SFNL: Cranbourne continued its push for a September berth on Saturday

Cranbourne sped up its push towards another Southern league finals berth with the scalp of Port Melbourne Colts. Star onballer Zak Roscoe talks about the Eagles’ “no choice” mindset.

Cranbourne, led by Zak Roscoe, is building. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

Cranbourne is in “elimination final mode”, according to star onballer and co-captain Zak Roscoe.

Week-by-week, Roscoe’s Eagles linger as a concern for potential finalists.

Cranbourne dished fifth-placed Port Melbourne Colts a 71-point drubbing on Saturday to propel back within two points of another September berth.

The Eagles are back within two points of the Colts in fifth despite starting the season 0-5.

Roscoe conceded the Eagles’ slower start has forced them into do-or-die matches each week but said they were at home under the pressure.

“We were off to a slow start and our mindset sort of shifted to where we went into elimination final mode,” he said.

“I guess we have no choice at the moment but to come out firing and put four quarters together because if we don’t, we could fall short.

“We’ve been in finals for 10-15 years in a row, I think it’s become the standard for us and maybe early on we thought we would just get there.

“Now we have to play that elimination final (each week) and we’re comfortable with our backs against the wall and fighting in those moments.

“Our game has started piecing together a lot in the last month or so.”

Roscoe fights off a Dingley tackler during last years finals. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

Cranbourne’s victory was a 108-point turnaround from its round 3 loss to the Colts.

Roscoe said the connection was the biggest improvement since that defeat.

“Our connection has improved a lot from the start of the season,” he said.

“We lose two focal points and it forces us to play a little differently early on, we have made the adjustments in the last five or six weeks.

“We’re able to transition the ball from the back half and find a target up forward now which we lacked in the first half of the year.”

Cranbourne has made the past two Southern league Division 1 grand finals, splitting the record with Cheltenham 1-1.

Cheltenham has won 48 of its past 51 matches and its only three losses have come at the hands of Cranbourne, two of which have been in finals.

And it’s stats like those which has Roscoe confident his side will be an unwanted participant of finals footy.

Roscoe kicks long. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

“We’ve seen come finals on a big ground like Moorabbin that it suits our game a lot,” he said.

“I think teams will be hunting us in the rest of the home and away season to make sure we don’t sneak in there.

“It’s all on us from here, we need one or two more scalps and then take care of the ones we think we should win.”

Parallel to the Eagles’ rise has been the form of Roscoe himself.

He wasn’t able to complete a pre-season due to injury but is feeling back to his best now.

“I think it’s sort of coincided with a bit of match fitness, not having a pre-season affected me a bit early on,” he said.

“Now I am feeling as fit as I was in the last couple of the seasons, it helps me work over an opponent over four quarters and keep speed on the game.”