Sharks strengthen top-four chances after notching third win of season against North Albany

Albany coach Jamie Ramm says he is proud of how his side responded after four straight losses and close to three weeks away from football, as the Sharks strengthened their top-four chances on Sunday afternoon. The Sharks won their third game this season after a nine-goal first half against North Albany in round seven at Centennial Stadium, to assert themselves as genuine finals contenders. It is the second time the Sharks have beaten the Kangas this season, and in the process they moved two games clear in fourth spot. “We won two games to start this year and a lot of people probably didn’t think we were going to win another game so that was the challenge I gave to the group over the last four weeks and we really worked towards today,” Ramm said. “Our next challenge was to win a game after four straight losses.” With scores even midway through the opening term, former AFL player Brett Peake swung the match in favour of the Sharks. Peake kicked three goals in the space of six minutes, including a brilliant snap from close range almost over his head and a tough set shot on the boundary from the right forward pocket, as he gave the home side a three-goal buffer and broke the game open. Sharks led by just over two goals at the first change and they quickly extended that through Ben Watson before set-shot conversions from the returning Matt Galantino and young forward Connor McCandless handed them their second goals of the game each and pushed the margin to just under six goals on the stroke of the main brea After half-time, the Kangas pinched one back through star Jack McPhee but the home side added three themselves, including a third to McCandless after a strong mark in the goal square, to make the visitors’ task almost impossible in the wet conditions as they went into the final stanza 48 points down. The Kangas tried to fight back in the final term booting two unanswered goals through Mitch Lenegan and Rhori Williams-Jolley but it was not enough as the Sharks prevailed 12.11 (83) to 7.4 (46). Jake Louthean was awarded the game ball in the win after a great display through the middle of the ground. Flynn Breuker and Cam Jones (23 possessions and a goal) were influential in the midfield working hard all day while youngster Mitch Collier was impressive. McCandless and Peake (16 disposals) finished with three goals each while Galantino slotted 2.4 in a pleasing return. “I was confident we could hang on in the second half,” Ramm said. “At the end of the day we need to believe that we can win the game and keeping going rather than panicking. “I said to the boys ‘it’s your chance to enjoy the win or your chance to panic’.” Tough midfielder Jacob Crowe (19 possessions) was the Kangas’ best while Mitch Lenegan worked hard all day along with Nathan Crudeli (19 touches) and Heath Ravenhill was impressive across half-forward. However the Kangas were unable to stop the Sharks’ momentum in the first half as they fell to their sixth loss of the season. “As the conditions changed we dropped off and they had that margin on us and kicked away but I think we won the last quarter which was good,” Kangas coach Leigh Hislop said. “They kicked some really good goals and converted their opportunities.”