It was the same well practiced routine for the Loy Yang B Gippsland Power boys on Saturday. Up early, travel to Melbourne, into the rooms to be strapped and warm up before running out to play. But this was anything but a regular game with a spot in a TAC Cup preliminary final on the line.
Even though Power had defeated the Dandenong Stingrays twice during the regular season, the lift of intensity for finals footy meant it was going to be a tough match. The Stingrays line up was full of highly touted draft contenders, including the anointed number one pick Lachie Whitfield.
In those regular season games the Power had negated the Stingrays with their trademark hardness and work ethic. Coach Nick Stevens emphasised the importance of sticking to those things that had worked all year.
After passing a last minute fitness test, Power skipper Tim Membrey came into the line up at the expense of Darcy Irwin. High flying forward Josh Scott was also back after injury, and youngster Jake Thomas returned to help carry the rucking duties.
In the pregame meeting Nick stressed to the boys that it was good that they felt nervous because it showed that it meant something to them and that the first instinct was always the right instinct to go with in finals footy.
In the perfect conditions the Stingrays jumped power early. They posted two quick goals and a stunned Power seemed to have no answer to their run. In an extraordinary first quarter, the stingrays went on to kick four goals, five behinds, while the Power struggled to even get a shot on goal. It was a rude awakening to the intensity needed for finals football.
Twenty-nine points down at the first break Nick Stevens asked his players to “take a breath and get your composure back”. He had faith in their ability to do the hard things and simply reminded them that they had what was required to get back into the match.
From the opening bounce Power took the ball forward and strong work by Nick Graham set up mate Matt Northe to open the Power’s scoring. Just to remind the boys to keep doing the hard things, the Stingrays exploited another turnover and scored a reply. A bit of ‘Tippa magic’ set up Ben Kearns for the Power’s second goal for the match. The Stingrays went on to show just why they finished in the top four, scoring two more quick goals.
Late in the quarter Graham went forward with a long and penetrating kick that allowed Tim Membrey to kick a vital goal. In the dying moments, Liam Nash followed Nick’s example with a long attacking kick and Membrey took another competitive mark, kicking the goal on the half time siren.
It was a better effort and the Power went into the main break with a bit of momentum. Coach Stevens singled out the endeavour of Lachy Channing at half time, telling the boys that his attack on the footy and effort at the contest was setting the example that they needed to follow.
The belief was there as the Power started the second half well. Mid-fielder Will Hams set up Membrey with a one on one contest and all of a sudden Power were right back in the game. The Stingrays were not going to lie down, kicking away again with two goals.
By the last change Power were thirty-four points down but the boys were up and about. Coach Stevens emphasised that they had what it takes to run over the top of their opponents in the last quarter.
Clever work from Josh Scott set up Hams for the opening goal of the quarter and then Ben Kearns made the most of a move up forward to snap a vital goal. The Power looked like a different side from the first half. Defender Jack Johnstone played on after being awarded a free kick outside the forward fifty and kicked a huge goal, the margin cut to just fourteen points.
Somehow Ben Kearns kicked another freakish goal off the ground and suddenly the Stingrays were struggling to hold on to what had appeared to be an unbeatable lead. Hams again got the ball into a dangerous position with a long bomb and Membrey’s handball under pressure allowed Kearns to reduce the margin to two points.
A great centre clearance allowed Northe to find Membrey who kicked a captain’s goal from deep in the forward pocket. The Power had hit the lead for the first time of the match. They were dominating the game but there was still over ten minutes left on the clock.
In a thrilling finish the Power were able to keep up the pressure on the Stingrays with the defenders standing up. When Shannen Lange found Kearns, he went on to snap his fourth for the quarter. With under a minute remaining the game was put beyond doubt.
By the final siren Power had won the game by eleven points, it was a forty-five point turn around. They had stuck to the game plan that Nick had shown such enormous trust in and believed in each other.
Statistically, they totally dominated the quarter with twenty forward-fifty entries to the Stingrays six. Power’s incredible hardness and superior fitness enabled them to totally shut down their dangerous opponents. When it really mattered, they applied thirty bone crunching tackles for the quarter to take their total to over ninety for the match
With so much on the line it will go on record as one of the club’s best wins in twenty years of TAC Cup football.
Final scores:
Loy Yang B Gippsland Power 12 goals 5 behind 77 points defeated Dandenong Stingrays 9 goals 12 behinds 66 points.
Goal kickers:
Ben Kearns 5, Tim Membrey 4, Matt Northe, Will Hams, Jack Johnstone 1.
Best Players:
Nick Graham, Jack Johnstone, Ryley Hall, Shannen Lange, Lachy Channing, Anthony Tipungwuti - everyone stood up when they needed to, it was a great team effort.
The Power now has a week off in preparation for the preliminary finals. The boys will relish the chance to rest up after such a fierce contest. On a broader front, the recovery from longer term injuries by Simon Deery and Tom Fusinato will be even more likely. Both will be pressing for selection in the next match.
In other club news, regional manager Peter Francis and his wife Robin, visited former Power star Beau Vernon before the match and reported that he is making amazing progress after suffering a debilitating injury. Beau has always been an outstandingly hard-working and determined young man and is exhibiting the same positive approach to the challenges he now faces. He is taking a very keen interest in the Power and wants them to follow the success that he played a key role in when the team won the 2005 TAC Cup premiership.
Another former Power gun, Troy Makepeace is also making a steady recovery after suffering an injury last week. Troy was knocked off his bike when riding with some friends and suffered several broken bones. He is making the sort of determined recovery that was a critical to his Power days and then an amazing AFL career with the Kangaroos. All at Power wish Troy well.
Last Modified on 24/04/2013 11:05