Stars shine in vital win

Jake Blackwood was the Goon’s best on a tough day at the office for Dean Blake’s side.

By Russell Bennett

WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION

REVIEW – ROUND 5

Though the battle for the all-important final five, and the positions within, came down to the very last day of the home and away season last year, many were predicting this season’s battle to be much more straightforward.

After the likes of Phillip Island, Inverloch-Kongwak, Cora Lynn, Kooweerup, Nar Nar Goon, and Tooradin-Dalmore there was supposed to be – in the eyes of many – a significant gap to the chasing pack.

But footy isn’t played out on paper, and pre-season predictions make for good pub talk but ultimately mean nothing.

The results across the first five rounds have shown already that, again, the race for the finals positions in the WGFNC is set to go down to the wire – and some of the sides that could feature in that race are those not many had predicted.

Local rivals Bunyip and Garfield are two such sides.

Instead of being on the periphery of the battle, they’re right in the thick of it.

The most startling result of Round 5 – and one that could set the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons – was Garfield’s six-goal win at home over Nar Nar Goon, 13.5 (83) to 7.5 (47).

The Goon entered the clash missing some of its biggest names, and lost Jake Smith in the first term, but that didn’t diminish the result for the shining Stars.

The two sides could hardly be separated in the first term, but from the second quarter onwards it was Garfield that stretched away.

With Lachy Hansen missing for the Goon through suspension, the Stars threw gun key defender Michael Wallace forward – and to great effect, booting three goals as one of the clash’s most influential players.

In-form midfielder Tanner Stanton was another who was played somewhat out of position – used as a wingman who would push back across defensive 50 to provide support for the Garfield backs.

His high-quality field kicking, long a standout of his game, was again on display as he shone right when he needed to most.

While the Goon was far from full-strength on Saturday, neither were the Stars – missing significant pieces in all parts of the ground.

And that’s partly what made the weekend’s result so impressive.

Garfield coach Hayden Stanton explained that the side’s forward structure was likely headed for change, regardless of Hansen’s absence as the logical match-up for Wallace inside 50 for the Goon.

The Stars hadn’t been kicking a consistent score, so something had to give.

“We were really poor against Bunyip and really disappointed in our performance,” Stanton said honestly, adding that the clash marked the closing of one chapter this season and the opening of a new one.

“We struggled to compete in the air (up forward), which meant couldn’t reset the ground well, and that didn’t allow a breather for the mids.

“But on Saturday we were really positive and energetic, and pressured hard.

“And if seven or eight of your best players play to their potential, you’re going to be in games.”

Stanton highlighted the efforts of James McKellar down back on Troy McDermott, in addition to the performances of Wallace, Ned Marsh, and Rhys Murphy.

Marsh, along with former player-coach Joel Morgan, has returned to the Stars this year and the pair has already had a profound impact.

When it became clear that Morgan would return to the club, Stanton designed a role for him – as a kind of link player across half-forward, rather than the defensive role he had in his last stint at Beswick Street.

“He’s loving it, and he’s been terrific for the group,” Stanton explained.

“With Ned – you know what you’re going to get. He’s a soldier who’ll do whatever it takes for the side, whether it’s in the midfield, up forward, or down back.

“He’s probably only just getting his legs going, but last week – for example – he played a great game of what I expect from him, really hard at the contest and supporting the likes of Jayden Goumas really well.”

The Stars are now sitting with a record of 2-3 – just a game back of Bunyip in fifth – and the focus has already switched to the challenges to come.

“If you look simplistically (at the win over Nar Nar Goon) – it gives us the chance to square the ledger and be 3-3 at the break,” Stanton said.

“In terms of our own pre-season expectations, that would probably be one shy of what we would have liked.

“Take interleague out of it – we’ve got Dalyston and Kilcunda Bass in the next couple of weeks. I’m confident we can win those two and be 4-3 if we play the brand of footy we want to play.”

Elsewhere across the round on Saturday, the Panthers were no match for Bunyip at Bass, with the visitors piling on six unanswered first quarter goals on the way to an eventual 82-point thumping, 16.12 (108) to 3.8 (26). Ben Ross booted six majors in a starring role for the Yips, while Ricky Clark also shone in his first game back following a significant hand injury sustained in a workplace mishap.

Korumburra-Bena, meanwhile, was predictably no match for an in-form Tooradin-Dalmore at the showgrounds. Andrew Dean was the star of the show for the Gulls, finishing with eight goals in their 70-point win 14.7 (91) to 2.9 (21).

In the final game of the round, a strangely wayward Phillip Island brushed aside the Warragul Industrials at Western Park – winning by 76 points, but having 34 scoring shots to just three.

The Island ultimately kicked 11.23 (89) to 2.1 (13), with skipper Brendan Kimber (three goals) showcasing his dominance in his first game in about a month following nasal surgery.