Inside the match winning move for West Coburg

West Coburg kept its perfect record alive thanks to a goal after the siren on Saturday but it might not have come without a bold move from the Burgers’ coaching staff.

Everything West Coburg is turning to gold in season 2023.

And it’s on the back of some bold coaching moves.

On Saturday, the Burgers kept their perfect record alive as Jesse Martini kicked truly after the siren to break Deer Park hearts 11.15 (81) to 11.10 (76).

It was a win which gave coach Dale May and his players a three-game buffer at the top of the Essendon District league Division 1 ladder as last season’s grand finalists made it 12 wins on the trot.

In the heat of the final quarter, May and his coaching staff made one of the bravest moves of the season, taking the league’s leading goalkicker, Omar Saad, out of the forward line.

It came after Deer Park hit the front with less than five minutes to play.

Dale May, coach of West Coburg.Photo: Hamish Blair

“It’s never happened in my time, I’ve never been part of it or seen it. It’s pretty special when it happens,” May said in a post-game interview on the club’s Facebook page.

“We brought Omar Saad off the ground, the leading goalkicker, just to create a bit more space and a bit more chaos for the defenders.

“The will for these guys, they just want this premiership more than anything. It’s a special group to coach, especially the reserves they’re moving the ball as well as the seniors.

“They (Deer Park) had plenty of run, we just let them run through the middle of the ground, they linked up better than us.

“I said to the boys we’ll watch the tape on Tuesday night and see where we can go better.

“The club is moving in the right direction.”

Ibrahim Taha continued his magnificent run of form in front of goal with four majors to take his tally to 13 in his last three outings.

Anastasis Dounias, Mohammed Abou-Eid and Martini were the other multiple goalscorers.

May said Taha, who returned from Airport West before the start of the season, was continuing to thrive on his opportunities.

“Ibby Taha is creating headaches for everybody,” he said.

“Especially when he is getting the second or best third defender, any other side he would get the best defender.

“Having Omar Saad and Rui Cleary there now creates chaos for the opposition.”

Donnacadh Cleary continued his brilliant season with his contested work a feature of his performance.

Patrick McCallum, Tom McCrostie, Tom Baravi and Liam Bowkett also impressed as the Burgers underlined their premiership favouritism.

“After the game I said he would have had 10 to 12 tackles, easy,” May said of Cleary.

“And the tackles stick, that’s the credit to these boys. We would have 80 tackles again today, you don’t lose many games when you have 80 tackles.

“Tom Baravi was super again today (as well).”

EDFL footy: East Keilor v West Coburg: Ibrahim Tahaof West Coburg marks Saturday, June 19, 2021, in East Keilor, Victoria, Australia. Picture: Hamish Blair

With top spot all but now secured, May hinted at planning a run at the premiership in the coming weeks.

They’ll next face last placed Glenroy.

“I think a few of them will need a break next week, a lot of them are sore,” he said.

“Being three games clear, I didn’t see it coming at the start of the year, to the boys credit, it’s where we want to be.”

Deer Park will face third placed St Albans.