Image: Smile for Peter. Graphic: Wayne Unwin/Ajax 55
A second ‘something’ syndrome can apply to many professions. A band with a sophomore album that fails to live up to the hype of the first, a TV series/movie whose sequel isn’t as entertaining as the original, etc.
The same can be applied in a footballing sense. A second season syndrome can occur when a manager or player fails to live up to the standards or expectations set by their debut season at the club.
No such problem for Brandon Barnes, who by far and away continues to be the league’s leading marksman and is our Player of the Month for April.
The ingredients were there for a potential second season syndrome. The disappointment of failure to achieve promotion due to a massive lead being blown, a new head coach at the helm, a tougher league with the threat of relegation leading the likes of Nunawading and Murray to invest heavily in their first-team squads.
But instead, all those have galvanised him to once again have a devastating effect on the league. There’s unfinished business in terms of promotion to achieve, he’s Gianfranco Impellizzeri’s focal point of attack, and he continues to make a mockery of defences.
Okay, so he hasn’t netted eight goals in a game yet, but his goalscoring exploits are consistently winning his team crucial points in the race for promotion. In April he found the back of the net eight times, contributing directly to winning 10 points for Thunder in an undefeated month.
The stats read: A hat-trick in a 3-3 draw with Melbourne Victory, a single goal in a 3-2 win over Eastern Lions, a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Goulburn Valley Suns, the winner in a 1-0 victory over Brunswick, and a brace in a 3-2 win over Whittlesea.
The good news kept coming in April, with the 24-year-old becoming a father for the first time, with partner Becky giving birth to Ivy Matilda.
Now in May, another hat-trick – this time against Ballarat City – has taken his tally to 19 goals from 12 games, and 61 overall in 40 league games since touching down at George Andrews Reserve.
Could our Player of the Month for April double the dose in May?