The Courier |
SPRINGBANK has burst Bungaree's bubble. The GJ Gardner Tigers handed the Demons their first defeat of the Central Highlands Football League season with a 24-point victory on home soil on Saturday.
SPRINGBANK 13.7 (85)
BUNGAREE 9.7 (61)
Springbank's performance saw it quickly return to the winner's list following the previous weekend's loss to Buninyong and climb to sixth spot on the ladder.
Not surprisingly, the performance pleased coach Sam Giblett.
"I'm very happy. I still think last week, apart from the first quarter, I thought we played all right," Giblett said.
"Buninyong had that more class, but I knew as a group we were better than that. If you can get 22 contributors, I think they now know that's how results come.
"They are really starting to understand how a team concept works, in terms of doing the basics very well."
Signs were ominous early for the hosts as Bungaree banged through the opening four goals of the game to establish an early lead.
But the Tigers hung in and wrest the momentum from the Demons, taking a surprise quarter-time buffer after a brain fade from midfielder Ricky Cummins.
After the Tigers goaled through Joel Maher, Cummins was yellow-carded and reported for striking Xavier Bourke.
Bourke was then gifted a shot at goal from 20m straight in front, which he converted to give the home side a one-point advantage at the change.
While Springbank did well to stay in the match early, it was in the third term that it effectively won.
The Tigers, who hunted in numbers and barely conceded a forward 50m entry, booted four goals to one to stretch the lead to 28 points.
Bungaree breathed life into the match when it closed to within 19 points mid-way through the final stanza, but a goal from ex-Dunnstown recruit Carl Morandi one of the Tigers' best put the result beyond doubt shortly before time.
James Millikan had a ripping first half and was one of the standouts for the winners, while fellow onballer Luke Fisher offered plenty with his bursts of speed.
Last year's under-18 league best and fairest Maher booted three goals and led the Tigers' tackle count for the second week in a row, while skipper Sam Cue and the man he received that honour from, Simon Quinlan, worked well down back.
Stuart Taylor also had his best day for the club, busy all afternoon and finishing with two goals.
For Bungaree, it was a rather disappointing performance.
Too often the Demons allowed the Tigers space and time with the football, particularly up forward, where there was a number of easy goals for the boys in yellow and black.
Shaun Finlayson was an exception for the visitors, with the number 28 rucking well all day and being one of the main men around the ground.
Bungaree coach Greg Middleton said it was a disappointing loss against a traditional arch rival.
"Because we have recruited pretty well and got a good list, blokes think it's just going to happen and we are playing a bit selfish at times. The boys are chasing kicks rather than playing their roles," Middleton said.
To add to the Demons' long list of injury concerns, Jackson Murphy broke his wrist and Josh Brown suffered a broken nose.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
