With Diggers Rest yet to hit its straps this season, the other Riddell District Football League sides can only hope it doesn’t happen any time soon.
Ahead of the Queen’s Birthday weekend bye, the Burras are one of only two undefeated sides.
Burras coach Shaun Sims says it’s a positive start, but they haven’t been playing their best football.
“The seniors haven’t hit their straps,” he said. “We’re doing enough to get over the line and the trick is to get into good habits.
“We’ve played some decent football at times. Being one of the top sides, clubs want to beat us and I think it’s that and a bit of us getting used to playing together.
“We’ve had a fairly solid start, playing four of the other finalists from last year. There are no easy games this year.
“Our second half against Woodend- Hesket was the best football we’ve played.”
One the biggest positives for the Burras, after losing the past three grand finals, is the numbers pushing for senior selection.
“There are about five or six players out from last year’s team, and we’ve only brought in two walk-up starts in Cale Morton and Taylor Hine,” Sims said.
“We’ve been fairly lucky with injuries until the past week or so. Changes have been through form, and we’ve got some real talent in the twos.
“Guys who are playing in the twos and are performing are going to get games.”
The club has focused on injecting youth into the side as it looks to the future.
“We’ve had six players under 20 play, and it’s a real positive for the club,” Sims said. “Last year, we were a fairly older list. This year … [younger players] are coming in and playing well. Josh Wallace, Corey Wright and Chris Samagalski have all played seniors.”
Sims said it was a good feeling to have only one loss among the club’s three sides.
The Burras’ reserves are undefeated on top of the ladder, while the under-18.5s are second, having lost just once, to undefeated Rupertswood.
Meanwhile, Burras’ gun Jason Williams is one of 15 players in the running for an AFL rookie contract on TV show
The Recruit. Williams, who wasn’t expected to play many RDFL games due to VFL commitments, has played twice for the Burras this season.
The Burras this week face bottom side Rockbank.
