Country Footy Scores - Pie-high Tigers

morwell fc When Morwell signed Collingwood's community engagement officer Harmit Singh as its coach last September, then added former Magpies Anthony Rocca and Tarkyn Lockyer to its playing list, the people around the club began to dream of happy days ahead.

But given Rocca and Lockyer would only be available on an ad hoc basis, even the most one-eyed Morwell supporters were wary of expecting too much. So they were smiling when the Tigers opened 2013 with eight straight wins, their best season start for two decades.

The winning streak included two hoodoo-busting triumphs. The first came in round five at Maffra, where Morwell had not beaten the Eagles since 2007; the second in round seven at Leongatha, where the Tigers had lost their previous 11 matches. Two months on, the Tigers are no longer undefeated, having lost to top side Sale, premiership hopeful Wonthaggi Power and lowly Bairnsdale in a disappointing five-week stretch.

But regardless of how they perform on Sunday at home against third-placed Traralgon, Singh's men have already wrapped up second spot on the ladder. And with the finals around the corner, hopes are high the club can win its first senior premiership since 1996.

''We always thought we were a decent chance to finish in the top three,'' Morwell president Wade Presley said. ''Hopefully we can go deep into the finals. If you do that, anything can happen.''

A foundation member of the old Latrobe Valley league in 1954, Morwell had plenty of success in the early 1960s, during which it produced a number of standout VFL players, including Carlton's Vin Waite. The club's most recent golden era was between 1983 and 1997, when the Tigers made nine grand finals in 15 seasons, winning five.

Morwell has made just one grand final since those heady days, in 2008, and was well beaten by Sale.

The Tigers' form has fluctuated dramatically since then. But the arrival of Singh, who previously played in the VFL and last season was an assistant coach at Castlemaine, has breathed in new life.

Morwell snared Singh after a stoke of luck. The 26-year-old midfielder was initially planning to apply for the senior coaching position at Goulburn Valley league club Seymour. But when he showed his presentation to university friend Phil Wischmann, a former Morwell player, he was swiftly directed towards the Tigers.

The biggest challenge for Singh to overcome has been the travel commitments. His job with Collingwood means he lives and works in Melbourne, and travelling to Morwell is a round-trip of nearly 300 kilometres. Nevertheless, he rarely misses a Tuesday or Thursday training session. ''He's very professional with the way he goes about things and with what he expects back from the players,'' Presley said. ''He's very thorough in his lead-up to games, and everything he does is for a real purpose.''

In what has been an impressive first season as a senior coach, Singh has used his Collingwood connections at times, but he certainly hasn't relied on them. Leading into Sunday's game against Traralgon, Rocca has played just one match for Morwell and Lockyer has played only three, although the Tigers remain hopeful both will line up in the finals.

But Rocca and Lockyer did have a big impact in the one game they played together, against bottom side Moe in round 12. That day Rocca kicked eight goals and Lockyer five as the Tigers won by 183 points.

There will be no such walkovers during the remainder of the season.

But once the shadow-boxing is out of the way, Presley is hoping the Tigers will make their community proud. ''When the finals arrive, we hope there's not only a buzz around the club but around the town as well,'' he said. ''To be the talk of the town would be great.''

By Adam McNicol

Article first appeared The Sunday Age, August 18 2013