EDFL: Shaun McKernan kicks eight as Tullamarine accounts for Hillside

An ex-AFL forward produced one of the “most dominant” local footy displays seen by his coach as he continued a remarkable season.

Shaun McKernan’s Essendon District league dominance is to continuing to amaze onlookers.

The former three-club AFL forward took his game to another level of Saturday as Tullamarine scored an impressive 14.17 (101) to 8.9 (57) win over Hillside finishing with 8.6.

He now sits at the top of the EDFL Division 1 goalkicking charts with 44 majors for the season, one clear of Hillside’s Josh Covelli.

And there’s every reason to suggest he’s leading the league medal count — McKernan has been named in the Demons’ best in all 11 games he has played.

“Without trying to talk it up too much, I’d say it was the most dominant display I’ve seen from a big man and I’ve been coaching for 14 years,” Tullamarine coach David Connell said.

“We don’t keep stats but I think he would have easily taken 25 marks. It could have been a huge day if he had of kick straight as well. Shaun’s extremely unselfish and gave off three into the goalsquare when he saw teammates in better positions.

“As a group we talk about seeking excellence and he is always the person driving that. He’s pushing not just the playing group to get better but the coaching staff as well.

“I don’t think I could speak any higher of the impact he’s had since coming back to the club.”

Shaun McKernan has been in dominant form for Tullamarine. Picture: Stuart Milligan

McKernan’s display capped off an emphatic response from the Demons who snuck across the line against battlers Moonee Valley a week earlier.

Connell said the pressure was put on the playing group at training to get back to its best.

“The most pleasing aspect of the game was the way we went about it, not so much the result,” he said.

“Our pressure and effort around the footy was much better than against Moonee Valley. We pride ourselves on that area of the game so we needed to be better then the week before.

“Despite being down at quarter-time I thought we started the game really well and were in control. We missed some opportunities we should have kicked from about 30m out throughout the game and that kept them in it.

“That’s probably the only real negative I thought we had.”

Tullamarine coach David Connell.Picture: Stuart Milligan

Michael Dalrymple, Philip Smith, Kirk Lang, Steve Vocale and Brandon Marlow also impressed for Tullamarine as it kept touch with ladder leader Airport West.

The pair are only separated by percentage with a 11-1 record.

Next, Tullamarine faces West Coburg in a game Connell described as a “real opportunity”.

“If we win, we’ll go three games clear in second spot and go a long way to locking away a top-two finish,” he said.

“I don’t think there is a harder road trip in this division. You know it’s always going to be a physical game where you have to be right on your game in the contest.

“It’s a cliche but it’s an eight-point game”.

For Hillside, Covelli finished with three goals while Joe Careless and Mitch Hearne impressed.

The Sharks will next take on Rupertswood.