Sunshine secures three premierships in WFNL Division 2

Sunshine broke through for its first senior premiership in the WFNL on Saturday but a day of dominance proves why the future's so bright for the club.

Sunshine celebrate their premiership. Photo: WFNL.

Sunshine’s day of dominance to end the WFNL Division 2 proves one thing.

The Roos are well set up to the future.

As Melbourne delivered one of its finest four seasons in one day weather events or the year, Sunshine won the under-18, reserves and senior premierships.

The seniors ended Albion’s unbeaten season to add another lay of excitement to 2024 after its promotion was already confirmed.

The midday show beat the same opposition and the under-18s got the better of Point Cook Centrals.

Interim coach Guy Barbuto was the man to guide the first senior premiership in club history and he said it meant more behind than those who ran out on the ground.

“It’s amazing for them, and to see the reactions on everyone’s face, on the Saturday night after the game and everything, I sort of didn’t understand it coming from a pretty successful culture down at Keilor,” he said.

“Just seeing the faces of the life members around the club, those guys who have been around for a long time and never seen one, that probably means the most to them.

“We’ve got a lot of under-16s now starting to come through as well, and a few of them will come up. There’s conversations around having two teams for the 18s next year, conversations about having two thirds teams next year after they almost had the ultimate success.

“For us, their season was an awesome success regardless. There’s a really special feeling around the club at the moment and we’re embracing it.”

In the three previous meetings with Albion earlier in the year, Sunshine had gone down by nine, 37 and 24 points.

Barbuto came with a plan for the decider.

“We set two objectives, and that was to be harder at the contest than them and nullify them,” he said.

“On average, Albion were averaging five goals a game out of their midfielders. So we knew if we could stop that it would go a long way to success.

“And then the other thing was Albion hadn’t been behind all year, and I knew if we could jump them and get a head start on them and hold that for as long as possible, they were going to feel the pinch.”

Sunshine is yet to announce its coach for next season but planning is already underway.

Barbuto said going into Division 1 as the premier also had a little bit more meaning.

“When we knew several weeks ago we were going up, it was good for the club to start preparing but it’s great to win this premiership,” he said.

“The club is already doing the due diligence of resigning everyone for next year. Obviously, we’ll probably have a few hang up the boots, but that’s part and parcel, and that’s the nature of the beast.

“They’re already talking to players for next season.”