Huther-power drives key Wonthaggi win

WONTHAGGI Power got away with a five-point win over an improved Maffra side in windy but fine conditions at Wonthaggi on Saturday on the back of an excellent third quarter with the breeze.

They came back from two goals behind at half time to go 13 points up the last change, with coach Jarryd Blair rightly heaping praise at the last huddle on the leadership shown by Toma Huther in the ruck and around the ground.

He engineered Power’s response after Maffra had gone into the long break with all the momentum, after two late goals by Brodie Tohara and Caleb Calwyn right on the stroke of half time.
Calwyn had reportedly walked into the club during the week looking for a game, after kicking 11 goals in three appearances with the Waringarri Crows in the East Kimberley Football League during April this year, against teams including the Ord River Magpies, Kununurra Demons and Port Wyndham Crocs.

He has joined a couple of his indigenous mates at the club and was an instant hit, as a livewire around the ground, and at one stage getting an arm across former Collingwood premiership player, Jarryd Blair, while taking a turn on the ball.

Together with a couple of other additions, Maffra looked a much better side than the one beaten by Leongatha by 102 points only three weeks ago.

The former benchmark team of the Gippsland competition hasn’t posted a win yet this season but has looked much better in recent weeks against Bairnsdale, Morwell and now Wonthaggi; losing by 21, nine and five points in consecutive weeks.

Up against it, in a must-win match at home, the Power really responded to a man during the third quarter with most of the play, and with Jarryd Blair setting the tone with a great tackle on Maffra playmaker Zach Felsbourg and a laces-out pass to Cooper McInnes on the lead. On the wrong side of the goals, for wind advantage, his shot just missed but the coach then turned back the clock with a stunning strike of his own, wheeling around to slot through a team lifter.

Blair combined with Chugg next for another scoring chance but soon after Noah Anderson put his body on the line, on the lead, and the Power hit the front with his straight kick.

Caleb Calwyn looked dangerous at this stage, up on the attacking flanks taking a great mark and combining with Sam Robbins but his shot missed and the Power responded again.

It was here when Toma Huther turned it on at the stoppages and around the ground, showing desperation to get the ball moving forward and working hard to get to contests back and front to make it happen for the home side.

It was inspirational stuff.

Jack Blair was busy and he earned a free for another Power goal, and you talk about inspiration, more of that came in the form of Aiden Lindsay, as it often does.

With only minutes remaining in the third quarter and the Power desperately needing to stretch the lead to a defendable margin, with Maffra coming home with the breeze, Lindsay got on the end of an attacking thrust by Jarryd and Jack Blair, over to Mitch Hayes and on to Lindsay wide out on the flank.

From a good 50 metres out, he put the ball up high, and on target and the wind on that side of the ground did the rest.

Wonthaggi went to the last change 13 points up, it didn’t look enough but after Maffra missed a couple of chances at the start of the last quarter it was Wonthaggi which struck gold.

The big men, Huther and Thomas got the ball moving the Power’s way, McInnes and a couple of others got involved but it was Ethan Dickison, still full of running to the end who won a free near goal and boosted the lead to 16 points.

Maffra came at them in the closing stages, but the backline under the direction of Shannon Bray, Fergus O’Connor, Jy Gilmour and co and the lead was just enough, barely enough to secure a very important win in the circumstances.