Loy Yang B Gippsland Power opened their twentieth TAC Cup season with a resounding victory over arch-rivals the Dandenong Stingrays. In ideal conditions at the Morwell oval, the Power set up their victory with a brilliant first term in which they worked very hard to apply Coach Nick Stevens’ game plan and did so to a stunning effect.
Both sides went into the game with star players missing due to their commitment to the AIS/AFL squad and the pressure was on both sides to adjust to need to lift their work rates. With Power captain Tim Membrey unavailable, Jack Johnstone stepped up to lead the side and give the nine debutants the sort of guidance that they needed to make the biggest step in their football careers.
It was the Power who goaled first as Josh Cashman sent in a long bomb from outside fifty but the Stingrays rallied and scored two quick goals on the rebound from Power attacking moves. This was part of Nick’s game plan, shut down the chance for a Dandy rebound by being one on one but the boys had been exposed by their skills in this area. Instead of letting the Stingrays exploit such slackness, the Power upped their combined work rates and began to find opponents when necessary and minimise their opportunities to run free.
With the ball being won after some incredible endeavour by the Power, first gamer Ben Kearns kicked a stunning goal and seemed to inspire the boys to do the amazing at any cost. Hard working on-baller Matt Northe found new ruckman Jake Thomas who scored another before Kearns roved brilliantly off the pack after a Nick Graham kick to the danger zone. Another Power rookie, Nate Paredes showed fantastic vision and skill to find Simon Deery and he calmly slotted in another goal.
Captain Johnstone took a strong mark and kicked another from the fifty metre line before Deery kicked his second as the result of a free kick. By the first break the Power led by twenty eight points but had importantly taken control of the game in the contested issues to keep the Stingrays out of the game. Their ability to be fierce in contests and to move the ball quickly had their coaches smiling but there were still three quarters to go and they had only done part of the job set by Nick Stevens.
As you would expect from the Stingrays they upped the ante and put the pressure back on the Power. Good work by Will Hams set op Josh Scott for the first of the term but a costly defensive error gave the Stingrays a timely reply. Both sides were applying enormous pressure all over the ground and goals became scarce for both sides. Late in the term Shannon Lange took a typically gutsy mark on the fifty metre line and then kicked a key goal to allow the Power to increase their lead to thirty eight points by the long break.
Going into the second half the Power were without key tall defenders James Huts and Kaine Allen due to injury and there was a need to reshuffle the defence to keep the pressure on the Stingrays all over the ground. Nick Graham snapped a clever goal to open the scoring but the Stingrays were finding openings in attack as the Power boys adjusted to some increased responsibility. A timely Stingray major resulted from this situation and it took some good work by Athony Tipungwuti, James Davidson and Lange to restore some sense of normality for the Power.
Far from being out of the contest, the Stingrays kicked the last three goals of the term as they easily exploited some poor manning up by the Power as they attempted to adjust to the loss of key defenders. They went in to the last term twenty eight points up but without the initiative as the Stigrays had seemingly found a weakness in the Power’s ability to be effective defenders. It was a great challenge for the boys as they had proved in the first half that they had what it took but they need to get back to the basics if they were to finish the game off properly.
Just to make that point even more strongly, the Stingrays opened the scoring with another rebound goal and it appeared to be game on. Instead of capitulating, the Power upped their combined work rates and stopped the Stingrays from winning easy kicks and began to keep the ball in attack. After some typically hard work but not classy ball use, Tom Muir took a good mark and kicked a timely goal for the Power.
It was the Power who took control of the game from this point and they shut down the Stingrays running game and kept the ball in their attacking zone for much of the rest of the term. Some more hard work by the Power boys resulted in another to Muir and the boys continued to keep the Stingrays under control and ran out winners by forty points on the final siren.
Final scores Loy Yang B Gippsland Power 13 goals 18 behinds 96 points defeated Dandenong Stingrays 8 goals 8 behinds 56 points. Goal kickers, Simon Deery, Tom Muir, Shannon Lange and Ben Kearns 2, Josh Cashman, Nick Graham, Jack Johnstone, Josh Scott and Jake Thomas 1.
On a day when debutants were under TAC Cup pressure for the first time Power ruckman Jack Leslie rose manfully to the challenge and dominated the aerial duels all over the ground. He gave his on-ball brigade the important first touches and used his body well in the contested issues at ground level. Backman Josh Cashman was another to play consistently well under pressure and kept his opponents out of the game as well as having the confidence and skill to win many possessions and use them with skill and vision. He was responsible for initiating many of the team’s pieces of positive attacking play.
Matt Northe was a key on-baller and forward who is renowned for his work ethic under pressure and lived up to his well won reputation. His ability to apply pressure in contested issues was outstanding and he also made telling contributions to effective team play. Defender Anthony Tipungwuti is one of three over 18 payers in the team and showed why he had been given another chance in this elite competition. He not only kept opponents out of the game but also set up attacking play with his unique skills.
Rookie Lachlan Channing has excelled as a junior in the Power system and applied himself to this latest challenge with the same fantastic work ethic and skill. He won many contests as well as applying enormous pressure on opponents all over the ground. Nick Graham has stepped up a few notches for the Power in his second year of TAC Cup football. His ability to apply forward and defensive pressure made him a key player for the side in attack and he had a key role in many of the goals scored by the team.
Captain Jack Johnstone is another over age player for the side and he too showed why the club gave him another chance in this competition. His work rate as a wingman allowed his to be a really effective defender as well as an avenue for attack. Key defenders James Huts and Kaine Allen only played one half of the game but helped to set up the win by playing disciplined defence on top opponents which effectively shut the Stingrays down in attack.
Coach Nick Stevens would be delighted with the many positives of the boy’s great win. For much of the game they were responsible for being one on one with opponents all over the ground and effectively stopped the Stingrays from having effective avenues to attack. Their willingness to tackle hard and often was outstanding and this put opponents on the back foot all over the ground. He has a lot to work on for the next Power game at Cragieburn. Tim Membrey will miss again and Kaine Allen and James Huts are doubtful but, the depth of the 2012 Power squad is incredible, and the team will be very keen to build on the positives from game one.
Last Modified on 05/07/2012 21:53