Panton Hill coach Steve Layt says win at Mernda shows club is ready for big grounds come finals

Panton Hill coach Steve Layt admits the Redbacks struggled on big grounds at times last year but is confident his team is finals ready after a strong win on the wide open spaces of Mernda.

Panton Hill coach Steve Layt. Picture: Josie Hayden

Panton Hill coach Steve Layt believes the club’s 66-point win over Mernda on Saturday will have a big impact come finals time.

Waterview Recreation Reserve is one of the biggest grounds in the NFL, similar to Whittlesea Showgrounds, which has hosted every Division 3 final except one since 2015.

Layt admitted his team struggled at times on big grounds last year, including the grand finals loss to St Mary’s.

But the win over Mernda had boosted his confidence his team was better prepared to tackle wide open spaces.

“On the bigger ground was a question mark but not after Saturday, you don’t get bigger grounds than Mernda,” he said.

Panton Hill coach Steve Layt. Picture: Chris Eastman

“We’re going to be playing (finals) on big grounds, whether it be Whittlesea or whatever.

“We did struggle on bigger grounds last year but I think the make up of our side this year allows us to get our game going, gives us the space we need.”

In what loomed as a danger game, Panton Hill were coming off the bye while Mernda were riding a three-game win streak.

However, the Redbacks were rarely troubled, winning 17.10 (112) to 7.4 (46).

Layt was rapt with how his players responded after the week off.

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“When I analysed the game again, there wasn’t much not to like about the way we went about it,” he said.

“We thought Mernda would come at us hard early and it was a pretty physical first term. Once we withstood that we got our game going, our confidence up, and I couldn’t be happier.

“Most pundits thought it might have been a danger game for us and we looked at it as exactly that.

“Our backline was awesome and the ball movement and transition from half-back to the forwards was exactly how we’d like it.”

Panton Hill sit second on the ladder with six games remaining and face South Morang on Saturday.