EFNL Division 2 2024: Why Templestowe’s best is emerging according to coach Nick Batsanis
It’s three wins on the bounce for Templestowe, with the Eastern Division 2 outfit improving on a key area of concern across the past month.
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Templestowe senior coach Nick Batsanis is optimistic his side’s best is starting to take shape.
The Dockers consolidated in fourth spot in their 4 v. 5 Division 2 bout with Ringwood on Saturday, winning 13.8 (86) to 7.7 (49) at Jubilee Park.
The visitors turned a 14-point quarter-time lead into a five-goal buffer at the main break.
Batsanis said his side had improved defensively across the past four weeks, winning its past three matches.
“We’ve done a hell of a lot of work on defence – we felt like earlier in the year we were conceding a lot of uncontested marks and that was the way we were playing and defending,” he said.
“Over the last four weeks we’ve tried to bridge that gap and we’ve stopped sides from taking plus 60 or 70 marks against us – and we’ve held teams to a low score as well which is pleasing.
“We feel like offensively we’re good enough – but defensively we felt like we needed to do a little bit more work around controlling momentum.”
But it hasn’t been the only area of improvement.
“What’s helped us over the last four weeks is the scoreboard pressure we’ve put on,” Batsanis said.
“We’ve kicked a hell of a lot of points in the front half of the year … kicking 12.18s and 8.15s and 16s, you’re never going to win games of footy.”
Former VFL midfielder Michael Fogarty was best-afield for the Dockers on Saturday – his seventh nod in the best players this season from nine showings.
“You can’t hold a good player down – he’s our midfield bull,” Batsanis said.
“With ‘Fog’ in the side, guys walk taller. Not only this year, but ever since he came to the footy club.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Fasanella bagged five goals alongside Bailey Griffiths with two.
“It was good to see Fasanella put a score on the board for us, we feel he’s very dangerous up forward. He reads the play really well and he’s quite dynamic,” Batsanis said.
“Bailey Griffiths is starting to understand his role up forward in the ruck – up forward he’s becoming a bit of a problem for backs because of his height.”
The Dockers will be without Josh Warren (overseas) for the next two matches after the young gun had fired in the opening half of the campaign.
“Up until Round 9, he’s been a standout averaging 30-plus a game and kicking a couple of goals which has been really pleasing for a young kid coming through,” Batsanis said.
Templestowe hosts The Basin this weekend, with the Bears hunting their first win at the foot of the table. A date with reigning premier and ladder-leader Boronia at Tormore Reserve follows – and Batsanis is confident his side’s best stacks up.
The Dockers boast a 6-4 record.
“If we’re off by five or 10 per cent, we give teams a shot to beat us, (but) I still think our best is good enough,” Batsanis said.
“I feel like we’re starting to hit our straps – we’ve changed a lot of our offence and defence but I feel like what we’ve learned in the front half of the year will hold us in good stead in the back half.”
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