NFL 2018: Watsonia rounds out Division 2 season with victory over Fitzroy Stars

HIGHLIGHTS: After months of pre-season slog and 17 weeks of the home-and-away campaign, Watsonia’s moment to celebrate finally arrived on Saturday.

AFTER months of pre-season slog and 17 weeks of the home-and-away campaign, Watsonia’s moment to celebrate finally arrived on Saturday.

The Saints have endured a campaign to forget in the Northern Football League, finishing at the bottom of the Division 2 ladder after losing 17 consecutive games.

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But they finished their campaign on a positive note at the weekend, kicking 16 goals to six in the second half to defeat Fitzroy Stars by 67 points.

Allan Young led the onslaught after the main break with six majors, while Jonah Taylor (four goals), Jack Larkin (three) and Lewis Franz (three) made telling contributions to a 21.15 (141) to 11.8 (74) victory.

“We felt as though we improved as the season went on and there were probably half-a-dozen games where they were very winnable for us,” coach Jarrad Carey said.

“Even the two games we played against Lower Plenty at home.

“The second time we played Lower at home we led the entire game until halfway through the last quarter.

“When we played Diamond Creek at home, that was really winnable for us. We ended up losing that by 14 points.

“We felt as though we were really competitive against Banyule in one of the home games we played them.”

Watsonia’s Daniel Gervasoni marks against Banyule. Picture: Hamish Blair.

Skipper Matthew Crompton and Matthew Gibbs were other key figures in the Round 18 triumph.

Carey said he was glad his players had been rewarded for their efforts throughout the year by ending his first season at the helm with a win.

“Given there is a bit of a gap in talent between the top few teams and the bottom couple, we felt as though we just had to work so much harder than most of the other teams we played against,” he said.

“Come three-quarter-time, our boys have expended a lot more energy than their opponents have.

“Even though we weren’t necessarily unfit or significant less fit than the teams we were playing against, we just ran out of legs, because we had to work so much harder.”

Watsonia coach Jarrad Carey calls the shots. Picture: Hamish Blair.

Promoted last year after winning a Division 3 premiership in 2016, the Saints secured six wins to finish sixth on the ladder.

They struggled to build on those foundations this season, finishing with a 1-17 record despite competitive efforts against Lower Plenty, Diamond Creek and Epping.

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