SFNL: What clicked for St Paul’s McKinnon to spark four-match unbeaten run

After one of its best quarters of the season, St Paul’s McKinnon are showing no signs of slowing down. Inside the Bulldogs’ dominant patch of form.

Matthew Kreymborg in action for St Paul’s McKinnon. Picture: Valeriu Campan

St Paul’s McKinnon had lost two of its past three matches and an “honest chat” was needed.

Now, the Bulldogs are flying and will be in search of a fifth consecutive Southern league Division 1 win this weekend as they look to consolidate their six-point buffer in second.

“We had the results that didn’t go our way against Springvale Districts and Dingley (in round 4 and 6),” said St Paul’s McKinnon coach Andy Scott.

“We had a really good honest chat as a leadership group and put a plan in place for the next five weeks which we’ve now been through to really set ourselves up, starting to drive what made us such a great team last year, get that back and find balance.

“We’ve had a lot of new players come into the squad at the start of the year and it’s probably taken a tiny bit longer to gel but we’re starting to gel now.

“We’ve worked out certain guys’ positions and what works really well for them and what makes us a better team.

“Now I feel like we’re starting that upward trajectory to where we want to get to, it’s really positive for us.”

Scott added he felt his side had played “really good footy” over the past four weeks, with wins coming against Cheltenham, Bentleigh, Narre Warren and East Brighton.

St Paul’s McKinnon player Brayden O'Toole. Picture: Valeriu Campan.

Last week, St Paul’s McKinnon put the Vampires to the sword in the final term, piling on 47 points to run away with a 51-point victory.

“It was a good game, we’re finding what our balance looks like,” Scott said.

“For three quarters it was a real tussle and we managed to break the game open in that last quarter and get the game on our terms and ran away with it which was good.

“We haven’t really gotten reward like that for the year yet, to actually have a quarter to run out a game and put a team away was good reward for a real tough month.”

Brayden O’Toole bounced back from his first goalless match the week prior with a five-goal special, while 17-year-old Daniel Plotkin was also “really impressive”.

“(O’Toole) and I had a chat and we didn’t feel his game was that different to the week prior where he didn’t actually kick a goal,” Scott added.

“We’ve got such a strong forward line that you never know which one’s gonna get you, it was his turn on the weekend to get reward for effort and he’s been outstanding.”

Matthew Kreymborg has also continued his strong run of form while Matthew O’Brien and Kye Beveridge were also among the best.

The Bulldogs attention will now turn to Murrumbeena in a 4.45pm twilight clash at Murrumbeena Park on Saturday.