High-flying Parrots aim to stay on top

PARROTS’ premiership hero, Sean Westaway, had played a slashing game in defence for Leongatha against Morwell on Saturday. He always does.

But well into the last quarter, with the game and the result well and truly done and dusted, he flew high over the back of teammate Jackson Harry at half back, to take a spectacular mark, only to be flipped backwards and land heavily, straight down, on his head and neck.

It didn’t look good.

Team mates frantically waved first aid personnel on to the ground and all the correct protocols were observed, and thankfully, in the rooms afterwards, Westaway reported having a sore neck, but was otherwise OK.

He went to hospital as a precaution, where his good health was confirmed. Thank goodness. It had been a big day, with the emphasis on the return to health of Under 18s player, Xavier Bolge, the main focus.

Only seconds after Westaway was carried off, the siren sounded to signal a 48-point win by the Parrots which featured a dominating performance in the opening quarter, when Leongatha did everything right to kick 6.4 to nil, effectively icing the game at that early stage.

Jenson Garnham, Tallin Brill and Jacob Lamers were on the end of plenty of excellent ball movement straight out of the centre, and a away from the stoppages to kick the goals with the likes of Luke Bowman, Aaron Heppell, Tom Marriott, Kim Drew and Ben Willis, along with the younger brigade including Noah Fixter, Tallin Brill and Jacob Lamers prominent.

As well as Westaway down back, Jackson Harry, Will Littlejohn, Sam Forrester and Cade Maskell all played their roles, with Maskell demonstrating his versatility later when moved forward.

The fact that Morwell kicked 7.2 to Leongatha’s 7.10 after quarter time, including a late, speculative shot by Tiger Brandon McDonald, which pitched and rolled, end-over-end, before going through for a goal, wasn’t of great concern.

Leongatha played the game out well, often against a stacked forward line with as many as 16 Morwell players in the Parrots’ attacking 50.

It did prompt one Morwell official, however, to accentuate the positive in the rooms afterwards: “If you take out the first quarter, it wasn’t too bad.”

Parrots’ coach Trent McMicking was pleased with the skill and intent he saw in the first half in particular.

“We moved the ball well, everyone got involved. I thought we set it up pretty well, especially given Morwell’s defensive focus. Happy with that,” he said afterwards.

McMicking said there were a number of players who could still come back into the side, noting that he liked the work of Josh Hopkins, making his way back through the Reserves on Saturday, kicking four goals and being involved in several others.

“He won’t be far away,” said McMicking.

The coach also noted the club had an important three-week block ahead of them, if they were to retain top place on the ladder, with sights set firmly on Moe at Ted Summerton Reserve, as part of the split round, on Saturday, August 12.

With games against Drouin and Maffra to follow, the Moe game looms as something of a qualifying final for the Parrots who are yet to settle on their starting 22.