EFNL Eastern Football League: Kyle Viccars game winner, Waverley Blues defeat Wantirna South

Herald Sun

2 days ago

With the game on the line, if there was one player Waverley Blues wanted the ball in their hands it was Kyle Viccars.
Thankfully for the Blues, that's exactly what happened on Saturday and the club favourite duly delivered in a heart-stopping one-point win over Wantirna South at Central Reserve.
Waverley had led all day but a furious Devils comeback saw the visitors snatch the lead with only minutes remaining.
From a centre square stoppage, Patrick Savedra made a critical smother with the ball ricocheting to captain Ryan McNamara, his quick kick forward found Nathan Buzza and a deft chip landed in Viccars' hands 30m out.
He made no mistake.
A 15.4 (94) to 12.21 (93) triumph keeping the club's EFNL Division 2 finals hopes alive.
'We were quite thankful it was in his hands, if anyone was going to kick the goal it was him,' Blues coach Sam Bates said.
'Kyle loves that situation, he was hanging onto the ball as long as he could – I reckon he wanted to siren to go when the ball was in his hands.
'Fortunately, he stuck it through, the ball went back the middle, they threw it up and we got the ball forward, then the siren went, so it was a huge relief.'
Waverley Blues burst out of the blocks and kicked seven first-quarter goals to open up an early 31-point lead.
However, Wantirna South – sitting second on the ladder – clawed its way back into the match, narrowing the margin to 15 points at half-time.
It was a 14-point ball game at three-quarter-time as the Devils wasted a series of opportunities, kicking 2.7.
The margin was 24 points early in the fourth quarter before a blistering four-goal charge almost stole the four points.
South's inaccuracy would ultimately prove fatal, its 4.7 in the last quarter made it 6.14 for the second half – the visitors finishing with a staggering 14 more scoring shots.
'There was no wind, it was just a game of momentum after quarter-time,' Bates said.
'Wanny South have been going really well and were always going to challenge us, so for us to hold tight and find a way to win was really pleasing.
'That late in the game there's not a lot you can do as a coach, it comes down to (the players') will and want then.
'Losing the lead, it makes you more desperate and the little things matter, the big play was their ruckman taking the ball out of the ruck and one of our young fellas was clever enough to get across his leg and it spilt to one of ours.'
Buzza was a standout in the win, booting five goals and providing the match-winning assist to earn best-on-ground honours.
Jack Strongman, Omar Mohammad, Matt Jameson, Samuel Hale and Savedra also impressed.
Bates said wins like that needed all 22 players contributing.
'Nathan was super, he was really lively,' he said.
'We missed him the week before, he was overseas, he came back into the side and there was a bit of pressure on Nathan given he'd missed a game when we really needed him.
'Without putting it on him, I think he knew he owned the team a big performance and was sensational, really dynamic and finished his work, handed out a couple of others as well.
'All those guys (in the best) have been asked to play roles that they aren't familiar with.
'Matt has provided some real zip off half-back, Patrick has had an impact coming up from the 19s, Sam we've asked to go forward and he hit the scoreboard again and Omar has been one of our more consistent players and is leading the clearances.
'Jack had his hands full with Liam Hewitt but also coming off and impacting other contests was really important.
'Wantirna South is the No.1 inside 50m team in the competition and when they were coming at us, Jack was the most composed and the others fed off his leadership.'
The win sees Waverley Blues sitting sixth, behind fifth-placed Heathmont on percentage, in what looms a three-way battle for finals along with Croydon.
With two rounds remaining, the club faces third-placed Surrey Park and
Bates said his team couldn't afford to look too far ahead.
'It keeps us in the hunt but to be honest, a couple of weeks ago we let ourselves down against Ringwood and we've narrowed our focus to training by training, week to week,' he said.
'The focus on the weekend was trying to take a scalp, it's been a while since we beat anyone above us.
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'We're trying to find consistency still, it's the reason why we've been where we've been.
'We've won two in a row a few times but haven't been able to go on a run and we're going to have to do that if we're going to be there at the end.'
Elsewhere in Division 2, East Burwood upset Croydon by 26 points and Heathmont pipped Mulgrave by six points to move back into the top-five.
Templestowe outlasted Ringwood by 19 points and Surrey Park was too good for Lilydale in a 16-point win.