Seniors Footy round up
with Rob Pobblestone
ROUND SEVEN
Mirboo North 9.9.63 defeated Stony Creek 8.8.56
Sitting seventh but within striking distance of teams above them, Mirboo North knew the importance of victory as they welcomed an equally desperate Stony Creek side. The Lions, coming off a bye with fresh legs, were expected to challenge the home ground Tigers and did exactly that, eventually falling just short in a thriller. Coach Damian Turner praised his team's ability to find something when it counted, describing it as "a huge win in the context of our season" despite being "out on our legs late."
Stony Creek pushed hard and owned the contested ball in the final quarter, but couldn't quite get over the line in another heartbreaking close loss. Coach Troy Shepardson acknowledged they "couldn't get going until the last quarter, when we came home with a wet sail, but had too much to do to get the win." The Lions remain tantalizingly close to where they need to be, but these narrow defeats provide no consolation when trying to build confidence from ninth position.
Morwell East v Toora
Toora 13.17.95 defeated Morwell East 7.4.46
The importance of success in this clash between two struggling sides could not be overstated, with Morwell East hosting winless Toora in what both sides saw as their best chance for crucial premiership points. The Hawks have been a shell of their former selves and were desperate to turn their fortunes around, while the Magpies believed this represented their golden opportunity. In the end, Toora secured a comfortable victory that was terrific for their club but left many at Morwell East scratching their heads.
Coach Jay Acardi was delighted to get Toora's "first win on the board against Morwell East in a tough contest," adapting well to blustery conditions. The victory provided a real boost for a club that is one of the strongest off-field in the competition. Meanwhile, Morwell East coach Paul Henry was brutally honest, admitting "we are a long way off from where we need to be to compete at this level" and that "we were never in the game," facing one of the toughest periods of his footballing life.
Tarwin v Newborough
Tarwin 12.14.86 defeated Newborough 13.6.84
With nothing separating these teams on the ladder, both the Blues and Newborough were looking for the right result to secure a spot in the top part of the competition. In an unbelievable finish, the result wasn't actually determined until after the final siren sounded, with Newborough missing a shot on goal that could have won them the game. Coach Lachie Jones was particularly pleased with Tarwin's "attack in the contest and team discipline to stick to tasks," noting their forwards stood tall when it mattered most.
Newborough coach Pat Frendo was proud of his extremely undermanned team who "had every right to give up, but kept on fighting until the very end" after Tarwin kicked the first three or four goals in ten minutes. The Bulldogs fought back to take the lead early in the last quarter in a real back-and-forth contest, but ultimately fell just short. With Tarwin sitting fifth and Newborough sixth, both teams have a pack chasing them from below while facing pressure from above.
Yinnar v Foster
Foster 10.11.71 defeated Yinnar 9.7.61
This mouth-watering clash featured unbeaten Foster travelling to Yinnar to take on the Magpies who were looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season. It appeared for much of the afternoon that Yinnar would get the points, but Foster slowly reeled them in to win by ten points in what coach Sam Davies called "a huge win for the group." After being behind 40-9 in the second quarter and losing a forward in the first, Foster showed tremendous character to get the game back on their terms.
Foster's fitness proved crucial as they backed themselves to outrun Yinnar late, kicking crucial goals when it mattered most. Coach Davies noted it was "a real team effort and buy-in to keep grinding away" that maintained their unbeaten run. For Yinnar, coach Sam McCulloch acknowledged they started with high intensity and took advantage of the breeze early, but Foster got on top midway through the second quarter and maintained control. The Magpies have learned plenty about themselves over their two recent losses and face a perfect test against Newborough next week.
ROUND EIGHT
Fish Creek 7.7.49 defeated Foster 7.6.48
Two teams in top form clashed in what was expected to determine the premiership favourite, with Foster arriving as the only unbeaten side to take on the back-to-back reigning premiers. The clash worthy of the big crowd didn't disappoint, with the home side winning in the game of the season by a single point. Coach Jarrad Walker described it as "a gritty win" and "a genuine arm wrestle all day with neither team able to kick back to back goals," with both teams defending superbly in a low-scoring affair.
Foster coach Sam Davies felt it was "a game that got away unfortunately" and one they "definitely lost from our mistakes rather than they won from playing good footy." The Tigers had their chances but failed to execute late, leading to turnovers and poor decision-making in the high-stoppage contest. With only percentage separating the top three sides of Fish Creek, Foster and Yinnar, this crucial victory for the Kangaroos does little to help predict which team deserves premiership favouritism.
Stony Creek v Morwell East
Stony Creek 12.16.88 defeated Morwell East 4.8.32
For most of the season there had been expectation that Morwell East would bounce back into contender form, but this was quite possibly their last chance against an equally desperate Stony Creek side. The Lions effectively killed off the Hawks' season before the halfway mark with a comprehensive victory that coach Troy Shepardson was proud of, noting his boys "really set the tone from opening bounce and didn't let up for four quarters."
Morwell East coach Paul Henry remained uncertain about when their season might turn around, admitting the weekend "wasn't it" for playing decent football. Coach Henry refuses to give up on his team but can only hope they can dig deep enough during their upcoming week off to find something for the back end of the season, starting with Mirboo North at home.
Thorpdale v Tarwin
Tarwin 14.17.101 defeated Thorpdale 14.7.91
Two honest and aggressive teams clashed at Thorpdale's home ground, with Tarwin desperately needing an away victory to stay in touch with teams above them. Despite Thorpdale being well-prepared, they couldn't shake the visiting Sharks in what became a tough and important win for Tarwin. Coach Lachie Jones was extremely proud of his team for persisting with only 18 fit players for the last quarter and a half, with their message at the final break being to "take the game on and take risks."
The defeat was a tough pill to swallow for Thorpdale, who led at the first and second breaks and by nineteen points at three-quarter time before surrendering their advantage. Coach Daniel Taylor was disappointed to give up two four-goal leads throughout the day, acknowledging "the better team won" while noting they need to find a way to perform when the going gets tough. The Blues maintain their top-six position but face pressure from five teams within a single win.
Toora v MDU
Toora 11.8.74 defeated MDU 9.7.61
Coming off their first victory against Morwell East, Toora welcomed a quality MDU side refreshed from a bye, knowing back-to-back wins wouldn't come easy. The Magpies had the Demons on the back foot early and responded every time they were challenged on their way to an unlikely victory. Coach Jay Acardi credited his team for applying "pressure for four quarters" and getting "the game on our terms for periods," acknowledging MDU as a strong side that are "pretty polished with the ball in hand."
The unexpected win has Toora dreaming of bigger things with two victories in a row, while the loss is disastrous for MDU whose fourth place on the ladder now looks fragile. Demons coach Rhett Kelly gave full credit to Toora, who "started the game full of energy and effort and maintained it for four quarters." MDU must now prepare for their standalone game against premiership contenders Fish Creek over the King's Birthday weekend, with time telling whether this loss was a confidence dent or the reality check they needed.
