FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
By LIAM DURKIN
SURPRISING margins and a team getting its first win on the board highlighted Round 10 in North Gippsland football.
How vital wins are in this round may not be seen until the final home-and-away ladder is completed as there is still a logjam of teams occupying places four to eight on the standings.
WOODSIDE proved it is the real deal in 2021.
The Wildcats walked all over third placed Churchill after quarter time to win 18.11 (119) to 8.8 (56).
The Cougars dominated early and had 17 more inside 50s in the first term, but Woodside was able to turn it around from there and kicked five goals to two in the second to go into the main break with a handy 16-point lead.
The Wildcats owned the third term, piling on seven goals to one as the margin got out to a scarcely believable 58 points at three quarter time.
It was a mere formality in the last, with Woodside running out the game until the ships horn acting as a siren at their home ground blew to signal the end of the game and the four points docked in the Wildcats keeping.
After a number of close wins in recent weeks, a performance such as this would have given players and coaches in the Woodside camp reassurance they have not just fluked their way to an eight-win, one-loss record.
Given his prowess as something of a stats-man, Woodside coach Michael Duncan will no doubt be looking to draw on the fact his side inflicted Churchill with its biggest defeat since Round 2 2017.
On that occasion, the Cougars lost to Sale City by 68 points.
David Waddell kicked four goals for the winners, while Jordy Cameron, Josh Kennedy and Ryan Foat were prominent.
Chris Williams played well for Churchill, as did Nick Celima and Corey Nickels who kicked four goals.
YALLOURN Yallourn North celebrated its new life as the Jets, and appropriately blasted off to a commanding 20.16 (136) to 9.8 (62) win over Heyfield.
The Jets couldn’t get off the runway at Gordon Street Reserve in the first quarter, but once the pilots refuelled at the first break there was no stopping them.
Heyfield kicked the first six goals of the game and kept YYN to a single behind in the opening term to take a 37-point lead.
What happened next however defied logic, as the Jets kicked 11 goals in the second quarter to well and truly leave the Kangaroos mystified.
YYN continued on their way in the third, stretching the margin to 39 points at three quarter time, and then doing more of the same in the last, as they ended with a comprehensive 74 point win.
Heyfield added just three goals after quarter time, all of which were kicked in separate
terms.
Brayden Woodland, Shaun Humphreys and Max Van Der Zwart battled hard in a losing cause.
Kangaroos coach Rick Galea will have plenty on his plate in trying to rectify his side’s dramatic nosedive in form.
Heyfield started the season with four wins on the trot, but has not won a game since, meaning it has been nine weeks between drinks.
The Jets had nine individual goal kickers in their victory, with Dean MacDonald and Josh Keyhoe nabbing five and four respectively.
Jai Massese had plenty of touches and took out best on ground honours, while two names that could be worked into a rap also played well in Campbell Staff and Dylan Bath.
TRARALGON Tyers United got the job done against Sale City.
After an even first half, the Bombers broke away to win on the road 12.10 (82) to 6.5 (41).
Just three points was the margin at half-time, but seven goals to one took TTU out to a 40 point lead with one term to play.
From there, the Bombers were able to get through the last quarter and win by virtually the same margin as 30 minutes prior.
Brad Kelleher kicked four goals for the winners to take his season total to 33 from eight games.
Others to play well for TTU were Ricky Cochrane, Jack Brown, Jacob Albanese, Zac Kilgower, Kade Duncan and left footer Tom Fleming. Best for Sale City was Bohdi Walker, Jaxsyn Whitehill, Ryan Thatcher, Tom Bowman, Justin McLay and coach Shane Fyfe.
As an aside, with some discussion surrounding the player points allocation for TTU in recent weeks after the Bombers had utilised their full quota, those looking at the TTU team sheet for this match would have noticed the Bombers cut down to 38 out of an allocated 41 points.
COWWARR got its first win of season 2021 on the board.
The Saints defeated Gormandale on their home deck 13.10 (88) to 7.6 (48).
With both teams going into the game without a win and with both out of contention for post regular season action, this match was virtually a grand final for the combatants.
Scores were level at quarter time, before Cowwarr kicked eight goals to two in the second term to take a 38 point lead at half-time.
With their belief taking a pounding, Gormandale did their best to get back into the game, and outscored the Saints in the third, but still trailed by 33 points with one quarter to play.
This margin proved to be enough for Cowwarr in the finish, as they rounded out the match victors to the tune of 40 points.
The Saints were heroes with halos as they walked into the rooms to sing the song for the first time this season, much to the delight of the Cowwarr faithful.
Pat Tainsh was in the thick of the action, as was Sean Alexander, Jack Casson and Lucas Jenkinson.
For Gormandale, the Tigers unfortunately still remain toothless, and may now be looking to just get through the last lot of games with their pride intact.
Better players on the day were Mitchell Jones, Mitchell Harris, Tyler Atlee, David Purves and Josh Pearce.
ROSEDALE did what it needed to do against Glengarry.
As one of a number of teams in the middle part of the ladder, the Blues needed to give their percentage a boost in this match, and they did so with a 119 point shellacking of the Magpies.
Rosedale put up 27.10 (172) to 7.11 (53), with pocket rocket Brandon McDonald kicking nine goals.
McDonald has now kicked 41 goals for the season, and funnily enough, is only one behind the league leader who shares the same surname but with different spelling.
The Blues led from start to finish against Glengarry, and by three quarter time the margin was as good as three figures.
Rosedale favourite son Rohan Diamond had the ball on a string, and received good support from Brad McKay and Dale Fleming.
Jackson Hall was again best for Glengarry. Dean Brooks and Alex Bermingham put in honest efforts.
YARRAM had the bye.
