By Russell Bennett
WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION
REVEW – ROUND 16
Sea Eagles coach Tom McQualter spoke to the Gazette outside the home rooms just after a stirring comeback win on Saturday.
“I think we were a bit big down back, so with (Billy) Thomas out and Tharle in the ruck we were probably a bit tall and their small forwards got away from us early and their midfield certainly spread better,” he said about the visiting Cobras’ fast start.
“We were able adjust down back and sent Cusack (two goals) to full-forward, so we got a bit smaller there, and Van Driel went to Gardiner which is a good match-up for us.”
Tristan Van Driel really has been one of the competition’s most versatile players so far this year, having played down back, in the midfield, and up forward in whatever role he’s required to perform.
And on Saturday, he was one of the key reasons why the Sea Eagles were able to arrest their slide.
The home side’s midfield was another.
“The Briggs boys got on top of us early and they’re really good on the spread,” McQualter said.
“We were (ultimately) able to squeeze that up and make it a bit tighter inside.”
McQualter said it, essentially, took 20 minutes for his side to settle into the contest.
And in that period in the first term, the visitors piled on six goals.
“They’re a big momentum team and really can get on runs like that,” he said.
“We butchered the ball across half-forward in the first half. We either bombed it too long, or we were too shallow so they were able to transition back the other way.
“We trained for it all week, but they were able to open us up through the middle (early).
“We stopped that after quarter-time.”
Losing key defender Mitch Wallace to injury less than two minutes into the final term – with the game well and truly still in the balance – desperately hurt the visitors.
And the Sea Eagles knew it.
“Gibbo (Sam Gibbins, five goals) was able to get off the chain a bit at the end there and Iezzi played on the wing where (Jeremy) Monckton was, so they were a couple down and we were able to run over the top a little bit in that respect, and kicking downhill here at this ground is a fair bit easier – even in the gentle breeze it makes a fair difference.
“It was just pleasing to finish it off.”
Elsewhere across the competition on Saturday, Tooradin-Dalmore turned the tables on neighbouring rival Kooweerup to record an imposing win at home.
The last time the two sides played was back in Round 9, and it was the Demons who emerged victorious by 39 points.
But Saturday was the Seagulls’ day.
They stormed out of the blocks with seven goals to three in the opening term, and held the Demons at bay despite the visitors’ fast start to the second.
Brad Butler was a real standout for the home side, while Julian Suarez booted five majors and young guns Lewis Hill, Cooper Shipp, and Dylan Sutton also had a real impact.
Demons hard-nut Mitch Cammarano (two goals) was again outstanding for his side.
At Bunyip, the hometown Bulldogs survived a slow start to storm away from the plucky Panthers in the second half.
The young Bass side refused to be overawed by the occasion and stood up to be counted through the first three quarters, but the home side just had too much polish and experience when it counted most – recording its 10th win of the season and maintaining its hold on the all-important fifth spot.
Big man Chris Kelf and Nathan Allen were two of the biggest standouts for the home side.
Dalyston recorded an impressive win at home over the Giants – just the side’s second victory of the season.
In what was a hard-fought contest from the outset, the Magpies held on and stretched their slender advantage in the last – ultimately winning by 22 points, 7.5 (47) to 3.7 (25).
In the other games of Round 16, Nar Nar Goon proved too strong at home for Garfield, winning 11.13 (79) to 7.8 (50) and keeping alive its finals hopes in the process; while Phillip Island steamrolled the Warragul Industrials 29.12 (186) to 2.7 (19). Brendan Kimber finished with an eight-goal haul, while Jaymie Youle and Cam Pedersen were also outstanding.
Undoubtedly, the matches of Round 17 that will draw the most attention this weekend are Tooradin-Dalmore’s home showdown with Phillip Island in a battle of the top three sides; and the seventh-placed Kooweerup’s clash with fifth-placed Bunyip.
