough contest all day,” McGuane said.

“To have 10 shots to two (in the last quarter) to close out the game was emphatic.

“I thought we were pretty strong generally through that midfield part of the ground, knowing full well there was going to be a lot of stoppages due to the conditions.

“In those conditions, you want to simplify it the best you can, win it at the source, get territory … and by game’s end the inside-50 count was pretty defining.

“That was on the back of our midfield group with our ruck combination we used with a bit of (Jay) White, Clark and (Todd) Stevenson.”

Keilor will next meet finals contender Greenvale away from home.

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