A slow start before working your way into a game and winning comfortably is one way to win a game of football.
The Werribee Tigers overcame a slow start to progress to this year’s Foxtel Cup Grand Final after defeating Queensland team Morningside by 71-points in Brisbane on Saturday as Ben Carbonaro reports.
Werribee now face the winner of this Saturday’s Claremont v Port Melbourne semi final match, with the Grand Final to be played on Saturday 4th August at a yet to be determined venue.
Scrappy disposal and inaccurate kicking were evident early on as both teams started slowly. Morningside’s Adam Spackman broke the deadlock with the game’s opening goal before Ben Speight opened Werribee’s account with a brilliant crumbing goal. Two more goals from Werribee helped them to a 16-point lead at quarter time.
The Panthers were able to match it with the Tigers as their intensity and pressure around the ground was evident. They kicked three goals to Werribee’s two, but the Tigers also sprayed several shots on goal that would have put them further ahead. Cameron Pederson and midfielder Malcolm Lynch were lively as they showed good athleticism. Werribee led by 14-points at half time.
Werribee’s strong third quarter set up their win as they booted five goals to two and also showed a step up in intensity combined with attack on the football. A four goal consecutive run was all class from the Tigers as it featured some superb work by the midfielders with ball clearance. The Tigers led by 33 points at the final break.
Majak Daw’s athleticism was a final quarter highlight; with a superb goal where he crumbed his own ball from a ruck contest and took a strong mark on the goal line. The Tiger’s defensive pressure was too much for Morningside, as they could manage just a single behind for the quarter.
Daw’s performance of 13 disposals, 16 hit-outs and three goals did more to suggest that an AFL debut with the Kangaroos could be sooner rather than later.
North Melbourne-listed forward Ben McKinley kicked five goals in another consistent performance and Cameron Pederson (22 disposals) was again best for the Tigers.
Spackman kicked three goals in a best on ground performance for the Panthers.
The Tigers return to VFL action when they host the Coburg Tigers at Avalon Airport Oval on Sunday.
MORNINGSIDE 1.1 4.1 6.3 6.4 (40)
WERRIBEE 3.5 5.9 10.12 16.15 (111)
GOALS
Morningside: Spackman 3, Faure, Shelton, Starcevich
Werribee: McKinley 5, Daw 3, Pedersen 2, Speight 2, Bolton, Greenwood, Lynch, Moloney
BEST
Morningside: Spackman, Spaure, Shelton, Starcevich, McNiece, Bonney
Werribee: Pedersen, McKinley, Daw, Speight, Warren, Sharp, Keras
Last Modified on 10/07/2012 13:04