The eternal flame would have struggled to stay alight when the heavens opened over Avalon Airport Oval in the opening minutes of the Werribee versus North Ballarat clash.
The weather dictated the style of football and it was never going to be pretty to watch in the final home and away game between the sides as partially aligned teams with North Melbourne.
Despite a slow start in the Anazac Day game, it was the home side that ran away with the match in the final term 11.12 78 to the Roosters 9.10 64 to record their first win of the season.
North Ballarat kicked the first three goals of the game to jump out to an early lead, and forced Werribee to play catch up football.
The Roosters led at every change and Werribee were going to need a supreme effort in the last quarter to get the win, trailing by 13 points.
“I said to them at three quarter time, you have 30 minutes to find out where you are at as a playing group and thankfully they did turn it around,” Werribee coach John Lamont said after the game.
Werribee responded with four goals to a solitary point from the Roosters, with Majak Daw giving the Tigers the lead midway through the final term before Werribee ran out winners by 14 points.
The slow start to the game was something Werribee had to work hard to come back from.
“I was really disappointed to give up the first three goals of the game,” Lamont said.
“The number one instruction to the playing group was keep your feet.
“Our attention to detail to our game plan was not up to standard early.”
Despite claiming the first four points of the season, Lamont knows there is plenty for Werribee to work on.
“I can’t question the players effort.
“We don’t need them to play harder, we need them to play smarter.
“We were behind all day, we hit the front at the 20 minute mark of the last quarter, it’s not ideal, but I am pleased to get the 4 points.
“There is a lot of room for improvement because we want to play a brand of football that is sustainable, and will win you finals.”
Werribee will play Port Melbourne at North Port Oval this Saturday at 2pm.
Werribee’s next home game is against Williamstown in Round 5, which has been transferred to Saturday May 16 at 12:12pm and will be the Channel 7 Match of the Day.
By Kevin Hillier
Photo Arj Giese
Werribee Tigers 2.4 6.8 7.8 11.12 (78)
North Ballarat 4.3 8.6 9.9 9.10 (64)
GOALS:
Werribee Tigers: Robinson 2 Bolton 2 Speight 2 Reid Hanson Munro Maishman Daw
North Ballarat: Black 2 Powell Bacon Sewell Staley Preuss Youl Hooper
BEST:
Werribee Tigers: Conway Crichton Currie Hanson Reid Vickers-Willis
North Ballarat: Sewell Durdin Rippon George Tsitas Boseley
Last Modified on 26/04/2015 22:34
