Wonthaggi powers through Drouin challenge

THE match against Drouin loomed as something of a danger game for Wonthaggi Power, on the back of their loss to Leongatha, and after Drouin had easily accounted for Warragul the week before.

Wonthaggi and Warragul had played a high-scoring draw in round two.

And in front of a really good crowd at Drouin, it was the Hawks who started best with three goals to one in the opening minutes.

Sam Pratt was tightly checking Power playmaker Aiden Lindsay at the stoppages and Jarred Marshall was getting off the chain for Drouin early, allowing them to start impressively before the Power defenders locked down and the team’s onballers started to take control later in the term.

It was Marshall who opened the scoring for Drouin, after Steven Scott had initially turned them out. And straight out of the centre again, they had another through an unsighted Drouin player.

Fergus O’Connor started to dig in at half back and got the ball to Troy Harley who missed an easy one.

Tim Knowles was getting active on his wing, and finally the Power started stringing some passes together, first through Ryan Sparkes, Mitch Hayes and Harry Dawson, then Jack Hutchinson, Hayes, Jack Blair and Sparkes for the Power’s opener.

Blair had rotated through to the bench before Sparkes had even slotted it through. It was good defence which had set it all up.

Steven Scott took a fine intercept mark and the likes of Tim Knowles and Josh Bates continued to defend well but they weren’t getting reward for effort when Harley missed another shot up the other end and Drouin rebounded for a ‘Joe the Goose’ goal over the back to Shay Harvey.

But Wonthaggi had already started to tackle and win the contested footy and a noticeable change came over the game as everyone started playing their roles; Aiden Lindsay and Noah Anderson doing well and both Harley and Jack Hutchinson likely targets up forward.

It was Lochie Scott who ultimately produced the turning point effort in defence, starting an end-to-end passage of play through Jakeb Thomas, Tim Knowles and Hutchinson, who marked and goaled, to get Power show on the road.

The attacking move featured great passing by foot and running to position and was remarked upon by coach Jarryd Blair at quarter time.

Straight out of the centre, Lindsay got the next attacking move going and it was Hutchinson having a purple patch who put it through with a nice long kick.

A terrific tackle late in the quarter by Ryan Sparkes down back set up the next goal, another to Hutchinson, and Wonthaggi were in front going to the first break.

As well as mentioning the terrific passing by foot in that featured passage of play, Blair said he wanted to see a harder work rate by the forwards and a more aggressive attack on the ball and he got exactly that.

Wonthaggi put its stamp of authority on the game in the opening minutes of the second term, with goals to Lachie Jones, Jakeb Thomas, Tom Harley, Mitch Hayes and Tom Davey, interspersed with one to Drouin’s Harvey and the Power were soon out to a five-goal lead and they didn’t look back.

Hayes actually won the contested ball in the backline and great work rate put him in position to kick the goal – a great effort.
Tom Davey’s goal was the result of excellent ruck work by Jakeb Thomas in the centre.

It was all about individuals taking pride in their performance, but it all came together as a terrific team effort across the ground.

Drouin kicked three goals to two with the wind in the third quarter, but the Power was in charge, adding five goals to nil in the last.

Jarryd Blair was still out of the side with injury and among those coming in were Brayden Duve and Harry Dawson who both played their roles.

Power host Maffra at Wonthaggi next Saturday.