Sunbury unbeaten as it prepares to face last year’s premiers

Sunbury has made a stunning start to the season with four straight wins. Coach Matt White speaks on his side’s form, stopping Brett Bewley and the player who could give the VFL another crack.

Jake Sutton has had a great start to the season, kicking 20 goals in four games for Sunbury. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

New Sunbury coach Matt White firmly believes he has the team to win the Ballarat league and the Lions are prepared for the toughest test this season.

But he admits stopping one player, Brett Bewley, in the Darley team is giving him nightmares.

The Lions have been the story the season so far, winning all four matches.

New coach, ex-AFL player Matt White, has guided the team and has already been rewarded for the performances of the club.

He added another year to his contract to see him at the Lions until 2025.

Former Port and Richmond player Matt White is the new coach at Sunbury. Picture Sarah Reed

White said what he did was enhance what previous coach Travis Hodgson did.

The side last year fell short of finals, missing out by percentage.

“We’ve inherited a really good bunch of kids,” White said.

“The players, not speaking poorly of Travis (previous), just needed more direction, a little more understanding of what’s going on.

“From my background and where I have coached the past couple of years it’s been an easy thing to teach them a couple of little things and everyone is on the same page.”

The major focus has been on improving defence.

“I knew they could kick a score and we didn’t have to tweak that too much, it was more what we needed to do defensively,” White said.

“I did come in with a different style and different way of approaching the game with these players.

“We just focused on getting the little things right What I’m looking for is that effort, to do the defensive efforts, get in the right position and help the team out.”

White wants valuable contributions from all his team, not just a handful of players.

But he’s wary of a strong Darley outfit, in particular Bewley.

Bewley had 50 disposals, three goals, 17 clearances, 11 tackles and nine inside 50s in his side’s win over Redan.

“I’m not 100 percent sold on sole taggers but when you look at someone like Bewley, especially what he did last week, three goals and 50, there has to be discussion about what we’re doing.

“It’s hard to get a gauge on what you can do to someone like that.”

Cody Bramble in action last year. Picture: Hamish Blair

But he’s confident if his team can get control of the midfield, the Lions can deal with Darley.

“We go into every game thinking we are going to win,” White said but stressed he wasn’t being arrogant.

“We will do everything possible to do that.

“Darley, being who they are, a premiership team, have some really great players, so we’ve got to be on our game.

“We’ll bring everything we’ve got but at some point we will have to change something with Bewley going crazy.

“We’re going in with a winning mentality.”

White added the team’s potent forward line will help, especially with Jake Sutton in form, after kicking 20 goals in four games.

It’s not just his goals which have impressed the coach, it’s his other work around the ground.

And he has no doubt he will be back in the VFL next year.

“We had a really good chat through preseason,” White said.

“He stepped away from VFL and hopefully, and I’ll promote him wherever I can for next year, he just decided what was best for his footy was commit to one club.

“That’s 100 percent what he’s gone and done.

“We know what he can do with ball in hand, take big grabs and do all that.

“It’s the little things, the tackling, the chasing, the harassing and the fact that he had nine total score involvements on the day (last week).

“Sharing it around and playing the team first is my favourite part of what he is doing right now.”

Sunbury takes on Darley at 2.15pm.