By Ken Moore
WONTHAGGI’S 2011 final chances cannot be dismissed.
That’s the message the Power sent to GFL rivals in Round 4 ‘Pink Footy Day’ on Saturday, after it turned a 30-point second quarter deficit into a morale-boosting away from home 13-point victory over 2010 runners-up, Drouin.
The Hawks kicked 11 goals in the first half, but could only manage two in the second half.
Tocumwal recruit Lucas White and Matt Kremmer pitched in with a good contribution across the forward line, Poowong recruit and ruckman Chris Wylie played his best game for the club and former Drouin small, Phil Solohub, who has played at Yarragon in recent seasons, gave the Power plenty of rebound out of defence.
Fergus O’Connor and Rowan Hanley played a big midfield role and Ben Drew propped up the last line of defence. Drouin star Andy Soumilas copped a few knocks, but still racked up countless possessions and was lent strong support by Sam Proctor, who thrived in the packs, in what was a very physical game.
Braydon Salton and David Olsen provided steady resistance in defence and Hayden Calway gathered many disposals in his on ball roll. Ellinbank recruit Steven Ballingall, son of local legend Rob, did some nice things and is starting to find his feet in the league and looks a bright prospect.
LEONGATHA smashed Warragul by 120 points.
The Gulls were expected to match up well against the Parrots, another young team, however, the game was all over bar the shouting by half time when the home side led by 58 points.
Nic Nagel (11 goals) played a peach of a game, a feature being his ability to take strong contested marks. Chris Rump returned after a 12-month absence with a combative game in the ruck and Stony Creek recruit Chris Verboon (five goals) prised open the Gull defence on a regular basis.
Zac Vernon was everywhere and Jack Hughes, in his 150th game, was his ever reliable self. After an encouraging performance against Sale the previous week, the Gulls looked jaded. Midfielder Jason Hibbs and ruckman-forward Mark Bradley worked hard and won plenty of the ball, Callum Shiels, Nick Edney and Brad Nott, in his 150th game, were some of the few Gulls not to go missing.
A 10-GOAL haul by Ryan Donaldson gave Moe’s hopes for this season a huge boost, after it upset Maffra by 24 points.
The former Beaconsfield spearhead was in vintage form and displayed tremendous ability to outmanoeuvre his wily opponent, Sam Bristow, with surprising ease. Former Warragul star Tom Johnson had a bustling presence around the forward line and Ben Collins was prominent in and around the middle.
Ben Kerrigan was lively with four first half goals and Tommy Long and Peter Ainsworth pumped the ball forward from behind the centre. Maffra looked unusually flat and trailed at every change. Sam Tudor rendered terrific assistance down back, Kelvin Porter and Gary Jones took it up to the Lions midfielders and Daniel Bedggood kicked five goals for the third successive week.
BAIRNSDALE remain undefeated after they played out the first draw of the season against Traralgon. In a see-sawing last term, the Maroons came from 12 points down to lead by two goals, only for the Redlegs to reply with three goals to hold a seven-point lead with five minutes to play. A late goal by Traralgon rover Danny Campbell and a point with 60 seconds to go, off the boot of Michael Cooper, seized the visitors two match points. James Gibbs (eight goals) was the cornerstone of the Redlegs forward line. David Donchi, Kane Ashwood, Brent Cowell and Mark Sellings gave the home side drive through the centre and across the half forward line. Justin Fulton was the most effective player for Traralgon, with a good game in the ruck, and he posed a big threat kicking three goals when he played forward. Former coach Steve Hazelmann was a prolific kick winner, Sam Dunbar gave the Redlegs defence the run around and debutant and last season’s u/18 captain, Rob Wilke, did a good job to stop the output of Justin Blair, who hurt the visitors with his pace and elusiveness in the first quarter.
SALE romped in by 101 points over a sluggish Morwell on Saturday night.
The Magpies dominated from the start and had 10 individual goalkickers, led by Brenton Martin and Matt Ferguson, who both bagged five apiece, while will-o-the-wisp forward Brendan Rathnow netted four. Deep in defence, John Gooch ran hard and straight at the ball and repelled the best the Tigers could throw at him, ruckman Toby Leeds exhibited all his athleticism and Kane Fraser mopped up many balls in dispute.
For the Tigers, Michael ‘Chunky’ Duncan moved into the ruck and used his body strength well while his namesake, Michael ‘Funky’ Duncan and Jason Stevens offered solid defence in the face of wave after wave of attack. After convincing wins over Wonthaggi and Warragul in the opening two rounds, Morwell has come back to earth and will need to revisit their play book before next week’s important encounter against Leongatha.
ROUND 5 TIPS:
Warragul v DROUIN (Sunday)
WONTHAGGI v Moe
MAFFRA v Traralgon
Morwell v LEONGATHA
Bairnsdale v SALE
