Therry Penola out to capitalise on unbeaten start to Victorian Amateur Football Association season

THE lid has been on at Therry Penola for the first two months of the VAFA season, but Dennis Castaldi knows he can’t keep it secured forever.

VAFA Football: NOBS-St Pats V Therry Penola. Nobs no 24 Rex Gravan tackles Therry Penola no 13 Darcy Grant

THE lid has been on at Therry Penola for the first two months of the Victorian Amateur Football Association season, but Dennis Castaldi knows he can’t keep it secured forever.

The Lions coach has played down his team’s premiership hopes for most of 2014, insisting he wouldn’t re-evaluate their chances until they had played every team in Division 1.

But after nine rounds, Therry Penola were top of the ladder with an unblemished record having been challenged in very few games this season.

Castaldi admitted his side needed to guard against complacency over the second half of the season to capitalise on their unbeaten run.

“I suppose as the year goes on that will probably be our biggest challenge,” Castaldi said.

“It’s going to be a challenge to keep everyone (focused), but I think they’re pretty good about it.”

The Lions claimed their ninth-straight win against Prahran Assumption by 68 points on the back of a 10-goal haul from Jarrod Bannister.

A bag of goals next to the Bannister name has been a regular occurrence this season, with Jarrod and Corey boasting a combined 100 goals over the first nine rounds.

“Obviously they’re both very good players,” Castaldi said.

“Jarrod is only 26 years old so he’s probably in the peak of his career now realistically.

“We’ve got other forwards who can kick goals as well, that’s our strength at the moment.

“If someone’s not going well there’s always someone to step in and kick goals anyway.”

Castaldi said his side would still need to watch out for challenges from their closest rivals.

“I think Prahran are still going to be a threat, North Old Boys are a good side and at the end of the day any side that is in the four is going to be a threat,” he said.

Therry Penola scarped over the line against a determined Old Geelong yesterday, triumphing by four points at Como Park.

The Lions came from nine points down at three-quarter-time to record their tenth win of the season and maintain a three-game buffer at the top of the table.

They will be favoured to comfortably account for Melbourne High School Old Boys in Round 11.