HEADING into the opening fortnight of the season, a determined Woorndoo-Mortlake set the challenge before its senior footballers: come away with two wins.
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Simple enough in theory – opponents Great Western and Ararat Eagles were the two teams the Tigers defeated in 2015.
But this was a team that found itself regularly on the last few rungs of the ladder and went winless just one season earlier.
Last year’s double was the Tigers’ best result in years, and they were determined to build on it this season.
A comprehensive 59-point victory over Great Western kick-started the season, followed with a 25-point win over Ararat.
Three tough games against ladder leader Wickliffe-Lake Bolac, Hawkesdale-Macarthur and Glenthompson-Dunkeld followed, but the Tigers were able to add to their tally heading into the bye.
After winning two games last season – its best return in recent history – Woorndoo-Mortlake has already bettered its standing just six rounds into 2016.
Coach Tim MacDonald said it was pleasing to see the team achieving its goals, starting with the winning opening two rounds.
“That was our first goal set for the year: win the first two games,” he said.
“We hoped to be 3-3 heading into the first break and we’ve ticked that off.”
The next month will be a litmus test for the improved Tigers, with tough matches against Moyston-Willaura, Penshurst, Lismore Derrinallum and Tatyoon.
Woorndoo-Mortlake’s improvement has stemmed from a number of factors, with recruits Matt Fidge, Karl Dunn and Travis Ware in particular bolstering the playing stocks, while MacDonald credited an increase in effort for the general improvement of the group.
“Most of the improvement has come from the group (we had) and it’s helped along by those experienced recruits,” he said.
“What we talk about a lot is where our effort needs to be and … what it takes to competes with those (top) sides.”
We hoped to be 3-3 heading into the first break and we've ticked that off.
- Tim MacDonald