by Jim Gordon
The Mallee Football League put on an outstanding display of team oriented high pressure football to easily account for the Wimmera League by 40 points at Hopetoun on Saturday.
The bigger bodied Mallee side approached the game like a team that had played together for years and in the end this desire to play for one another was a huge factor in the outcome of the game. Their intensity at and around the contest was outstanding and the pressure that they were able to maintain on the lighter bodied opposition was eventually too much for Wimmera.
‘In the end it was a great win by the Mallee,’ said jubilant Mallee coach Col Durie. ‘Every player played their role for the team and the boys should be congratulated for their efforts. I am very proud of their achievement.’
After starting the game with three goals in quick succession and threatening to break the game wide open, Wimmera could not maintain the pace and they eventually succumbed scoring only three goals after half time. and remaining scoreless in the final term.
A huge crowd saw this latest round in the Worksafe VCFL Country Championships. The game began in cool conditions with a breeze from the south west blowing right across the ground. If anything, it favoured the end to which Mallee was kicking in the first term.
When Wimmera raced to a three goal to nil lead, hardly a Mallee player had touched the ball. Justin Eales opened the scoring with a goal after he ran in from half forward, Clinton Midgley was next to goal after a good mark and when Lachlan Watts snapped truly over his shoulder, it looked like Wimmera were going to run away with the game.
Using the wide open spaces to their advantage, Wimmera were running out of the centre and kicking long and accurately to forwards who were able to get in front and get out on their own.
Once Mallee settled down and tightened up defensively, they were able to quickly get back into the game. Sam McDonald marked and with the advantage of a 50m penalty, scored Mallee’s first goal. Not long after, Darren Latta ran in from his wing to gather the ball, steady and kick accurately and after good play by coach Col Durie, Deek Roberts goaled and all of a sudden the game was back on level terms.
It was a tight and even affair for the next quarter and a half before Mallee asserted their ascendancy in the third term. A half time lead of five points was very soon extended to 22 with goals to Darcy Ryan, Kain Robins and when Deek Roberts kicked a brilliant running goal from deep in the flank at half forward, it looked like Mallee had the measure of a Wimmera side that seemed to have stopped to a walk.
After half time Mallee moved Tyler Lehmann from a wing to a half back flank and from there he was able to create some run out of the backline. This was significant because up until this point, Wimmera had been trying to drop an extra player back to team up against Kain Robins. With Mallee moving the ball swiftly into attack, Wimmera players had difficulty dropping back in time to negate the big and dangerous Robins who seemed right at home on the Hopetoun ground.
Riley Lehmann was doing well and it worked even better for Mallee when he was moved from full forward out to a flank as it freed up Robins who was up against two or three opponents nearly every time he went near the ball. The result was that Mallee was well served for forwards with Lehmann finishing with three goals and Robins four.
Luke Carr was another damaging player and when he was moved to full forward, it created even more problems for the opposition because he was able to utilise his strength and great overhead marking against the third tier Wimmera backmen.
The Mallee midfield really stood up all day. Justin Chilver not only won the ruck duels, but he was able to take marks around the ground and when he rested, Mitchell Taylor entertained the crowd with his great leaping and tap outs.
Mallee were able to maintain an impressive rotation through all midfield positions keeping everyone fresh and enabling them to maintain pressure, tackling and intensity at the contest. Ashley Clugston was dangerous with two goals, Joshua Stone was brilliant when he was able to break free after half time, but it was coach Col Durie who did most damage for Mallee with his ability to find space, run and carry and orchestrate play from half back to half forward.
Apart from that brief ten minute opening by Wimmera, the backline for Mallee teamed up magnificently all day. After the rapid fire Wimmera start to the game, they tightened right up and were able to shut down the opposition forward line and then turn defence into attack when it was needed. Steve Lyons did a lot of hard work running to block an opponent, he marked well and kept the ball away from the dangerous corridor whenever possible.
It has been a while since these two sides played against each other so this encounter was an historic event and a great win for Mallee Football League.
Under 14s
Coach of the Mallee Football League’s U14 side David Baulch was pleased with his side‘s effort despite going down to a much stronger Wimmera side by 34 points.
‘The boys gave their all, but were outclassed by a better side on the day,’ said Baulch. ‘We struggled to get past their strong backline, but never gave up.’
‘Sam White was really good for us holding down a key position,’ added Baulch ‘At full back Damon Carra was a great contributor all day and Tom Morrish was lively up forward putting plenty of defensive pressure on the Wimmera backline and making it hard for them to clear the ball from our forward line.’
Others to play well for Mallee were Toby Wilson and Sam Mead.
Last Modified on 13/06/2012 17:18
