It’s unbelievable how much can change in 20 minutes of football, let alone a week.
It took just over half a quarter of brilliance from Werribee this afternoon to come within a kick of stealing a game, that for the best part of three quarters it could be argued they did not deserve to win.
But on a muddy Coburg City Oval, a debatable free kick in the final term gifted Coburg a simple shot on goal, which was duly converted – halting Werribee’s momentum and condemning them to a nerve-wracking three-point loss.
Back track to midway through the third quarter, and it was Coburg who held a commanding 38-point lead, thanks to a dominant second term with the breeze.
The home side was controlling almost every aspect of the game, with the exception of the tackle count – but that was mainly due to the fact they made a habit of getting to the ball first.
In the face of a Coburg onslaught, some resolute defending from Ayden Kennedy, Michael Firrito and Jake Wilson prevented further damage on the scoreboard.
“Especially early in the game there was no pressure through the middle, or from our forwards, so it makes it easier to get inside 50 and to expose your defenders. I think the defenders defended well, but there was too much easy ball coming in early, we have to address that,” Senior Coach Scott West said.
It seemed like it would take a miracle – perhaps even a moment of magic, to somehow spark the Werribee Tigers into action.
A big Ben McKinley pack mark – plucked from the grip of three opponents – and the ensuing goal, proved to be that much needed inspiration.
Just minutes later, Kennedy marked outside the forward fifty, and then roosted a long set shot goal to reduce the margin further.
A couple of golden opportunities were missed late in the third quarter, but the tide was turning – with the margin reduced to a very realistic 21 points at the final change.
Despite kicking into a strong breeze, it was the Tigers who struck first – the Werribee Tigers – Addam Maric drilling a set shot from a tight angle.
Daniel Currie and Majak Daw continued to assert their influence around the ground, and Werribee’s midfield began to take advantage at the stoppages.
Not for the first time, Levi Greenwood fed out a handball from ground level, finding Kieran Harper, and he dribbled through an unbelievable goal to reduce Coburg’s lead to less than two kicks.
A minute later, Harper made it five goals in a row for Werribee – and when Ben Warren ran into an open goal not long after, the Tigers had six on the trot and held a four-point lead.
But one of a number of free kicks awarded to Coburg inside fifty resulted in the match-winning goal, and with plenty of time remaining, they held off a valiant Werribee fight back to secure the four points.
“They totally outplayed us in the contest early in the game, and the spread and work-rate… I guess we were able to do that (better) in the last quarter and get in front, and then a free kick goal gave them the lead,” West said.
Despite the comeback, Werribee’s coach was left to rue the Tigers’ attitude in the first half.
“(It was) attitude, purely and simply attitude. We didn’t come with a want to compete early in the game. They did, and they got the result. That’s not a skill thing, it’s not something you train for, it’s attitude. Across the board we were down in that area.”
“You can’t just switch flicks in this game. You have to want to do it. In the end, sometimes when you’re down by that much, you’ve got nothing to lose by taking the game on – and that’s what we did,” West said.
While making no excuses, the Tigers clearly missed the presence of the in form, in-and-under midfield general Jarred Moore.
“Obviously not having Jarred Moore out there. He’s a player who in that contested area of the ground today especially with it being heavy, would’ve been ideal. But the guys out there have to do it, and there’s no excuses.”
Next Saturday, Werribee will face North Ballarat in the ABC TV game at Eureka Stadium, with a win vital to both teams’ finals aspirations.
2013 Peter Jackson VFL
Coburg Tigers 3.1 7.8 8.10 9.12 (66)
Werribee Tigers 2.1 3.1 5.7 9.9 (63)
GOALS:
Coburg Tigers: McBean 2 Helbig McGuane Clifton O'Hanlon McDONOUGH Griffiths Maric
Werribee Tigers: Harper 2 McKinley 2 Warren 2 Maric Kennedy Castello
BEST:
Coburg Tigers: Nahas Helbig Astbury Venditti Lonergan Verrier
Werribee Tigers: Currie Mather Firrito Kennedy Harper Sierakowski
2013 AFL Victoria Development League
Coburg Tigers 1.3 6.7 6.10 13.13 (91)
Werribee Tigers 4.6 4.6 6.10 9.16 (70)
GOALS:
Coburg Tigers: Anderson 2 Uysal 2 Keenan 2 Robinson Brandt Murphy Lindon Saad Saad Keogh
Werribee Tigers: Hicks 3 Sullivan Fort Henderson Zumbo Davis Tudor
BEST:
Coburg Tigers: Uysal Brandt Yelland Boyd Egglestone Easton
Werribee Tigers: Iles Wormald Sullivan Hicks Meredith Zumbo
Last Modified on 23/07/2013 11:51