Wimmera-Mail Times| JEPARIT-RAINBOW struggled to maintain intensity against powerhouse Kalkee on Saturday.
Kalkee 16.11 (107) d Jeparit-Rainbow 8.5 (53)
KALKEE’S sustained intensity was too much for Jeparit-Rainbow at Kalkee Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
The round one encounter between the sides at Jeparit went down to the wire and it looked as if there could be a similar result after one quarter.
The Storm led by three points at the first break, but could not maintain the intensity in a physical, hard-fought game.
The Kees eventually wore the team down, booting 14 goals to five after quarter time.
Great one-on-one battles abounded.
Peter Weir slotted three goals for the Storm but was well held by Kalkee’s Ben Harrison.
Mark Greeney did well to quell Grant Schultz’s influence early in the game, but Schultz responded with two goals in the second half.
Josh Mibus was able to nullify giant Jeparit-Rainbow forward Daniel McEldrew and Adam Schulz stopped Kalkee coach Steve Schultz from tearing the game apart, although he did finish with three goals.
Kalkee ruckman Tim Wade gave his team first use of the ball, and the Kees were able to move it quickly through the likes of Ollie Young.
Lucas Edelsten and Jake Parry were two of Jeparit-Rainbow’s best.
Schultz said he was pleased with the way the Kees responded to early pressure.
‘‘It was a pretty hot game early and a good contest,’’ he said.
‘‘I think we settled into the game a bit better than they did, and we started to become accountable and we maintained our intensity, which they weren’t able to do.’’
Jeparit-Rainbow co-coach Mark Cocks said his side had been beaten by a better team, but there were still encouraging signs.
‘‘We were under no illusions about what would happen, because they know how to play their home ground, and they played it better than us,’’ he said.
‘‘In the first quarter we matched them, so we have to make sure we can sustain that effort for four quarters and not let our structures fall down under pressure as easily as they did.’
