SFNL: Highett has won three of its past five games to lift its Division 2 season off the canvas
Highett has spun its Southern league season around with three wins in five matches after coach Clint Einsiedel posed an important question to the Bulldogs.
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Highett coach Clint Einsiedel asked his players “where do you want to play your footy next year?”
The Bulldogs were 0-7 in late May and the looming threat of relegation was growing by the week.
Highett has since won three of its past five matches, including Saturday’s upset win over Caulfield Bears, 11.9 (75) to 10.11 (71).
The Dogs have moved three wins clear of last-placed Skye and have a healthy percentage over St Kilda City in ninth if Narre Warren and Berwick Springs’ induction results in double relegation.
Einsiedel said Highett’s rocketing under-19 and under-16 programs were in mind when the group assessed how it wanted to finish the year.
“It’s just where we want to be,” he said of staying in Division 2.
“’Where do you want to play your footy next year?’ That’s the discussion I had with them probably only three our four weeks ago.
“We’ve got a 19s program in its fourth year and they’re improving, we’ve got a really strong under-16s team as well and we’ve got to be mindful of putting them in the best environment.
“Division 3 footy is definitely getting better but we think the top two grades are really strong and that’s where we want to be.”
The Bulldogs jumped out of the blocks with a strong first half on the road against the Bears and put the lessons in place of recent weeks to hold onto the nailbiter.
Highett was five goals up in the second half against East Malvern a fortnight ago and lost.
It then conceded two goals in short time to cough up another close one against Endeavour Hills last week.
Einsiedel identified a lack of even spread as the catalyst for the two defeats but saw that rectified on Saturday.
“We’d been in the same position in the last two weeks and found a way to lose but everyone dug in on Saturday, which was pleasing to see,” he said.
“The even contribution, that’s been the thing, prior to Saturday despite being in those two games we haven’t had an even spread.
“We needed everyone to step up and play their role in the team, that was the main message of the day knowing Caulfield bat pretty deep.
“I think in the end it won us the game.”
Jacob Apted kicked five of the Bulldogs’ 11 majors while another three came from midfielder Jacob Duscher.
Einsiedel praised the work of Apted and Duscher as well as Carroll brothers, Tom and Lachie, and ruck duo Macklin Raine and Sam Stephens.
He also thinks Highett is starting to “see that benefit” of younger players building their experience at senior level.
“We have a good nucleus of older and younger, it’s just about those guys connecting with each other and getting more games into the kids,” he said.
“We’re starting to see some more consistency and they’re believing in themselves.
“I think when they first step in, they’re coming out of junior footy and probably don’t believe they’re good enough to be there but they are.”
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