Rupertswood bounced back from its worst performance of the Essendon District Football League division 2 season, to claim its biggest win of the year on Saturday.
It had been a mixed few weeks for the Sharks with a loss after the siren and then a big loss, but Saturday was more like what they wanted.
Facing the Sunbury Kangaroos in a local derby, it took the Sharks three quarters to break open the match.
After leading by 15 points at the final break, the Sharks kicked five goals to one in the final quarter to win, 15.16 (106)-9.10 (64).
Sharks coach Brad Fox said it was much most pleasing this week.
“It was our biggest margin of the year and we didn’t play our best football,” he said.
“It was pleasing for the boys after an out of character performance the week before to bounce back and use the ball by foot the best we have all season.”
Fox said after having few winners the week before on a poor day, they went back to their trademarks they want to be known for.
He said they spoke about it during the week and were able to live up to them.
Fox said it was a very different game compared to when the two sides faced each other earlier in the year.
“Last time we got off to a flying start with an eight or nine goal first quarter,” he said.
“This time we could not get it beyond the three goal margin until into the last quarter.
“We would get it out to two and half goals ahead and they would kick one.
“In the last quarter we were able to pull it together and blow out the margin.”
With how close the competition is, Fox said every point was important with percentage possibly coming into calculation when deciding top five spots.
Fraser Phelan-Smith kicked five goals for the Sharks, while Clayton Bonello, who was named their best, kicked four goals.
Matthew Brown and Aaron Grubb were other standouts for the Sharks.
Joshua and Shawn Bowden kicked two goals each for the Kangaroos, as did skipper Mitch Streiff in his 250th senior game for the club.
Tie Cuffe, Streiff, and Stephen, Jackson and Lachlan Treweek were standouts.
The Sharks sit fourth on the ladder on 30 points, while the Kangaroos are one spot out of the finals spots on 26 points.
The Sharks face Burnside Heights and East Sunbury in the next two matches.
Fox said while on paper they are facing the bottom two teams, they don’t take anyone easy.
“We’ve split the season into various stages and that’s the end of the second stage,” he said.
“Then we have a run into a finals campaign and we need to get better.
“We should get five or six players back from injury in the next few weeks as long as we don’t lose any more.
“We want to finish well.”
In other matches, East Sunbury lost to Westmeadows, 16.15 (111)-8.8 (56).
