By Russell Bennett
WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION
REVIEW – AFL VICTORIA COMMUNITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Those involved with the Ellinbank and District senior interleague side told anyone who’d listen in the lead up to Saturday’s game at Yarragon – they weren’t going to die wondering.
This wouldn’t just be a walk in the park for their much more highly-fancied West Gippsland brothers.
And they absolutely lived up to their word in the first quarter of Saturday’s game.
The likes of Longwarry’s Russ Lehman, Catani’s Nic Visser, and Poowong’s Jack Hazendonk all had a huge impact through the middle of the ground in the opening stages, and their side trailed by just seven points at the opening break courtesy of a late goal from Ellinbank’s Adam Cook.
At quarter-time, with his side ahead 4.3 (27) to 3.2 (20), West Gippsland coach Mark Lafferty urged his men to stop over-crowding the forward 50, to avoid over-doing the dangerous switch kicks across the ground, and to not be arrogant in general play.
Because he could see it. The arrogance was there.
The talented West Gippsland group looked as if it thought a win was inevitable, but the boys from the EDFL seemed more prepared to work for it.
The large Dowton Park crowd seemed stunned at times throughout the first half – a tightknit affair wasn’t what many of them were expecting – and clearly there were nerves among the WGFNC faithful.
An early goal to Ellinbank in the second quarter brought the margin back to just a single point, but Kilcunda Bass ball of energy Jake Weightman continued his uncompromising attack on the contest.
The worry for West Gippsland, though, is that he was outnumbered in that regard – with Visser, Brad Arnold, and Paul Pattison all attacking the contest head-on.
Ellinbank actually hit the lead at one stage in the second, but Cora Lynn’s Heath Briggs responded with a timely major – one of his three for the day.
Finally, some clean delivery into Tooradin-Dalmore star Andrew Dean gave him one of his own three goals soon after, while Weightman continued his relentless attack.
West Gippsland skipper, star Inverloch Kongwak half-back Dylan Clark also started to impact the clash in a massive way with his run and dare, and ball use by foot in what seemed every bit the quarterback role.
Some more direct, fast ball movement that began across half-back resulted in one of Cora Lynn spearhead Nathan Gardiner’s three goals, but the visitors led by just 15 points at the main break.
Lafferty was none too pleased.
“There’s still so much we can improve on,” he told his charges.
“If you’re not involved in the play in defensive 50, set up for the one that might come straight back your way. Don’t just stand at half-back or on the wing and just ball-watch. You’re useless to me if you do that. We’re putting that back six under huge pressure right now.
“I think we got way ahead of ourselves and our ability (in that first half) – me included.
“Hugely.”
Lafferty implored his men to lift if they genuinely thought they deserved to be considered one of the better sides in the interleague competition.
“You guys aren’t just representing yourselves,” he said.
“You’re representing everyone else in the competition back home not playing.”
The response Lafferty had been calling for came just on time in the third, as West Gippsland held Ellinbank to just a goal for the quarter while slotting seven of its own.
Kooweerup stars Nathan Voss (three goals) and Jason Wells (four) slotted seven majors between them, and that included some timely contributions in the telling third term.
Phillip Island’s Jaymie Youle – an interleague stalwart, Bunyip’s Aaron Paxton, and Bailey Patterson all shone during the term as it became clear that West Gippsland had an extra couple of gears to go to all along.
Their fitness, and skill level – particularly by foot – was simply too much for the EDFL to handle as some of the home side’s key contributors dropped away.
As West Gippsland’s stars showcased their selflessness more with every passing minute, the scoreboard continued to tick over and the final term was little more than a procession that ultimately led to a 73-point blowout.
The best on ground medals for the respective sides were rightfully awarded to Weightman and Visser, while the talk immediately after the contest switched to ‘what if’.
What if West Gippsland could have fielded a full strength side – featuring the likes of Cam Pedersen, Brendan Kimber, Trent Armour, and Luke McKenna? But, more importantly, what if the WGFNC had the opportunity to face off against its own big brother, the Gippsland League, on the interleague stage? On the surface, the two leagues’ respective rankings wouldn’t allow it, but what if…
