Geelong Advertiser |
JOEL Corey won the praise of his former Cats premiership teammate David Wojcinski after making a strong debut for Newtown & Chilwell on Saturday.
The Eagles coach said Corey looked comfortable in his transition from AFL to country footy as his team cruised to an ominous 76-point win over Leopold at Elderslie Reserve.
“He was good today. He didn’t look lost at all out there and I know it’s hard to come back from the higher level to the GFL,” Wojcinski said of his star recruit. “You get used to the patterns at AFL level but down here there aren’t as many so it’s hard to read.
“Once we put him on the ball he appeared more comfortable and then when we rolled him across halfback he was great.
“I think he can only get better and I’m so happy to have him here.”
The win was Newtown’s third on the trot and Wojcinski’s star-studded line-up is looming as a genuine premiership threat.
The Eagles kept the previously unbeaten Lions to just two goals in the first half to set up the win, before powering away in the third quarter to record another percentage booster.
“Luke Kermond defends with everything he has got down there. He’s a great communicator, organiser and the pillar of our defence because he is able to set everyone up,” Wojcinski said.
“There’s also Dan Goodwin. Even though he’s small he scraps and fights for everything and gives 100 per cent — that’s what we ask from all of the boys each week.”
There were very few highlights on a dismal day for Leopold, though former Western Bulldog Guy O’Keefe played well, kicking two of his team’s four goals in his first game of the season. Lions coach Steve Clark said there were no excuses for his team.
“Their intensity and effort was so much harder than ours,” Clark said. “Our preparation was perfect and there was energy in the rooms but unfortunately we didn’t take it out there. They were up and about and we just didn’t react to them quick enough.
“Today was hugely uncharacteristic — nothing went right for anyone. We lost confidence, we started playing like there was no structure and — without taking anything from Newtown’s performance — I thought our contested footy was terrible early on.
“In the third quarter the game was still there to be won and we started well but, after a number of skill errors, they kicked the first two straight away.”
Newtown has a tough run ahead with clashes against Grovedale, South Barwon, Colac and Bell Park in the next month.
“We need to make sure we are playing the way we want to play for the whole game,” Wojcinski said. “I thought we were in and out today and we were hot and cold in patches, especially in the first half.
“The sides that we are playing over the next three weeks are the best three clubs in my opinion from last year.”
Leopold will travel to St Joseph’s, with both sides entering the clash with a 2-1 record, before hosting North Shore.
“It’s a fantastic competition and it’s probably as wide open as it has been in a long time,” Clark said.
