Demons dash Hawks’ finals hopes

By Rob Popplestone

THE weekend was one in which a “line in the sand” needed to be drawn by a number of clubs so as to determine their team’s destination.

Some lived to fight another day, others fell short and now face a testing two months of home and away football unlikely to lead to a finals reward.

 For Morwell East there remained just a glimmer of hope that a steady climb up the ladder was still possible if only they could regain some of their football of twelve months ago.

The problem however was a strong and steady Demon’s team that had the opportunity to kill off the Hawks season in one afternoon and that’s exactly what they appear to have done.

“It was great to come away with the four points, especially after Morwell East put up such a strong fight in the second half,” Rhett Kelly, MDU coach said.

“We started the game really well and absorbed Morwell East’s pressure to have a small lead at quarter time. Our pressure in the second quarter was excellent, allowing us to play a lot of forward-half football with repeat entries. While we probably didn’t capitalise enough on those entries, I was still extremely happy with our first-half efforts.

“Credit to Morwell East for coming out strong after halftime and putting the pressure back on us. We were a bit lost structurally after a player was sent off at the start of the third quarter, and they were able to take advantage of that. Morwell East also scored a few goals late in the game, which was a bit disappointing from our end, but as I said, it was great to come away with the four points.

“We have the bye this week, so we’ll use this time to freshen up. It will also be great to see some returning players over the next couple of weeks.”

As important as winning is, for Morwell East it’s been about competing, being 
honest and aggressive, playing Hawk’s footy, and it seems they are getting closer and closer to doing that.

“We competed all day against MDU. We had a lot of forward fifty entries in the first quarter, just didn’t capitalise. MDU did. We got outworked in the second quarter. Second half we outscored them by a goal. Got within four goals in the last but MDU was too good in the end. We are playing better footy,” Paul Henry, Morwell East coach said.

Finals might not be on the agenda, but there is little question that Morwell East are capable of playing a part in how the shape of the top six finishes up.

The Hawks’ best is enough to trouble most and that trouble is also enough to throw another club’s season off the rails.