Tigers out on the double

By Ken Moore
LANG Lang’s double-chance prospects vanished on Saturday when it was crushed by 93 points at Cora Lynn.
The Cobras’ victory saw them displace the Tigers in third position and such was the emphatic nature of the win, that it looked well primed to give the top two teams, Garfield and Neerim Neerim South, plenty of hurry-up come the finals.
Lang Lang lacked the zing it displayed early in the season and its performance was below par. The Tigers are guaranteed a finals berth, but will need to find plenty of improvement within two weeks or they will be eliminated from the premiership race in week one.
The game started under grey skies but without a breath of wind and the still conditions clearly favoured the more skilful Cora Lynn.
The Cobras called the tune from the outset and goals by tall utility Brad Horaczko, key forward Ryan Gillis and pacy forward Anthony Giuliano set the home side up with a 19-point lead before the 10-minute mark – and it never looked back.
The Tigers rallied mid-term to stop the early bleeding, but in the second quarter the home side again asserted its authority on the game and, with seven goals, turned a 19-point advantage into a match-winning 43-point-lead.
Livewire Cora Lynn assistant coach Matt Robinson proved to be the game breaker, bagging five second-quarter goals, and he also thrilled spectators with a towering mark late in the term.
With exceptional ground and aerial skills, Robinson again showed he was a hard person to match up on, a matchwinner and one of the elite players in the league.
Both sides traded three goals apiece in the third quarter, before Robinson again came to the fore with another two goals.
When a kick by teammate Nick Rutley spliced the big sticks as the three-quarter-time siren sounded, the home side held an insurmountable 58-point lead.
Tempers frayed on a number of times in the last quarter before Cora Lynn continued to make all the running, and with a seven-goal-to-two term, it won by a decisive 93 points. While Robinson stole the limelight with his seven goals, Cora Lynn had winners all over the field.
Beaconsfield recruit Sean Marchetti ignited the Cobras early and played well. He was given wonderful midfield support by Michael Duiker, Brendan Kimber and James Bradshaw.
Ruckman Dan Harders was terrific in the first half and fellow talls Matt Pierce, who played in defence, and Brad Horaczko, who gave his midfielders a good target across the forward line, troubled the undersized Tigers.
There was also a lot to like about 17-year-old midfielder Jordan Toole, while mid-season Narre Warren recruit Daniel van Broek showed his mettle with a solid effort in the back half.
“Our pressure was good and I was pleased with our blocks, shepherds, tackles and the one per centers,” satisfied Cora Lynn coach Brendan Kimber said. And the good weather and a firm deck helped his team play at close to their best.
For Lang Lang, forwards Kurt Batt and David Williams posed a threat and did well from limited opportunities, while Jarrod and Bryce Tonks had a crack in and around the midfield.
Coach and ruckman Ben Dwyer made his presence felt in the second half and Jimmy van Dam and Aaron Creasey provided solid resistance behind the centre, but far too many Tigers made little impact.
“We lacked composure and discipline and it seems we do not have the courage to take the game on against the top sides,” Lang Lang coach Ben Dwyer said.