IF there’s one way to signal your intent to be a top two side, it’s to beat one of the top-two sides in the competition.
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Not only did Milawa manage to do just that, but the Demons did so on the road to Bright who had been undefeated.
Running out 7.13 (55) to 16.15 (111) victors, Demons coach Luke O’Keefe said it was a closer contest than the scoreline suggested.
“They’re a high-quality opposition who were going into this game five and zero for a reason,” he said.
The Demons signalled their intent early posting 3.7 to Bright’s 0.2 in the opening term, but inaccuracy meant they didn’t run away with the game.
But O’Keefe said it was the Demons’ pressure that dominated.
“It’s one thing we’ve worked hard on in the past three or four weeks,” he said.
“And our ball use going forward was good and tackles were at a season high which was very pleasing.
“To their credit their back six were very good.”
O’Keefe said the Demons had put plenty of thought into how to deal with Bright’s ruckman and their forward Ricky Weimer who had scored 23 goals in the past two games.
“I felt that Brent Newton in the ruck did and outstanding job and basically won every tap out and was the best player on the ground,” O’Keefe said.
“And our fullback Michael Conroy kept Weimer to two goals — it was a huge effort.”
The only sour note for the Demons was when Alex Dunstan broke a collar bone in opening quarter.
“Everything we’re doing is about finishing top two,” O’Keefe said.
“We feel we are good enough to and if we do that’s a double chance in the finals.”
Everything we’re doing is about finishing top two. We feel we are good enough to and if we do that’s a double chance in the finals.
LUKE O’KEEFE