The Standard | “WE haven’t tasted any success this year. It’s been a long time coming."
The sense of relief in coach Jay Everall’s voice was palpable as he basked in the afterglow of Russells Creek’s first win of the season.
The Kangaroos broke their Warrnambool and District league duck in emphatic style with a 26.24 (180) to 9.8 (62) defeat of Deakin University.
Victory came in Jacob Linford’s 100th game and in front of members of the 2005 premiership side, who had gathered at Mack Oval for a reunion.
Marcus Askew kicked eight goals while assistant coach Izaac Dwyer, Taylem Wason and Ben O’Rourke were prolific throughout.
“I spoke to the players after the game. It’s a confidence booster when you go through a long part of the season and you haven’t tasted victory,” Everall said.
“We do need to build off today’s game. One thing I’d love for the players to do is take a bit of self-belief out of our game.
“We had some kids play well and some guys who have been in the team all year step up. Our teamwork and tackling was a real standout.”
Everall said he only started to believe victory was secure at three-quarter-time. The Kangaroos led by 63 points and piled on 10.5 to 1.4 to end the match.
“I’m a bit wary about that sort of stuff when you haven’t won a game. Even at half-time I was a bit apprehensive to make any call,” he said.
“We’d certainly played reasonably well and had good pressure on the scoreboard but we had been a bit inaccurate. I was worried things might turn in the second half and we’d find ourselves in strife. But three-quarter-time I was confident and we won reasonably comfortably in the end.”
He was pleased to blood four teenagers in the match. Wason, Liam Antonio, Brad Hunt started and Ash Rogers came on as a sub at quarter-time to replace Matt Foster, who twisted a knee. The Kangaroos’ tackle count was the other highlight — they finished with 101, a season high.
But the story was the opposite for Deakin University, which faces the prospect of a winless campaign.
James Crawford booted five goals, took more than 20 marks and was comfortably the Sharks’ best player.
Lachlan Hulands toiled well against Askew under constant pressure. Jordan Lahy, Ash Johnstone and Jake Zippel could also hold their heads high.
Coach Dave Atkinson admitted exams and holidays had hindered the Sharks’ preparation but “we certainly went into it with a good attitude”.
“In the first quarter, when they kicked 5.9 and probably should’ve kicked 9.5, we gave our boys a rev, said this could be over in half-an-hour if you don’t pull your finger out,” Atkinson said.
“They lifted until three-quarter-time but they got the better of us.”
Elsewhere, ladder-leader Merrivale saw off a first-half challenge to beat Nirranda 21.12 (138) to 9.3 (57) at Nirranda Recreation Reserve.
Tiger spearhead Jet Dowie took his season tally to 75 with a seven-goal haul while Sam Gleeson, Gareth Crawford and Lachlan Kelly were their best.
Tigers coach Karl Dwyer credited the Blues for their early pressure, which had his side on the back foot.
“I don’t want to take anything away from them,” Dwyer said.
“We were not quite as polished as what we have been. A couple of things don’t go your way and all of a sudden it’s a real arm wrestle.”
He was pleased with how his men responded to the challenge. They kicked 11.9 to 1.1 after the long break. “The wash-up is it’s easy to get a kick when your side is 10 or 15 goals up,” Dwyer said. “How do you go when the game is in the balance? We thought the boys stood up.”
Allansford thrashed East Warrnambool at Allansford Recreation Reserve in the other match, 28.17 (185) to 2.5 (17). Justin Nowell booted 13 goals and Matt Lenehan added nine, with Leatham Robe and Justin Fedley also prominent.
