By David Nagel
Tooradin-Dalmore has claimed its first significant scalp of the season with the Seagulls overcoming a brave challenge from Inverloch-Kongwak at Tooradin on Saturday.
The Seagulls broke open a tight game of football towards the end of the third quarter, beginning a run that would conjure up the last eight goals of the contest.
The Seagulls trailed by eight points, at the 20-minute mark of the third quarter, before ramping up the ratchet on their way to a 13.11.89 to 7.10.52 victory.
Neither team gave an inch in the first half, with both teams requiring a safe-crackers licence to find their way through some well organised and well-oiled defence.
Both teams applied immense pressure, with very few chances being provided to get the ball on the outside and run.
Inverloch looked to have the upper hand when Will Turner and Ethan Park kicked goals early in the third, before former Collingwood star Brent Macaffer lifted his rating through the midfield.
Macaffer’s influence was crucial, and when Jimmy Trezise cut the margin back to two points at the 21-minute mark the Seagulls lifted all over the ground.
Brad Butler put the Seagulls in front just four minutes later before Adam Oxley struck a beautiful drop punt from very close to the arc to put the home side ahead by 12 points.
Every player on the ground ran to Oxley…the Seagulls were up and about and genuinely excited for the first time in the contest.
“We’re in a classic, your character is about to be revealed,” Inverloch coach Ben Soumilas calmly told his charges at three-quarter time.
“Whoever works the hardest will probably win the game; let’s see what you’re made of.”
Blake Grewar extended Tooradin’s lead with a great one-on-one victory in the first minute of play before Inverloch squandered its chance of getting back into the game.
The Sea Eagles kicked four consecutive points, all gettable, before the inevitable happened and the Seagulls drove home their advantage.
Goals to Liam Adams, Stewie Scanlon and Trezise put the issue beyond doubt before Trent Adams put the icing on the cake on the final siren.
Both teams were impressive.
The Seagulls showed great signs by lifting when the game was on the line, with big names like Macaffer and Oxley stepping up to the plate when needed.
But lesser lights like Lewis Hill, Dylan Paarlberg and Brady Egan were also impressive performers on the day.
Grewar and Scanlon kicked three each for the winners while Trezise finished with two.
Inverloch was outgunned in the last 40 minutes of the match but did put up a brave performance.
Walk-up starts such as Clinton McCaughan, Toby Mahoney, Tom Hams, Gareth Park and Adam Cross were all missing from their line-up, with several youngsters filling the breach in style.
The Sea Eagles were well-served by Corey Casey and Lachie Scott through the midfield, while Marcus Toussaint had a great battle with Piva Wright in the ruck.
This was a great game of footy, played on a beautiful sunny day…and it had a bit of everything.
They play again in round 14, and then likely again in one of the last two weeks of the season!
Nar Nar Goon remains undefeated after the Goon came from behind at three-quarter time to hunt down Warragul Industrials on their home deck at Western Park.
The Goon trailed by 13 points at the last break but kicked 6.2 to three points in the final term to race away with victory….13.13.91 to 10.9.69.
“It took us until quarter time to work them out, but it just took us another two quarters to break them down,” said Goon coach Luke Young.
“We worked out where their kicking patterns were and I thought we controlled the game in the second quarter, the ball lived in our forward 50.
“But they applied more pressure than we’ve seen in recent weeks and we didn’t execute well.
“The third quarter we dropped off a bit but in the last quarter everything just clicked.”
Young was cool and composed at three-quarter-time, despite facing that 13-point deficit.
“There was no panic because I didn’t think we were going to lose to be honest,” Young said.
“We were confident because we felt like we were just starting to play our footy and if we could keep doing that then things would turn out okay.
“The brand they play is really taxing and I just thought things were set up nicely for us in the final quarter.”
Of the Goon’s six in the final quarter, four came from the boot of full-forward Dermott Yawney, while Trent Armour put on a masterclass through the midfield.
“Trent is the best player going around,” Young said.
“I coached Cody Weightman and saw what he did to make it to the top level, and Trent doesn’t have those disciplines, because he likes playing with his mates, but I firmly believe he could have made it all the way if that’s the direction he wanted to take.”
Young was impressed with his team’s last-quarter performance, which saw the Goon over-run a team that surprisingly defeated it last year.
“We thought it was a good challenge, knowing what they did to us the year before, and we know the challenges will get greater as the year goes on,” Young said.
“Some people are saying we’ve had a soft draw, but we can’t control who we play and we’ve got the hardest run home of anyone coming home.
“We play every other side in the six twice, and there wouldn’t be many clubs queuing up to take that draw I don’t think.
“And it doesn’t worry us, if we’re going to win it this year we have to beat these sides and you may as well get in as much practice at it as you can.
“We were stoked with the win; it was character building and gave us some real positives as we go into the next four weeks ahead.”
Yawney finished with six for the Goon, and Troy McDermott three, while Armour and Matt Homfray booted two each.
Anthony Bruhn kicked three for the Dusties, with Mason McGarrity and Travis Ogden slotting two, while defenders Matt Herbert, Michael Ablett and Kyle Staples all stuck to their guns all day.
The Dusties are closing in on the top teams…they now just need to win one!
Bunyip warmed up for its huge home clash against Tooradin-Dalmore this week with a clinical 16.17.113 to 4.8.32 home-victory over Korumburra-Bena.
Bulldogs coach Tim McGibney would have learned some valuable lessons over the last two weeks, in losses to Warragul Industrials and Inverloch-Kongwak, and putting that long list of notes to good use on the training track.
It’s important to remember where the Bulldogs have come from this year, and that a 4-3 record after seven rounds is a pretty impressive achievement.
The Doggies were ruthless defensively on the weekend, conceding no more than four scoring shots in a quarter, with Aaron Paxton and Alex Dijkstra leading the way down back, and Nathan Allen playing a controlling role around the stoppages.
And the Doggies look well-balanced up forward, with tall-forward Connor Steel and lively-type Dylan Gallasch booting four each, and Dan Helmore and Matt Ross kicking two.
The Giants have had three hefty losses in recent times, but will look to be far more competitive against Kooweerup this Saturday.
Despite the heavy loss, Matt Kennewell, Darcy Hargrave and key-back Matt Lello will take some good form into the contest.
A Jimmy Munro masterclass has propelled Cora Lynn to back-to-back victories with the Cobras treating Kilcunda-Bass with contempt in a 19.18.132 to 2.10.22 triumphant at the Bass Rec Reserve.
Munro, who has won the last two best and fairest awards with the Casey Demons, showcased his class and determination in a dominant display through the midfield.
The Cobras guns were all smoking on Saturday, with Heath and Jaxon Briggs and Chris Johnson supporting Munro in the middle, while Dillan Bass is starting to really find his feet at the Cobradome.
After five consecutive losses the Cobras are certainly making amends with 89 and 90-point wins over the last fortnight.
Upcoming games against Garfield, Dalyston and Kooweerup provide Shaun Sparks and his team with the ideal opportunity to continue their winning run.
Full-forward Nathan Gardiner was back to his best for the Cobras, booting seven majors, while Cory Machaya with three and Gus Da Costa with two also enjoyed their Saturday afternoons in the forward line.
The Cobras hit the road this week to take on a winless Garfield, while the Panthers will be in for another tough time when they head to Inverloch to take on the rebounding Sea Eagles.
Ruckman Dale Gawley and the versatile Jimmy Phillips were best for the Panthers on the weekend.
Kooweerup is just one win away from squaring up its season at 4-4 after the Demons started and finished in style against Garfield at Denhams Road on Saturday.
A gutsy performance against Phillip Island last week had the Demons primed for a win, and a 5.6 to 1.2 first quarter was the ideal platform to build an 18.19.127 to 9.12.66 victory on.
The Demons failed to measure up against the best in the business during the early stages of the season, but Rhys Nisbet is a thorough coach who will be just starting to work out what he can and can’t do with his side.
The Demons will start favourites this week against Korumburra-Bena and midfielders like Mitch Cammarano, Cosi Anagnostou and Matt Voss will head into the contest in fine form.
As will Jason Wells, who slotted six, and Archie Whitta, who bagged a brace.
The was Garfield’s highest score for the season and coach Paul Carbis will be keen to work through the next fortnight against Cora Lynn and Inverloch before some opportunities arise against Dalyston and Kilcunda-Bass.
The Sauze boys, Jono and Lachie, kicked three and two goals respectively and were clearly their team’s best players.
Phillip Island has cracked through the 200-point barrier for the first time this season in a thumping 32.15.207 to 6.8.48 victory over Dalyston.
The Bulldogs threatened the mark in round four, scoring 198 against Garfield, but pushed through the magical figure on the weekend.
An 11-goal first quarter set the scene, before nine goals in the third and fourth quarters put the imperial stamp on proceedings.
The list of goal kickers was long, with Jack Taylor kicking seven, Cameron Brown five, and Levi Robinson also leading the way with three.
Gun performers Brendan Kimber and Cam Pedersen dominated for the Doggies, while Curtis Murfett continued his impressive first season for the Magpies
Phillip Island faces their 2021 nemesis this week, Nar Nar Goon, while the Magpies host the Dusties.
282025_47: Livewire forward Jimmy Trezise produced a big-game performance against the Sea Eagles. 282025
Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS