After suffering their first defeat in the 2012 TAC Cup season against the North Ballarat Rebels, the Loy Yang B Gippsland Power hit back hard against the Bendigo Pioneers to return to the winners stall. Coach Nick Stevens had used every opportunity to remind the boys about the qualities that had been critical in their dominance of their first eight games and summed it up with a tape of their best form in the minutes before the game.
Adding to the Power’s ability to get back to their more positive play was the fact that Tim Membrey, Nick Graham, Wil Hams and Ben Kearns returned from injury and state duties. Paul Pattison was brought back into the side after earlier appearances and Matt Schreck and Andrew Nelson came in to make their debuts for the Power. On the negative side of the ledger, Tom Muir played with Casey Scorpions in the VFL and “veteran” Anthony Tipungwuti was back in the Northern Territory Team in the under 18’s national championships.
A further downside for the Power was the fact that hard-nosed midfielder Tom Fusinato was out after suffering a severe neck injury in the Rebels game. As he has done all season, he put his head over the ball in a contest and received a knock to the head. Although a little stunned he played on regardless but was taken to the Ballarat Hospital after the game and it was revealed that he had fractured his C5 vertebrae. He seems likely to miss the rest of the season but is well and truly on the way to a complete recovery both physically and mentally.
The key to the Powers’ ability to return to their better form was their willingness to play one on one football when the opposition had the ball but someone forgot to tell the Pioneers and they scored the game’s opening goal after the Power didn’t man up effectively. Some great ball use by Wil Hams, Nick Graham and Liam Nash resulted in Graham kicking the Power’s reply and then Hams intercepted some Pioneer defence and kicked a nice goal on an acute angle.
Another piece of poor manning up resulted in a Pioneer goal after a free kick and the Power replied long and direct through Simon Deery and Matt Northe who found Josh Scott who goaled. Northe then became the goal kicker after marking on fifty and receiving a fifty metre penalty. By the time the term ended, the Power were thirteen points up after a shaky start but were playing better later in the quarter.
The second term opened with some tight play and Jack Johnstone worked hard to find Deery who kicked truly. Some quick and clever hands by Membrey and Deery saw Paul Pattison score a fine running goal and then a typically long and direct forward entry by Nate Paredes allowed Deery to score his second for the term. Debutant Matt Schreck used some vision and skill to find Membrey who converted truly. The Power were applying excellent pressure all mover the ground and created another goal after more long and direct play by Josh Cashman allowed Northe to kick his second.
Just when it appeared that the Pioneers were out of the contest they scored via a free kick but excellent ball use by Hams and Shannen Lange set up Daniel Jackson for a nice goal on the run. The Pioneers scored another after capitalising on some sloppy Power handball in the midfield but, once again, they hit back through Hams, Scott and Johnstone who combined well to give Northe his second for the term.
By the long break the Power had extended their lead to forty two points and had eliminated most of the slack manning up that had been so costly in the first half against the Rebels the week before. Conditions were starting to deteriorate as the game progressed as the light faded and the third term saw both sides were going to have to really work hard to focus effectively. The Pioneers capitalised on a slack start by the Power to kick the first for the quarter just to remind the boys what their coach had wanted before the game.
A clever long and penetrating kick by Northe found Scott who got the momentum back in the Power’s favour. Both sides were working hard in the contested issues in the midfield and limited each other’s forward fifty entries as a consequence. It took some inspiring hard work by Hams and Jackson to set up Membrey for his second for the game and by the last change the Power had extended their lead to fifty four points.
Several of the Power’s key state players were rested for much of the last term and the Power bench rotated the newcomers into more prominent roles in the heat of the action. The Power were working hard all over the ground but struggled to convert their forward fifty entries to goals as the conditions continued to deteriorate. Some tough work by youngster Jack Leslie resulted in Membery kicking his third for the game and then Leslie capitalised on some excellent ball use by team mates to kick his own goal.
By the final siren the Power’s lead had increased to sixty six points but the coaches were happier with other aspects of the win. Firstly the Power had gone back to their hard-hitting best in the contests and had recorded over 100 tackles for the game. As a consequence the Pioneers were rarely able to capitalise on the rebound as the Power worked hard to find opponents when the ball was in their hands.
Even when they did win possession, the Power continually forced them wide and often regained the ball because of the pressure they relentlessly applied to Pioneers players as they attempted to set up attacking play. Further analysis of key statistics for the Power gave Nick additional reason to be pleased with their efforts as they had almost double the number of forwards fifty entries and reduced the Pioneers goal scoring to one for the second half.
Final scores, Loy Yang B Gippsland Power 16 goals 8 behinds 104 points defeated Bendigo Pioneers 5 goals 8 behinds 38 points. Goal kickers Matt Northe, Tim Membrey and Josh Scott 3, Simon Deery 2, Nick Graham, Wil Hams, Daniel Jackson, Jack Leslie and Paul Pattison 1. On a day when the Power needed leadership Simon Deery worked tirelessly across half forward with his excellent contested marking, ability to set up team mates and willingness to get down and dirty with many great tackles and lots of hard work in the thick of the action.
Liam Nash was another to play very unselfish team football and was often at the base of the biggest and busiest packs all over the ground. He applied great pressure on opponents as well as winning key possessions himself and then using the ball effectively to set up his team mates. Daniel Jackson had a specific role for his coach and worked very hard to get the job done. He used his immense athletic ability to either run hard all day to apply pressure on opponents or link up with team mates as they attempted to get effective team work going.
Aaron Heppell worked hard in defence to shut down opponents with his disciplined play and excellent decision making as well as creating attacking play with his willingness to back his judgment and run and carry the ball through the lines and then use it effectively. After returning from impressive state duties, Wil Hams showed how he had learned from the experience and was a vital member of the Power midfield unit with his unique blend of pace, skill, one on one pressure and excellent reading of the play. He consistently made the difficult look simple and never wasted any of his many hard-won possessions.
Defender Ryley Hall again took on and defeated taller opponents with his blend of hard, disciplined and effective football. His ability to make the right decision in contests saw him deprive opponents of possessions as well win the ball himself and use it efficiently. On-baller Shannen Lange again was brilliant in the contested issues where he applied over a dozen hard tackles. As well as the hard stuff, he was equally busy winning the hard ball himself and then using handball to set up team mates with easy kicks. Jarryd Drew was another midfielder who seemed to thrive when the pressure was at its highest and his work rate in contested issues and disciplined play were critical elements of the Power’s more effective form.
The Power now returns to Melbourne for their next match when they take on the highly rated Murray Bushrangers at the Preston Oval. This will be a real challenge for the boys as the Bushies have been very consistent all year and have placed themselves in the top four after the first half of the season. They will be more than ready to test the Power’s resolve to work hard to be one on one when necessary and effectively use their forward fifty entries. Nick will continue to push these key elements of the Power game plan and to build on the better efforts shown against the Pioneers.
Both sides will be without key players due to state duties as the national championships come to a conclusion in the next two weeks. Nick Stevens has been well aware of this scenario all season and the impact that it has historically had on the Power in the past. He has cleverly used creative selection to give newcomers exposure to the unique demands of this elite football competition in relatively easier conditions. He now has a wide range of players with this vital experience ready to step up to the requirements of a crucial game like this.
Last Modified on 12/11/2012 09:29
