By Ken Moore
NAR Nar Goon – the 2010 premiers – recorded its second victory of the season when it inflicted a 58-point defeat on Warragul Industrials on Saturday.
After an even first quarter, any chance the Dusties had of victory was undermined by poor skill and ordinary decision making.
The Goon had a passage for attack through midfielders Ben Keane and Kevin Quinn, while Tommy Hallinan, Scott Haughton and Nick Henwood cleared the ball from the danger zone time and time again.
Leigh Noonan staked a claim for more regular senior selection with a number of effective disposals, when he came off the interchange bench. Luke McConnell led and marked well and kicked seven goals – including five in the last term.
For the Industrials, spring-heeled ruckman Ben Hobgen won many taps and combined well with rover Chris Larosa to give the Dusties the better of the centre clearances, Matt Willis stymied the output of Goon forward Chris Jones and Damian Dawson contained McConnell until three-quarter-time.
Nathan Brewster was always in the slipstream of Clint Williams in the first half, but the experience of the Goon coach and playmaker came to the fore in the second half. Half-back Manny Peresso, ruck-rover Shane Brewster and wingman Ayden Mills put in noteworthy efforts.
The Industrials started the season with three wins, but after a 94-point loss to Cora Lynn the previous week, a question mark remains on whether they are any better than last year’s outfit, which won a finals berth.
NILMA-DARNUM failed to score a goal and lost by 119 points against Garfield. Without its only bona fide star, Mal Michael, who quit the club last weekend to join Aberfeldie, the Bombers crumbled without much resistance against the competition pace setters. The Stars had an array of midfield drivers led by coach Brent Eastwell, Ned Marsh, Phil Burns, Luke Bee-Hugo and half-back Shane Reid. Jim Bow (seven goals) provided a good forward target and Warragul recruit Sam Ferguson chimed in with four majors. To stop an even bigger scoreboard blow-out Nilma often dropped plenty of numbers behind the ball. For the Bombers, Harley Lacunes had a red-hot go against his former side, wingman Luke Shelly and Jade Jensen cropped up with plenty of the ball and Ellinbank recruit Tyler Walters didn’t go unnoticed on debut.
UNDER new coach Rhys Morgan, the replacement for Shane Newcombe, who was given his marching orders last week, Kooweerup kicked eight unanswered first-quarter goals and went on to spank Nyora by 66 points. The versatile Sean Miller (eight goals) showcased his talent and teamed well across the forward line with Brett Hobson (four goals) and Steven Greaves (three). Matt Cameron did not put a foot out of place in the ruck, Rhys Morgan powered the midfield and Craig Dyker anchored the defence. Key Saints forward Geoff Hibberd (five goals) troubled the Demons defence, midfielder Adam Tagliaferro was in and under the packs all game and defender Nathan Broadmore and ruckman Nick Fairbank put in wholehearted efforts.
CATANI tamed equal ladder leaders Lang Lang for three quarters before the Tigers broke the shackles with eight last-quarter goals to run away with a 55-point win. Bryce Tonks, Billy Hayes and Dan O’Hara, the later in an uncustomary role as a wingman, all provided feed for the lively three-pronged attack of Kurt Batt, John Nicols and Aiden Brown, who presented well all game. Ruck rover Hadley Tomamichel and half-back Aaron Creasey were also consistently in the thick of things. Catani has now folded meekly in the last quarter in three consecutive games and fitness appears to be an issue, although this week there were mitigating circumstances because the Blues had no interchange bench in the last quarter thanks to injuries to Shane Fitzpatrick, Tom Grant and Leigh Jose. For Catani, the union of Luke Tyrell and Jake Delphine generated many inside 50s, tall ruckman Dean Johnson turned in a game effort and showed he was on the improve. Ellinbank recruit Beau Ridgeway and captain Luke McFarlane beavered in for the ball all match and the Strahan brothers, Daniel and Phil, scrounged plenty of the ball.
ELLINBANK had a comfortable 40-point victory over Buln Buln. Bankers centreman Terry Mildren, half-forward Josh Peterson and Malcolm Dow all played influential roles as did half-back Ash Wallace and half-forward Toby Wallace. Rover Nathan Paredes and his brother Josh, across the half forward line, were never too far away from the action and Jack Grogan slotted through four goals. Encouragingly for the Lyrebirds, who missed their inspirational leader, Daniel Charles (thumb), they fielded seven players 18 years or younger and fought the match right out to the final siren. Veteran Dean Burnell and recruit Anthony Bernardo both played exemplary games all over the field, midfielder Cam Nugent drifted forward to notch three goals for the second consecutive week and newcomers Nathan Kimm and Matthew Pearson showed plenty of promise. Sixteen-year-old Deen Allen did not look out of place with the big boys with 17 possessions and will press for more senior games.
