Photo credit: Craig Dooley/Fairpark Football Club
By: Hayden Tilbrook
FAIRPARK has equalled its best-ever start to a season after defeating Coldstream 14.17 (101) to 9.12 (66) in Round 7.
The Lions stretched their unbeaten run to seven games with the victory over the Cougars as they head into a bye.
In the wake of the landmark win, Fairpark senior coach Sean Stanton told EFL Sunday that the playing group had drawn inspiration from the devotion of the Lions’ faithful, as the club chases its first finals appearance in a decade.
“When you’ve been at a club, the club hasn’t played finals for 10 years and hasn’t tasted a premiership for many more, (then) I think the motivation’s there to get better,” Stanton said.
“And it’s not just about the playing group.
“…It’s for the supporters who have been watching us for a number of years now – rain, hail or shine – when we’ve been pretty ordinary. So I think the motivation’s there to keep on improving.”
Fairpark’s form in 2019 would have been unimaginable to fans last year, a season in which the Lions never managed two wins in a row.
With no consistency in performance, the Lions lacked inspiration as playing numbers at the club dwindled.
Now one year on, Stanton marvelled at the role Fairpark’s under-19s setup had played in the resurgence of the club.
“The pleasing part for us is that for a number of years now we haven’t had under-19s, or a strong under-19s and this year we have,” he said.
“They’ve improved out of sight, the coaching group there have done a terrific job.”
The Lions’ mentor said the development of the junior system had coincided with a revival of standards throughout the entire club.
“This time last year, on a Thursday night … we’d be lucky to have 30 blokes on the (training) track in total between our seniors and reserves,” Stanton said.
“Last Thursday night we would’ve had close to 55 blokes on the track.
“It’s not only the commitment getting to training, it’s the guys that are doing the extra work and posting it in our little private group.
“It needed to happen, don’t get me wrong. Good, strong clubs wouldn’t allow to have 20 blokes or 25 blokes on the training track.
“We’re all trying to improve and become more professional both on and off the field and I think our commitment across the board has definitely improved.”
With a bye in Round 8 and no football played in Division 4 over the following Queen’s Birthday long weekend, Fairpark now faces a 21-day break heading into a top-of-the-table clash with East Burwood in Round 9.
Whilst acknowledging the unusual preparation was “not ideal” heading into such an important match, Stanton said his players would cherish the rest.
“We’ll give the guys this week off,” he said.
“We won’t see them back at the club for another 10 days or 11 days, then we’ll work out a bit of a plan or strategy leading into East Burwood who are without a doubt the measuring stick.
“We’ve got a few things against us but, in saying that, we’ve got a few sore bodies at the minute so I think the break comes at an opportune time.”
EFL SUNDAY PODCAST | Listen to Fairpark coach Sean Stanton’s full interview here.
