EDFL 2019: Sunbury Kangaroos score 96-point win over Burnside Heights
Sunbury Kangaroos coach Anthony Leydin insists the EDFL club has not started planning for the prospect of contesting Division 1 in 2020 after they moved to 13-0 on Saturday.
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Raging flag favourite Sunbury Kangaroos are expecting to confront a much more formidable Coburg Districts this weekend when the competition’s in-form teams collide.
While the Kangaroos extended their undefeated run in EDFL Division 2 to 13 games with a thumping 96-point victory over premiership rival Burnside Heights on Saturday, the Lions have won their past five matches to move to third position.
When the pair met in Round 9, the league’s newest club powered its way to a 137-point victory.
But Kangaroos coach Anthony Leydin insists Saturday’s fixture at Cole Reserve will be a big test for his seemingly indomitable side.
“Coburg Districts are probably, as much as us, the form team at the moment,” Leydin said.
“They’re in a rich vein of form, having not lost a game since they last played us and knocking off Burnside and Moonee Valley, so we’re expecting a good contest.
“That will give us probably a clearer indication of where we’re at.
“Despite sitting on top of the ladder undefeated, there’s probably been five or six games throughout the year where there’s only been a kick in it at half-time, so I don’t think our dominance is as much as what people are making out.
“But at the same time, we like our chances.”
Sunbury Kangaroos boast a monster percentage of 321.62 and four victories by triple figures in 2019 — two of them coming against cellar-dweller Keilor Park.
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They will also face second-ranked Moonee Valley in Round 18, giving them a good tune up for finals.
Leydin said the club had not started planning for the prospect of contesting Division 1 in 2020.
“I think that would probably happen the day after (the grand final), should you know that’s the case,” he said.
“We’re not there yet and no one is. To jump ahead into that headspace would be setting yourself up for a bit of a fall.
“We’re just worried about finishing this season strongly and then hopefully having our list in good order to have a real strong attack on the flag.”
The Kangaroos booted 20 goals to four after quarter-time to sweep aside an injury-hit Burnside Heights 24.13 (157) to 9.7 (61) at home.
The winners had seven multiple goalkickers, headlined by Lachlan Baddeley (five), Michael Spooner (four) and David House (three).
Leydin said star midfielder Tierone Cuffe “just edged out” gun ruckman Brenton Sutherland for best-on-ground honours.
“It was a pretty dominant performance,” he said.
“Admittedly, Burnside ran out of a bench from probably about halfway through the third quarter and had a couple off from almost quarter-time onwards.
“We could only do what we could do, and I thought we did that well in the end, even though it wasn’t a pretty game.”
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