by Jim Gordon
HOPETOUN V JEPARIT RAINBOW
Hopetoun were too tall, strong and talented for Jeparit Rainbow in a match played at Hopetoun in almost ideal conditions. There was a light breeze favouring the northern end, but it did not matter which end the Devils were kicking, they played all over a disappointing Laker side.
The difference between the two sides was apparent whenever the ball went into the Hopetoun forward line. Try as they might, Jeparit Rainbow’s lack of height really told against the class of the Hopetoun forwards. Kain Robins kicked four in a best on ground performance and Bryce Wellington kicked three. When the ball hit the ground the Devils had the silky skills of Luke Milroy and Ruben Vesikuru to run and deliver, these two ended up with four goals between them.
Jeparit Rainbow were seriously undermanned in defence. They missed the height and strength of Tyler Edelsten who was out with a shoulder injury and Brett Fisher was in hospital with a bout of tonsillitis.
The tall Hopetoun forwards caused the Lakers a lot of trouble. Heath Clugston tried hard all day against Kain Robins, but he was giving away lots of height and weight and no amount of endeavour was going to make up the difference against the marking ability of Robins.
In the midfield Ben Marra and Andrew Jackson played well and coach Luke Werner was Jeparit Rainbow’s best. He never gave up trying to lift his team and he provided lots of run off halfback.
Jake Parry played his best game of the year and was used in a variety of positions all over the ground as the Lakers desperately tried to plug up gaps. Ashley Clugston was closely tagged, but was another who never gave up trying.
Apart from Simon Clugston’s three goals, the Jeparit Rainbow forward line didn’t really function at all and even he was used in defence at times in an effort to combat the Hopetoun talls.
Leigh Hutchinson was in control of the Hopetoun defence backed up with plenty of help from Steve Hallam, Simon Cook and Luke Puckle. Ruckman Steve Carmen played well and was ably assisted by his on ballers Quentin Willmott and Luke Milroy. Tom Pridgeon chipped in across the half forward line and Jackson Fisher and Zac Robins played their roles well.
Probably the only blemish on Hopetoun’s game was when they gave away three 50m penalties in the third term through undisciplined acts. The three goals that ensued meant that Jeparit Rainbow were in with some sort of chance at three quarter time. Unfortunately for the Lakers their final term was disappointing, they seemed to give in without much of a whimper.
Jeparit Rainbow now sit on the bottom of the ladder. They have the bye next week before taking on Beulah at Beulah. Things are looking grim for the Lakers, despite some good signs this year they are slipping way off the mark.
This was a very good win for Hopetoun. They had their best side on the ground so far this season and played accordingly. Next week they face Beulah in a match that will see how far they have improved this season.
OUYEN UNITED V BEULAH
In a tough, tight and intense encounter at Blackburn Park, Beulah defeated Ouyen United by ten points. The Demons hit the front with five minutes to go, but the Blues steadied and struck back almost immediately to kick the final two goals of the day and run out worthy winners.
Beulah made better use of the ball than Ouyen United. They made fewer unforced errors, they held their marks and in the backline they used rapid fire handball to get them out of trouble. The Beulah defence hunted in packs and rarely gave the classy United forwards an easy run at the ball. At one stage in the second quarter when United were on a roll and closing in on Beulah, the Blues were able to force the Ouyen United players with the ball, from the wing to out of bounds in their forward pocket through a wall of relentless pressure.
Kicking with the breeze to the northern end, Beulah gradually gained the ascendancy to lead by four goals at the first break. There were worrying signs for United as the intimidating Blues were getting too many easy possessions in and around the centre and giving their forwards a lot of opportunities.
But for the good defensive work of Adam O’Callaghan in this term, the damage could have been greater. O’Callaghan was playing well on David King, punching the ball and negating King’s influence. Beulah had to move King up the ground where he started to cause damage himself and ended with five goals for the day including a beautiful running goal in the third term that gave the Blues some breathing space before that hectic last term.
The Blues tackled hard and there were few easy kicks for United. The fact that they were able to get back into the game in the second quarter after being nearly six goals down, was mainly due to some superb individual performances by their stars, Brett Knowles, Glenn Joyce, Marc Hahnel and Andrew Jardine.
Jardine in particular was a standout and was virtually impassable at centre half back regularly driving the ball into his forward line with prodigious kicks. Bradley Vallance was starting to find space, it wasn’t easy for him to get away from the close checking Beulah backmen.
Beulah were too big and strong in the ruck with Stephen Saunders also able to take marks around the ground. The Beulah defence played well, they held the Ouyen forwards for key parts of the day and they had a star in and around the centre in Gareth Hose who never wasted a possession. Sam Martin held Sonny Lindsey all day and Rory Shannon never gave up against Bradley Vallance.
Ouyen United missed Wayne Grace up forward when he only briefly returned to the ground after half time. Grace was playing his first game for the season and was providing a spark in the United forward line, kicking two goals himself.
The third term saw some tight and intense work around the packs by both sides as well as some brilliant individual passages of play. In a piece of sheer magic on the outer wing, Hahnel somehow manoeuvred Jason Turnbull off the ball with a strategic push when Turnbull was just off balance. Hahnel knocked the ball to his advantage, gathered, found Peter Caldow who passed to Sonny Lindsey who finished off with his second goal for the day.
Both sides were guilty of missing gettable shots on goal. In the second and final terms Ouyen United wasted opportunities, but Beulah also missed some chances of their own. If Peter or Riley Lehmann had goaled with their shots from about 40m at the end of the third term, the Demons would have faced a much bigger hurdle to overcome in the final term. As it was, Beulah began the final quarter eight points ahead.
The final quarter was a nail biting affair. Knowles scored a behind after a juggled mark. The ball was then taken up to the Beulah forward line where Kim Hallam, Riley Lehmann and Gerard Murphy combined in a good piece of play that resulted in a Beulah goal.
The Blues were making sure that any marking contests were keenly contested. Their full back line looked for a short handball out to a free player who was able to kick out of danger whereas the Ouyen United backline was more inclined to rely on kicking long out of danger.
From a free kick Vallance kicked a behind before Ryan O’Callaghan gathered a lose ball at half forward, turned towards the boundary line and snapped truly over his shoulder. Just when United looked to have grabbed back the initiative and were heading forward through a free to Ryan O‘Callaghan, the ball was taken off him and given to Beulah coach Scott Smith due to a Brett Knowles indiscretion. Fortunately for the Demons, Adam Carter’s resultant behind relieved the pressure.
A David King goal saw Beulah go out to a six point lead. United snuck closer through behinds that could have been goals from Caldow and then Vallance.
Ouyen United were allowing Beulah the easy first-off option from the kickouts before closing off any further options and using their greater numbers to get the ball back, keeping the play in their forward line.
When Breton Jardine marked from a Ryan O’Callaghan pass after a free and missed, United were wasting opportunities. Beulah were holding up play resulting in a lot of ball ups and throw ins from the boundary.
After a mark and a 50m penalty, Joshua Langdon finally goaled putting United ahead and it looked like it could be the Demon’s day.
However, when Sam Martin gathered and ran off Vallance after a long run onto a lose ball, he fired in a precise kick to a team mate that resulted in a mark and goal to Gareth Hose. The sealer was a David King trademark lead, mark and gaol from 30m.
What did this game prove? It proved that with the team they have, Beulah has a strong self belief that they can defeat Ouyen United. It also proved that United are capable of defeating Beulah. The fans eagerly await the next instalment.
SEA LAKE NANDALY TIGERS V WALPEUP UNDERBOOL
A much undermanned Walpeup Underbool went down to Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers by 64 points at Sea Lake. A win was vital for the Tigers as they battle for a place in the four.
Missing Kane Munro, Jeremy Rowe, Chris Vorwerk and Tim Vallance, the remaining Roos needed be able to muster all their strength and fire power to have a hope against the Tigers. This they were not able to do and the match was effectively over at quarter time after Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers scored seven unanswered goals to set up their ten goal demolition of the Roos.
The Roos never gave in, but it was a dominate performance by the Tigers.
Matt Vining and Matt Elliott played well all day for the Tigers and Jarrod Alderton was sensational in defence. Alderton combined well with youngsters Blake Luehman and Zac Noonan who once again had the better of their more experienced opponents.
In attack Nathan Wight, Liam Barry and Mark Deuscher all kicked three goals for Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
For Walpeup Underbool, they were best served by Sam McDonald and Matthew Palmer, although both Scott Munro and Wade Champion kicked two goals each when the Roos could only manage nine for the day.
Sea Lake have a winnable game against Woomelang Lascelles next Saturday. If they win, they can leapfrog over the Cats for a place in the four. The Tigers were disappointing against Woomelang Lascelles last time they met and will be out to regain their recent ascendancy against their near neighbours.
Walpeup Underbool have the task ahead of them as they play Ouyen United at Blackburn Park in front of a big home crowd that will also be there for the official opening of the Blackburn Park Solar Energy project. Let’s hope that the Roos can get some of their players back for this important clash.
Last Modified on 12/06/2011 21:17
