With just three games remaining in the home-and-away season, Werribee’s finals aspirations hang in the balance after a disappointing 17-point loss against North Ballarat at Eureka Stadium. In a match that followed a similar pattern to last weekend’s, the Tigers were largely outplayed for three quarters, before launching a late comeback and being left to wonder what might have been.North Ballarat jumped out of the blocks early, kicking the first three goals – including the opener out of the centre clearance in the first 20 seconds of the match.On the other hand, it took Werribee 20 minutes, the visitors kicking their first goal when Ben Ross and Ben Warren combined in the goal square.
“It’s difficult (the wind). Four shots each at quarter time, they were four goals, we were 1.3, it’s not like they were playing in different conditions. You just need to take your chances early, if you’re even on the scoreboard it’s one less issue in the game,” coach Scott West said. After Majak Daw kicked the opening goal of the second quarter from point blank range, it was all North Ballarat – the home side using the assistance of the wind to kick out to a five-goal advantage.The Roosters’ lead extended to seven goals early in the third term, but the Tigers lifted a notch.
Scott Sherlock provided run-and-carry off half back before going off with an injury, Jarred Moore was influential around the stoppages and Daw slotted a tough set shot midway through the third quarter to keep the visitors’ hopes alive.Despite having more opportunities than their opponents, the Tigers could not capitalise – skill errors, a lack of defensive pressure and free kicks given away in scoring positions proving costly.
West asked his side to be “more physical” in the final quarter, and they were exactly that, while also producing some flair and creativity up forward.Robbie Castello crumbed a goal, before Addam Maric’s vision and foot skills gave Ben Warren his second.A pair of goals to lively debutant George Cameron reduced the margin to just two goals, the Geelong Falcons’ youngster dancing around an opponent before coolly finishing from 25 metres out.
“George Cameron was terrific. We brought that up as an example of a kid who comes into a system where he knows (only) a few of the blokes, but he just wanted to work hard, and he kicked two goals in that last quarter. It’s something you can’t train, it’s an attitude thing and he wanted to compete.”When Moore drilled a pass to Warren for his third goal not long after, there was a sense of déjà vu, as the Tigers trailed by just seven points with plenty of time on the clock.
But another turnover proved costly, as the Roosters killed Werribee’s momentum with an end-to-end play resulting in a long-range Stephen Clifton goal.West said there were questions to answer over the next few weeks, in terms of the Tigers being able to sustain four consistent quarters of football.
“(We played) a poor three quarters and had some energy in the last. We’ll have to go back and see what we do at three quarter time and do it at the start of the game.” It’s insulting really to the players themselves and each other, that they’re prepared to drag their backsides around for three quarters and then decide to play the last quarter. They’ve got to decide whether it means enough to them… We’ve got some questions to answer over the next few weeks,” West said.
The Tigers have next weekend off, before facing Port Melbourne in the last home game for the year on August 11.
2013 Peter Jackson VFL
North Ballarat 4.0 7.3 9.5 12.12 (84)
Werribee Tigers 1.3 2.6 3.12 9.13 (67)
GOALS:
North Ballarat: Driscoll 2 Horbury 2 Searl 2 George Sewell Clifton Richardson Mabon Garner
Werribee Tigers: Warren 3 Cameron 2 Daw 2 Greenwood Castello
BEST:
North Ballarat: George Tate Delaney Horbury Clifton Mabon
Werribee Tigers: Clouston Sherlock Sodomaco McDonald Moore Cameron
2013 AFL Victoria Development League
North Ballarat 2.3 4.4 5.6 5.6 (36)
Werribee Tigers 2.2 6.7 6.8 7.15 (57)
GOALS:
North Ballarat: Nicholls 2 Clyne Scott Lockyer
Werribee Tigers: Brown 3 Williams Jones Sullivan O'Shea
BEST:
North Ballarat: Lockyer Peel Close Conroy Graham Semmens
Werribee Tigers: Brown Davis Speight Martiniello Laracy Ruggles
Last Modified on 27/07/2013 20:55