By RUSSELL BENNETT
ELLINBANK AND DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE
REVIEW – 1st SEMI FINAL WEST DIVISION
CHANCES are that if a straw poll of EDFL West fans was conducted over the pre-season, the consensus view they’d take would be that 2014 wouldn’t be Garfield’s year. The Stars had lost too many premiership players, they were too young, and they wouldn’t be able to kick a winning score in big games. There was no way they’d be able to go back-to-back, particularly under a new coach.
There’s a lesson we can all learn out of what has transpired since: Never, ever write off a champion.
The boys from Beswick Street sent shockwaves from Kooweerup all the way down the road to Cora Lynn on Sunday with their 81-point demolition of a hapless Nar Nar Goon in their first semi-final – 19.12 (126) to 5.15 (45).
Denhams Road on Sunday was a scene of devastation for the Goon, who surely couldn’t have seen the result coming. They were jumped right from the outset and simply came apart at the seams. The composure they’d built their season around, and their precise kicking game, were both non-existent – much to the huge crowd’s shock.
But it’s not as if there wasn’t any reason for it. Goldsworthy’s men looked rattled, and they had Ryan Hendy’s troops to blame. The Marsh boys – ruckman Tom, heart-and-soul clearance machine Ben, and the silky smooth Ned – were once again at the forefront of the Stars’ charge but fittingly it was birthday boy Alex Nooy who played arguably his best ever senior game. He had his way in the midfield – spotting up targets with penetration from half-back to half-forward – and crept forward to impact the scoreboard as well.
Despite Garfield booting 19 goals, Ash Brown (4 goals) was the only player to kick more than two. He also had a huge impact and if there was an award for ‘Recruit of the Season’ his name would have to be on the shortest of shortlists.
His contested, yet clean, marking has been a standout feature of his game all season and Sunday was no different.
While there were question marks surrounding the Garfield midfield on the eve of Round 1 back on 28 March, it’s their biggest strength now. John Atwell sent plenty of daggers through the Goon’s heart on Sunday in the form of long, searching kicks through the centre. And the likes of Nick Battle, Will Collis and Hendy, himself, have the luxury of playing large percentages of games either forward or back. They don’t even need to spend extended time in the guts – such is the Stars’ embarrassment of riches through there.
It’s hard to do anything but rave about Garfield’s performance on Sunday. They led by 41 points at half-time and kept the foot down after the main break – piling on another six goals to just two from the Goon.
Yet, ironically, it was the Goon’s backline that arguably stood the tallest of any of their lines. Sam Van Der Zalm tried to show run and dare off half-back and finished the game in the midfield, while Scott Haughton made the tall Stars forwards work for their possessions inside 50. Brent Hughes was as fierce as ever through the middle for the Goon but he just didn’t have enough support. There was no faulting Josh Grant and Matt Krawczyk’s endeavour, but it seemed they were outnumbered comfortably at every stoppage.
Then there was the Goon’s spread – another of the side’s trademarks all year. On Sunday, the Stars turned that on its head thanks to young wingman Tyler McDonald. If it seemed like all of his possessions were uncontested, it was only because he worked so hard to run on to the Sherrin in the first place.
Back in the rooms after the game, Hendy smiled like a man who realised just what his side was capable off.
“Alex (Nooy) was the best on the ground today by a mile,” he beamed.
“He would have had 40 touches.
“We just put him out on the wing and let him go to work.”
Gus Mitchell also earned high praise from the coach for his work down back – taking a series of strong grabs in an unheralded role.
“But besides Alex Nooy’s game, and maybe Johnny Atwell’s, I don’t think we could single anyone else out,” Hendy said.
“It was a real complete team performance and I couldn’t think of a weak link and we all know that’s what finals’ footy is all about.”
Look out Kooweerup, and possibly Cora Lynn too.
