WRFL scores: Wyndham Suns tune up for blockbuster with win over Sunshine Heights
Wyndham Suns boast an average winning margin of 75 points this season and player coach Dean Cachia is firing. They will face the other undefeated team in WRFL Division 3 this weekend.
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The two leading sides in Western Region Football League Division 3 will collide this weekend.
Wyndham Suns will host Albanvale at Goddard St Reserve, with the pair entering the clash with 4-0 records.
The Suns hammered finals contender Sunshine Heights by 78 points on Saturday, while the Cobras swept aside Tarneit to claim a 141-point victory.
The Suns have reason to be confident of knocking off the 2019 runner-up after a fruitful off-season of recruiting, but playing coach Dean Cachia said the result of the blockbuster fixture was not the be-all and end-all.
“Obviously it’s a massive game and big test for us,” Cachia said.
“But after this game, we’ve still got 11 home-and-away games to go. For us, we just see it as another challenge and we’ll give everything we’ve got.
“Hoping to win, but if we happen to lose the game it’s not the end of the world for us. We know where we’re at and know what we have to work on.
“There’s still a long way to go before finals, but this does give us an indication early in the season of how we’re tracking.”
The Suns failed to make the top four two years ago after back-to-back finals appearances, but they appear a much-improved outfit with their four wins in 2021 coming by an average margin of 75 points.
Cachia’s team has not been challenged since the opening round, when it defeated Braybrook by 16 points.
The Suns extended their advantage at every change against Sunshine Heights at Ainsworth Reserve in Round 5, prevailing 20.12 (132) to 8.6 (54).
“We focused all week on making sure we matched them at the contest and were physical because it’s a very small ground out there at Sunshine Heights,” Cachia said.
“A lot of people from the outside would think that would suit them a lot more than us because our home ground is massive. Our game style is more based on trying to run on the outside.”
Cachia lauded Michael Ryan’s contribution in the ruck as he gave the visitors’ onballers first use, while midfielders Jordan Baumgartner and Paul Tomelty were also influential.
Chris Lear, who has returned from a broken leg, shone again across half-back with Cachia rating him the Suns’ top performer this season.
Cachia is also in impressive form and bagged six goals against the Dragons, while Baumgartner, Cameron Joyce, Blake Jago and John Tomelty kicked three apiece.
Cachia has 25 majors to his name from four games and is leading from the front after he returned 55 goals in 2019.
“I’m feeling good. I’ve been doing a lot of hard work outside of training, just getting my body right so I can perform my best,” he said.
“I feel as a leader, as a coach, if I can perform anywhere near my best and bring other people into the game and bring enjoyment for others, that’s my aim.
“If I can kick some goals along the way, I get pretty excited about that. I’ll keep trying to do that and keep working hard.
“All I ask of my guys is to try and find 2 or 3 per cent to improve. We’ve got 60 players on the list and get 50-plus at training all the time, so things are tracking well. We’ve just got to make sure we keep putting in the hard yards.”
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