‘Great to get a win’: Cassidy thrilled with milestone victory

SEBASTOPOL ball magnet Lachlan Cassidy says he can look back on playing 100 BFNL games in blue and gold with pride, but he is most excited by what lies ahead.

The classy midfielder reached the milestone in the Burra’s stirring 59-point victory over North Ballarat in front of a big and adoring home crowd at Marty Busch Reserve last Saturday.

Fitting of the occasion, the stakes were high, with the Burra and Roosters entering the contest first and second on the ladder respectively.

The Burra were able to mark the milestone with a crucial win to extend their stay at the top of the ladder, with Cassidy playing an integral role in the triumph, setting the tone with his fierce pressure, attack on the football and gut-running.

Cassidy, who arrived at Sebastopol in the months after North Ballarat had its VFL licence revoked at the end of the 2017 season, said he felt privileged to play 100 games at such a ‘great’ club.

“It’s taken eight years, but it’s good to get there,” he said.

“It’s a great club to be a part of and hopefully we can continue the momentum we’ve built up so far in the back end of the year.

“I’ve been lucky – I got here when things started to turn here.

“There are a few boys who have stuck around through the hard times and they are reaping the rewards at the moment.”

Determined to keep the milestone as low key as possible, Cassidy – a Henderson Medal winner in 2021 – was more concerned with getting the win.

A primed Burra did it in style, jumping the Roosters early before pouring on the pressure in the second half against a team, whose five-game winning streak going into the contest had included the big scalps of Sunbury and Melton.

“A top of the table clash and we knew they had some great young kids,” Cassidy said.

“Especially early on, our handball game going through the corridor really opened them up.

“Then in the third quarter our pressure was through the roof.

“Just great to get a win.”

The win improved the Burra’s record to 6-1, matched only by second-placed Ballarat.

While there is a still log way to go in season 2026, the current ladder standings represent a changing of the guard at the top, with the Burra having missed the finals last season in eighth spot and the Swans finishing sixth.

 

Currently fourth immediately behind reigning premier Darley, North Ballarat also missed finals last year.

Cassidy said the club’s improvement came down to a combination of factors.

“We’ve had a few recruits come from Geelong and they’ve fit the bill of exactly what we needed and they are all playing their role,” he said.

“Especially our young boys, everyone is playing their role.

“We’ve got a pretty clean bill of health at the moment, so hopefully it stays that way.”

The positive news from the medical room extends to Cassidy himself who missed the Burra’s first three games of the season while recovering from a calf injury.

“It’s feeling alright at the moment, but it took me a while to get going,” he said.

“It’s good to be back, especially with how the way the season has panned out.

“It’s only round seven (last Saturday) at the moment, so we know there is a long way to go, but at the moment we are playing really good football.

“Hopefully we can keep it up.”

Asked what he loved most about Sebastopol, Cassidy said it was ‘the people’.

“You could see the crowd that was here today (last Saturday) – they were unbelievable,” he said.

“It’s the best crowd in the league.

“I love coming here – the best thing is seeing the older boys after a win. They love it.

“And with Tony (senior coach Tony Lockyer) in charge, he’s a great people person and the boys work in with him well.

“He’s doing a great job.”

Lockyer was only too happy to reciprocate some kind words about his long-time teammate, who was the Roosters’ best and fairest winner in their last year in the VFL.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play with Lachie for many years now, even before we came to Sebas together. He’s a great person, who leads by example,” he said.

“For us as a group, we talk about pressure and how we attack the contest, but we just have to follow him and jump on his back.

“He’s an amazing player and a great person down at the club.”