Eltham coach Mario Bandera looking for consistency after win against Montmorency in NFL Division 1

ELTHAM coach Mario Bandera believes he will get an indication of any improvement his side has made this weekend against Bundoora.

Eltham coach Mario Bandera. Picture: Richard Serong

ELTHAM coach Mario Bandera believes he will get an indication of any improvement his side has made this weekend against Bundoora.

The Panthers’ form has been up-and-down like a yoyo for the past couple of months.

A stirring win in Round 9 over flag fancy Greensborough was backed up by losses to Northcote Park and Whittlesea.

The Panthers now find themselves outside the top-five just on percentage after Saturday’s win over fifth-placed Montmorency.

“We’re looking to this week to the true sign of if we have improved our consistency,” Bandera said.

“If it was me playing, I’d be thinking ‘which Mario is going to turn up today’.

“Whereas if you have that consistency, you can have a bit of confidence that on any given day you can perform at your best, which we haven’t.”

Eltham went to quarter-time of Saturday’s game with a 21-point lead and when Anton Woods got the first goal of the second term, it appeared the Panthers would continue on their merry way.

However, Montmorency kicked the next four goals but a late Panthers goal gave them some breathing space at the main break.

The Panthers held the hosts to just one goal after halftime, finishing 12.12 (84) to 6.7 (43).

Bandera described the win as a “mature” performance.

“For the whole second half the boys were really good at controlling the contest,” he said.

“We didn’t go at 100mph, we were able to pace ourselves and pace the game and take the heat off the game at times.”

Elsewhere in Division 1, Greensborough defeated Lower Plenty by 43 points.