Giants outclassed and luckless on injury front

KORUMBURRA Bena started brightly against Bunyip, doing most things right in the first term and creating golden opportunities to gain a scoreboard advantage.

However, the Giants missed at least four good chances to goal and went to the quarter time huddle with just six behinds on the board.

The cause was not helped by the unavailability of Giants spearhead Paul Fermanis due to personal reasons.

A more accurate Bulldog’s outfit capitalised on its chances up forward, managing three goals into the slight breeze to lead by 13 points at the first break.

Korumburra Bena football operations manager Mat Walker had a perfect view of proceedings as the Giants runner and was impressed with what he saw in the first term, goalkicking aside.

“It was really good ball movement and we were prepared to take the game on and try and pull the trigger on finding our guys that were open, rather than just kicking long to contests,” Walker said.

Had the Giants seized some of the early scoring opportunities they created, they may have taken momentum into the second term, but lost some confidence as the Bulldogs took control.

Injuries again took a brutal toll on Korumburra Bena in what has been a luckless season.

The Giants faced a 41-point deficit at the halfway stage, having to battle out the game with a decimated bench.

Troy Brown suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter, soldiering on but having to rule himself out at halftime.

Blake Webb failed his concussion test straight after the long break and Wade MacDonald went off with suspected broken ribs early in the third stanza.

Darcy Hargrave played on but was hampered by a corked calf muscle, having to be stationed in the forward line.

Despite the casualty ward, the Giants were offering no excuses.

“Bunyip, to their credit, is a much better team than we are and we’re not blaming injuries,” Walker said.

Despite the setbacks there were a number of positives for the Giants.

One of those was young back flanker Jordan Grabham who got into the right positions and took a couple of good marks.

Back pocket Matt Kennewell was one to adopt that approach.

“He played one of the best games he’s played and was full of confidence,” Walker said.

Bunyip’s Matt Ross proved hard to contain, notching four goals for the game, with Dylan Quirk topping the winner’s best players list.

The Bulldogs prevailed by 81 points, equalling their round 7 winning margin against the Giants.

Korumburra Bena next ventures to Koo Wee Rup, reinforced by the return of Fermanis.