Thomastown hadn’t even considered finishing on top in division 3 of the Northern Football League, despite losing only one game all season.
That was until last weekend, when the ladder-topping Bears beat second-placed Reservoir 20.8 (128) to 12.7 (79) at Main Street Oval.
“Only now have we set the goal to finish on top of the ladder and win the minor premiership,” coach Dean Sinclair said.
“We started the season aiming to make the top four, which we will do.
“There’s not much difference between finishing first and second but it would be nice to take that top spot.”
The Bears had an extra incentive to win on Saturday as the Mustangs were the only team to beat them this season.
“They’re a really good side and they won by 10 points last time. We thought the margin [this time] would be closer but we ran away with it.”
Sinclair said he had stressed to his players at half-time not to ease off.
“Our second halves have been fantastic this season . . . I think we have only lost two quarters in the second halves of matches,” he said.
“We told them to keep pushing and they did.”
Osama Saad kicked six goals for the Bears, while John Agius led the defence well.
“We had four or five players from our best side out this week, but they’ll come back in over the next few weeks,” Sinclair said.
“We will be a much stronger team with them back.”
The Bears’ next opponent is third-placed South Morang, which beat Heidelberg West 19-10 (124) to 78.4 (52).
In division 1, reigning premier Bundoora looks increasingly unlikely to even make the finals this season after a seventh defeat in 14 matches.
The Bulls were three goals down at three- quarter time against Greensborough and although Cameron Cloke inspired a fightback to close the gap they went down 11.14 (80) to 10.15 (75).
The Bulls sit seventh on the ladder and are a game out of the top five.
Elsewhere in division 1, bottom-placed Whittlesea couldn’t back up after its first win of the season the previous week and went down 15.15 (105) to 7.3 (45) against Lower Plenty.
