Geelong Advertiser |
GEELONG Amateur has delivered a body blow to Queenscliff’s top-five hopes with a 46-point win at Queens Park this afternoon.
But the sixth-placed Coutas, shooting for their fourth straight BFL flag, will live to fight another day after fifth-placed Barwon Heads failed to fire a shot against Torquay.
Ammos were six goals clear in the second quarter before the Coutas piled on five of the first six goals of the third quarter to get back to within two goals. But from there it was all Geelong Amateur.
“We played well in patches, but when you’re playing against a solid side like Geelong Amateur you can’t afford to just play in patches,” Queenscliff coach Tom Limb said.
“As soon as we dropped our pressure and allowed them to move the footy too easily, you could see why they’re such a good side.
“Their ball movement was really good when you give them space and allow them to feed it back, but when our pressure was on and we were there to play we definitely competed well.”
Geelong Amateur co-coach Cory Bauer was pleased with how his side weathered an inevitable comeback from the Coutas.
“We knew at some stage that they (Queenscliff) would press and we just had to absorb the pressure, and it was great by the boys to be able to do that, lock down and come away with a fairly good win,” he said.
GFL: TANNER FUMING
GROVEDALE coach Grant Tanner has launched a stinging attack on his forwards after a “disgraceful” performance against Newtown & Chilwell.
The Eagles finished with a flurry to win by 51 points, putting another hurdle in front of Grovedale’s finals quest in the process.
It has prompted Tigers coach Grant Tanner to put the heat squarely on his players.
“Forwards that can take a mark would be handy, very handy,” he said.
“I think we had enough of the ball in our half, we won enough of the contest but our forwards were an absolute disgrace.”
He didn’t stop there, and singled out the star players who needed to lift.
The Tigers’ season is on the brink. While finals is still possible, a mounting injury list and the up-and-down form of several players leaves their premiership hopes in limbo.
GDFL: BANNO’S BRILLIANT COMEBACK
Bannockburn has blown the GDFL finals race wide open after coming from behind to roll Winchelsea in a dramatic fightback.
The Tigers kicked six unanswered goals in the final quarter, coming from 22 points down at the final change to stun the Blues and win by three goals.
In an unbelievable final quarter, the Blues’ energy evaporated as the Tigers kicked 6.5 to nothing, with Tom Mullane-Grant the hero with a matchwinning bag of goals.
Bannockburn coach Craig McGough threw his arms up in celebration as the final siren sounded, signalling a crucial win for the club as it strives for a finals berth.
Bannockburn assistant coach Nathan Mclure said the win was full of character.
“It was a really good win, especially at three quarter-time, four goals down, young group, (it) showed a bit of character,” he said.
“The belief was there.
“If we’re in a game at half time or three quarter-time the young blokes love a challenge and they really stood up.”
“It was a game that we had to come and win - make or break.”
Winchelsea coach David Mensch was left to rue a poor final quarter, which could prove costly in the run home to finals.
“They had a lot to play for and so did we, things just went horribly wrong,” he said.
“If you’re off for one quarter or a half you can lose a game quite easy — I just hope it’s not going to cost us in the long run.
In regards to the Blues’ tough run home against fellow top five contenders, Mensch said: “If we want to play finals it’s up to us ... (our) destiny’s in our own hands.”
And in a classic at the Railway Street ground, Inverleigh hung on in a classic to defeat league powerhouse Bell Post Hill.
The Hawks won by three points, 83-80, enduring a tense final quarter that stretched beyond 35 minutes.
GFL: JOEYS IN A THRILLER
THEY knocked them off in Round 4 and they’ve done it again. In one of the best finishes this season, St Joseph’s hung on to win by one point, leaving a fast-finishing Leopold ruing what could have been.
Earlier, Lions coach Steve Clark hopped into his players at quarter time for producing what he described as their worst opening term of the year.
Leopold also missed a few chances on goal too as the match unfolded.
“It was pretty manic,” Joeys coach Heath Jamieson said.
“We probably didn’t hold onto the ball as much as we would have liked late in the last quarter.
‘There was nothing we could have done to stop their surge late in the game, but to our boys’ credit it showed amazing character (to fight back and win).
“I’m really happy with the boys’ effort today, I thought they were super.”
Post match, Clark, speaking to the Addy’s Nick Brown, said: “We’ve had a big six weeks and I was a little worried about them being a little weary”.
“We had a few blokes a bit sore coming in, but I thought they were hugely brave. I thought we were a bit flat early but still hung in there.”
GDFL: AMBULANCE CALLED TO OSBORNE PARK
ANAKIE reserves player Jordan Fulton was taken to hospital after receiving a head injury against North Geelong today.
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said Fulton was placed in a spinal collar as a precaution.
Fulton copped a football flush in the head from point blank range when he was attempting to smother the ball.
He lost consciousness and was taken to Geelong Hospital in a stable condition.
The club is hopeful he will be discharged from hospital tonight, pending final x-rays.
Anakie president Heath Menhennet said the club had a strict policy when it came to head injuries.
GFL: ST MARY’S SCRAP THEIR WAY TO FOUR POINTS
It wasn’t pretty footy and the howling wind across the ground made for some tough footy.
But victorious Saints coach Rob Condy is a happy man.
On a day where the GFL top-five was given another shake-up, St Mary’s banked another four points with a gritty win over St Albans.
“We scrapped well,” Condy said.
“It’s such an even comp that you can’t afford to look too far ahead, so every chance you get to win you’ve got to take it and then reassess where you sit on Saturday night.”
Tom Gillies swung forward and booted five goals for St Mary’s and Zak Sherman, not needed for Geelong’s VFL side tomorrow, was a standout alongside Matt Hebbard.
St Albans would have loved a few players of Daniel Nicholls’s class.
GDFL — CLARK’S HAUL
Just a handy nine goals from Sam Clark today for North Geelong in a big win over Anakie at the Magpies’ fortress.
FINAL SCORES
GFL
Colac 17.18.120 v GWSP 8.6.54
Lara 9.16.70 v Bell Park 20.31.151
Leopold 10.19.79 v St Joseph’s 12.8.80
Newtown & Chilwell 15.12.102 v Grovedale 6.15.51
South Barwon 23.26.164 v North Shore 5.4.34
St Albans 8.9.57 v St Mary’s 13.7.85
BFL
Modewarre 7.11.53 v Anglesea 10.20.80
Drysdale 39.24.258 v Newcomb 3.5.23
Portarlington 7.12.54 v Ocean Grove 17.18.120
Geelong Amateur 17.10.112 v Queenscliff 10.6.66
Torquay 14.18.102 v Barwon Heads 13.12.90
GDFL
Bannockburn 14.10.94 v Winchelsea 11.10.76
W/Centrals 18.8.106 v Geelong West 11.11.77
Thomson 9.16.70 v East Geelong 13.15.93
North Geelong 26.19.175 v Anakie 8.5.53
Inverleigh 12.11.83 v 11.14.80
Belmont Lions 19.21.135 v 9.11.65
SNAPSHOTS
FINAL-QUARTER SNAPSHOTS
GDFL EPICS — We’ve been treated to two classic matches today — Bannockburn’s fightback over Winchelsea and the arm-wrestle between Inverleigh and Bell Post Hill.
HOLD THE PRESS — Bannockburn is running all over Winch and looks set to claim a come-from-behind win. Where has Winchelsea’s run gone? They’ve completely dominated the play and Mullane-Grant is pretty much winning this game off his own foot.
ORDER RESTORED — Looks like the Ammos have weathered everything Queenscliff has got. They’re more than five goals clear now.
CRUCIAL GOAL — Logue puts Inverleigh back in front in a cliffhanger down at the Railway Street ground over Bell Post Hill. This is the match of the round by a long stretch.
COLAC CLASS — Colac has extended its lead at every change and this game is just going through the motions down at Central Reserve.
THIRD-QUARTER SNAPSHOTS
MENSCH MAGIC — “What do you want? Fifth or top three?” roars David Mensch, demanding another 25 minutes from his Winchelsea players against Banno.
GFL — Leopold dominated inside 50s that quarter but failed to make the most of its opportunities, says Nick Brown. Joeys used it better, didn’t go forward too often, but when they did they kicked goals. Game still in the balance but Joeys hold 14-point buffer, which they have held pretty much all day. Game is there for the taking if Leopold wants it. Joeys, who are the last team to beat Leopold this season, look the likely winner though.
DOUBLE TON — Drysdale has clocked 200 during the third quarter over Newcomb.
EAGLES SOARING — Newtown storms home in thanks to their midfielders. Joel Corey snaps another dribble goal from the boundary! NC 11.9 (75) v Grovedale 6.8 (44)
TOO STRONG — Winchelsea in full control. 11.10.76-8.5.53 at three-quarter time. Bannockburn with a slight breeze in the last but it would take something special from here, says Daniel Short. Brad MacKenzie was been superb off half back
GDFL — You only need to have a look at Mark McDowell to see how important this game is between Inverleigh and Bell Post Hill! Real cliffhanger.
COUTAS FADE — Queenscliff was the better side that term, controlling a lot more of the play, but was again impacted by a late-quarter fade-out. After reducing the margin to just eight points 23 mins into the third quarter thanks to a DeGois snap, the Coutas conceded two goals after the 25-min mark for the second consecutive term.
PANTHERS POUNCE — Bell Post Hill has hit the front against Inverleigh. A champion team will always find another level. Set for a pretty exciting final quarter out at Inverleigh.
CENTURY BECKONS — North Geelong is eyeing off a three-figure win against Anakie. It has been a complete domination at their Osborne Park fortress.
BLUES EDGE CLEAR — 18-min mark of the third quarter and Winchelsea has kicked 4.2 to nothing to open up a handy 21-point lead.
LIONS ROARING — Belmont Lions have put the foot down and are motoring over Corio. This has been their most consistent and complete performance of the year. They’re 10 goals clear with a few minutes left.
EAST FINDS A WAY — East Geelong has not only reeled in Thomson, but opened up a handy lead. They’ve kicked five goals to one in this third quarter. There will be a few people breathing easier at East Geelong now.
COUTAS COMING — Matt Gibbs picked this. Queenscliff has kicked five of the first six goals of the third quarter to draw back within seven points of Ammos at Queens Park. Wow, how quickly things have changed out there!
POINTS GALORE — Bell Park and Lara are having difficulty kicking straight at Bisinella Oval. The Dragons hold sway by six goals, but imagine if they converted a few more of their 18 behinds. Lara’s 4.11 isn’t much better either.
ANYONE’S GAME — Leopold and Joeys are locked in a neck-and-neck battle. Joeys lead by six points, thanks to a much better conversion rate in front of goal.
MARY’S MOVING — St Mary’s is starting to pull away from St Albans. Clinton Proctor spoke to the Geelong Advertiser today about how much he hates his club being branded as “competitive” — he wants these close games to turn into wins. It looks like today is following a similar path to previous weeks.
ROOS HOPPING — Anglesea has already hit the scoreboard 23 times this match, Modewarre only five. Remarkably, the Roos only lead by five goals due to some terrible accuracy.
BFL — Torquay has kicked two crucial goals to open the third quarter and has had all the play. They’re now the best part of five goals clear of Barwon Heads.
HALF TIME SCORES:
GFL
Colac 7.8.50 v GWSP 3.2.20
Lara 3.7.25 v Bell Park 5.16.46
Leopold 5.8.38 v St Joseph’s 6.3.39
Newtown & Chilwell 4.6.30 v Grovedale 4.7.31
South Barwon 5.14.44 v North Shore 2.2.14
St Albans 4.6.30 v St Marys 7.3.45
BFL
Modewarre 3.1.19 v Anglesea 4.11.35
Drysdale 19.11.125 v Newcomb 2.4.16
Portarlington 4.6.30 v Ocean Grove 7.10.52
Geelong Amateurs 7.5.47 v Queenscliff 2.3.15
Torquay 7.8.50 v Barwon Heads 5.6.36
GDFL
Bannockburn 7.5.47 v Winchelsea 6.6.42
Werribee Centrals 10.1.61 v Geelong West 6.2.38
Thomson 7.5.47 v East Geelong 5.5.35
North Geelong 11.9.75 v Anakie 2.3.15
Inverleigh 5.7.37 v Bell Post Hill 3.8.26
Belmont Lions 10.9.69 Corio 4.7.31
SECOND-QUARTER SNAPSHOTS
GFL — Leopold started to take control in the second term, but every time they kicked a goal, Joeys had the reply. Similar quarter to the first, with no side really breaking away, according to Nick Brown.
GDFL — Plenty of pressure in the Inverleigh v Bell Post Hill game, but the game is yet to reach great heights. The young Hawks outran the Panthers and put pressure on the BPH. But the Panthers responded late, and this game is still right in the balance.
LINEBALL — In the Winch v Banno game, Daniel Short reports that it’s been a real armwrestle for much of the quarter before the game really opened up, with the key forwards having a real say. Mullane-Grant with four for Banno and Mensch three for the Blues.
The lead changed hands a few times to end with the Tigers up 5. 7.5.47 — 6.6.42.
TIGER TURNAROUND — Grovedale has gone bang, bang, bang and has taken the lead over Newtown to hit the main break one point in front. Huge match for the Tigers if they want to play finals.
NO SURPRISE — Colac is a class above Geelong West-St Peter’s down the highway, and really should be further in front barring a few misses in front of goal.
LIONS ROARING — Belmont is all over Corio ... and Thomson has the lead over East Geelong. Should the Tigers knock off the Eagles, fifth spot on the GDFL ladder is anyone’s!
AMMOS ON FIRE — Queenscliff looks likely to go goalless in this quarter, kudos again to the Ammos defence, Matt Gibbs says. Captain Marc O’Donoghue has done a superb job on Daniel DeGois so far. But what’s interesting is that the game has been a fairly open one — plenty of space as there always is on Queens Park — but there have been few goals. Ammos six goals up. The lead is not impossible to reel back in, but it’s getting tough from here.
FLYING HAWKS — Inverleigh has put the foot down in the second quarter, now three goals ahead of Bell Post Hill in the GDFL. Justin Tarr has been a presence in attack for the Panthers, but kicked a few behinds. BPH is making a few uncharacteristic mistakes.
STARS ALIGN — Joel Corey whips the Newtown crowd into a frenzy after kicking the Eagles’ first goal of the second quarter against Grovedale. The Eagles are more than three goals clear. In a common theme across the region, Alex Tigani reports that the wind is playing havoc, especially when it comes to scoring. There have also been a few spot fires, but the umpires have kept their cards and notepads in their pockets ... for now.
RADAR BACK ON — Bell Park has recalibrated the radar at quarter time and has kicked the first two goals of the second term, to edge closer to Lara.
HEAT IS ON — Daniel Short has picked up a few jumper punches in the Winchelsea-Bannockburn game. And you can’t blame them. Top-three on the line for the Blues, top-five at stake for Banno. Winch by two points in a great battle.
FIRST-QUARTER SNAPSHOTS
INJURY — An ambulance has been called to St Albans Reserve following a lower leg injury. We will have more information when it comes to hand.
ARMWRESTLE — Only three goals kicked in the battle between Newtown & Chilwell and Grovedale.
WINDY — Wind is making life difficult at Leopold Memorial Park. Joeys had all the play early but Leopold fought back hard to hang in there, although the Lions have wasted a few shots on goal.
CLARK GOES WHACK — Steve Clark has given his players a bake at quarter-time, describing their start to the game as the worst quarter they’ve played all season. He questioned leadership and said his players were sagging off their opponents too much.
DOMINATION — Bannockburn has got away to a strong start but only managed two goals for a solid 10 minutes of domination in play. Winchelsea has hit back to lead at quarter time and GDFL reporter Daniel Short reckons everything is shaping as an even contest.
REV UP — Bannockburn coach Craig McGough has asked his players to be harder at the contest. He has implored them to put the Blues’ half back line under pressure and force the turnover.
SHANKING — Bell Park could be kicking itself out of its match against Lara. The Dragons trail at quarter time by three points, but kicked eight behinds for the term.
MILESTONE — North Shore stalwart Tom Ivermee plays his 200th match for North Shore today in the Seagulls’ clash against South Barwon.
BFL — Geelong Ammos clearly aware of the challenge this game poses, says BFL writer Matt Gibbs. “You get the feeling this could be their toughest game of the year,” he reports from Queens Park.
STATS — Ammos trail inside 50s 12-6, but their rock solid defence has only conceded one goal, and they hold a handy 10-point buffer at quarter time.
QUICK START — Portarlington got the jump on Ocean Grove, kicking the first two goals and lead at quarter time.
HEADS HANGING IN — A massive second quarter needed by Barwon Heads. The Seagulls are hanging in there thanks to some inaccuracy from Torquay. Their finals hopes could hinge on this result.
LEOPOLD TAKING THE RIGHT ROAD
By Jason Shields
The fork in the road came on the long trip home from Colac.
Leopold coach Steve Clark sat behind the wheel, having just watched the Tigers belt his team by 111 points, leaving it with a 0-7 win-loss record at the start of their 2013 season.
After playing finals the previous year, the predicted projection for his Lions, both internally and externally, had been north, not so dramatically far south.
“I remember driving back that day and thinking we had a choice to make,” Clark said this week.
“Did we sulk about the position we were in with all our injuries, or did we use it as an opportunity to launch ourselves towards where we still knew we wanted to be?
“We sat as a group on that following Tuesday night and the word ‘resilience’ was the perfect fit. We said to each other that we were not going to let the season go. We knew we had an opportunity to get some games into kids for the rest of the season and still get a lot out of it.”
The playing group embraced the moment. There was no doom or gloom despite finals being out of reach. The remaining 11 games were seen as a golden chance to set themselves up for 2014.
Nothing can fast-track player development better than matchday experience and Leopold seized its unique circumstances to blood and teach kids — a total of 13 under-18s got a taste of GFL senior footy in 2013, while fringe reserves players were also given critical game time.
Results were secondary in the thought process. It was about improving individuals, teaching them roles and learning the systems.
By the time some of their star senior players started returning from long injury lay-offs, the Lions’ onfield fortunes were already turning around.
At the start of the year, a 10th-place finish with a 5-13 record would have been seen as disastrous. But by season’s end, it was greeted with fierce optimism from within the Leopold walls.
“What people think and say from the outside is irrelevant, because we knew what was going on,’’ Clark said about his team’s lowly 2013 finish.
“At 0-7 and with a whole lot of injuries, we could have wasted a year. But we didn’t waste a year, not by a long stretch. It actually set us up.”
Leopold enters today’s blockbuster against St Joseph’s in second place, having knocked over fellow contenders St Mary’s and Grovedale in the past fortnight. And notably, of its eight wins so far this season, one came against Colac in Colac.
For Clark, the drive home this year was not as long.
But in one of the most even seasons in the GFL’s history, complacency will be the last thing that enters his mind as he prepares Leopold for a crack at its first GFL premiership.
The Lions are second on the ladder with 34 points, two points behind ladder leaders Newtown & Chilwell. A further two points behind are Joeys, Colac and St Mary’s, with last year’s grand finalists Grovedale and South Barwon outside the top five.
Of that group, Leopold, Colac and Grovedale have never won senior GFL flags, Newtown won their last in 1986 and Joeys were premiers in 1989.
“It certainly makes it a very exciting competition this year,” Clark said. “We are certainly not thinking we are home in regards to finals by any stretch of the imagination, because it is so tight.
“In this competition, if you don’t turn up, you will get bitten. St Albans and West can beat any team on any given day, so we know how tough the challenge ahead of us is.
“We have made some inroads this year and no doubt the confidence in the group builds when you win at Colac and Grovedale. And it does give you that sense of belonging, but for us, it is more about building that belief in our system.
“Each week, you play someone in a different coloured jumper, so for us it is more about getting ourselves ready to play 100 per cent to our system. I guess a result of when we do that is winning some of those bigger games.”
Leopold’s rise this year has also been built on some savvy off-season recruiting.
The Lions didn’t secure high-profile names, but they landed quality all the same.
Simon Close, the brother of Brisbane-listed player Michael Close, crossed from Portland.
And if he was relatively unknown by opposition clubs in April, he isn’t now.
And then there are the emerging kids. The likes of Jye Cross, a former Falcon from Bannockburn, who was named best on ground last week, evidence that he is now feeling more comfortable among the men in the best regional competition in the country.
“We knew at the start of the year that it was going to take a bit of time for these guys to find their feet and understand the way we wanted to play,’’ Clark said about the recruits.
“But it was also for us to understand what was best for them, finding out where they fitted into the mould and what role they would be best suited to.”
It was why there was no panic at Leopold earlier in the year when it suffered big losses at the hands of Newtown and then Joeys.
“I think I even said back then that we just had a bad day,” Clark said about the 76-point Newtown loss.
“But we also knew that we were going to take a bit of time with these young kids and newer guys coming into our system.
“What hasn’t changed is the belief in the direction we are going as a club.
“Personally, I don’t think you can do well at 2 o’clock if your 12 o’clock team is no good, and our 12 o’clock team has been enormous this year, which is a big reason why the club has improved.
“We are consistently getting between 50-55 guys on the track doing the work. There is trust in what is beneath.”
GFL
LARA v BELL PARK
COLAC v GEELONG WEST-ST PETER’S
NEWTOWN & CHILWELL v GROVEDALE
LEOPOLD v ST JOSEPH’S
SOUTH BARWON v NORTH SHORE
ST ALBANS v ST MARY’S
BFL
MODEWARRE v ANGLESEA
DRYSDALE v NEWCOMB
PORTARLINGTON v OCEAN GROVE
GEELONG AMATEUR v QUEENSCLIFF
TORQUAY v BARWON HEADS
GDFL
WERRIBEE CENT v GEELONG WEST
INVERLEIGH v BELL POST HILL
BELMONT LIONS v CORIO
NORTH GEELONG v ANAKIE
THOMSON v EAST GEELONG
BANNOCKBURN v WINCHELSEA
