WYNDHAMVALE has endured a wretched run of losses to Albanvale for the best part of six years in the Western Region Football League division 2.
There was none harder to swallow than last year’s preliminary final, which it lost by three points under heartbreaking circumstances.
The Falcons finally got their revenge for years of torment on Saturday when they held the Cobras to just five goals to record a commanding 48-point win at Wyndhamvale Reserve.
For half-forward Nathan Evans, one of the Falcons longest-serving players, it was a landmark win.
“Of this current group, I think there was me and one other in the team the last time we beat Albanvale, which is about six years ago,” he said.
“It was the final frontier of sides in this comp which we haven’t beaten.
“It was good to get over the line, not to mention the loss to them last year in the prelim, which played a little bit of a part in our pre-game.
“It was just remembering how we felt after that game.”
The Falcons had to withstand a significant amount of duress before achieving their breakthrough win.
They were limited in their rotations after quarter time due to a rapid spate of injuries.
The club physio instructed player-coach Luke Dennerley to be cautious with his personnel – an instruction that was easier to take with the Falcons bursting out to a 46-point lead after the first term.
“We basically had no bench from quarter time onwards,” Evans said.
“We couldn’t risk them coming back out.
“It was nothing serious and they’ll all be expecting to play next week.”
The Falcons never let their injury problems undermine what they were trying to achieve.
They stuck to the task to run out comfortable winners.
Yet again, Nathan Reschke showed his value as a mobile ruckman. “He gets the tap outs in the ruck but he’s the first bloke to throw his body over it when the ball hits the ground,” Evans said.
“And he tackles and chases and runs hard.
“When you’ve got a ruckman like that, who is always around the play, he just inspires everyone else to do the same.”
Daniel Bunworth has similar traits, although he’s smaller.
The seasoned campaigner threw his body into every contest with “no care for own harm”.
You can put Cameron Barillaro in the same fearless bracket.
Rikki Toat, a new recruit to the Falcons this year, was outstanding in defence with his reading of the play and ability to wear the forwards like a glove.
The Falcons have never played on the wide expanses of the Town Centre Oval and will get their chance when they travel to face Caroline Springs on Saturday.
