West Coburg says its best is still to come in EDFL after 9-0 start to the Division 1 season

MOST expected West Coburg to improve in the Essendon District Football League this season. Few expected a 9-0 start to the season.

West Coburg's Tom Watterson tries to break clear of two Craigieburn opponents earlier this season. Photo: Angie Basdekis

MOST expected West Coburg to improve this season.

After a disappointing 2013 campaign that yielded just six wins and saw the Burgers miss out on finals in the Essendon District Football League’s Division 1 competition, the club appointed former Strathmore coach Digby Morrell in the hope of returning to finals football.

With some handy recruits also added to the mix, improvement was inevitable.

But few would have envisaged what has panned out so far, West Coburg sitting atop of the table with an 9-0 record and an average winning margin of 53 points to position itself as the hot premiership favourite.

And in an ominous message to the rest of the competition, Morrell believes his side is yet to play its best football.

“We’re really happy with how we’re going,” he said.

“But we think we’ve still got a lot of improvement to go. I don’t think we’ve completely got our mix of inside and outside players just right yet.

“We’ve got about three or four key injuries, like Alex Stewart hasn’t played much footy, Jarryd Smith has missed six or seven weeks and Robbie Hudson missed (last) weekend. So we think we’ve got a fair bit of upside still to go and we’re looking to continue to develop our game style in the second half of the year.”

Oak Park was the Budgers’ latest victim as it suffered a 23-point loss on Saturday.

Tullamarine, which sits in second spot on the ladder, is West Coburg’s biggest challenger.

But Morrell said the chasing pack behind the top two were all capable on their day.

“Tulla are obviously up and about,” Morrell said.

“I think Taylors Lakes are a very good side and have got a couple of dangerous forwards, and Glenroy’s the same. They have the ability on their day to do some damage.

“Westmeadows and Hillside are just off those three. But I think there’s probably four or five who are still ­really gunning for those third and fourth spots.”