Kangaroos supremacy too much for Tigers

FISH Creek locked in second position on the Mid Gippsland ladder with a solid 79-point win against Mirboo North at Tigerland on Saturday.

This was a powerful performance of sustained pressure by the Kangaroos, whose functional transitional flexibility was as seamless as it was synchronized — especially around the packs, through the spine and out wide on the wings, as well. 

It was also Fish Creek’s first victory from three starts at Mirboo North, since joining the MGFNL in 2021.

Mirboo North was holding its annual heritage round, where it wore its purple and gold strip from the 1970s and 80s, when the club was known as the Lions. 

Confusion reigned supreme for spectators, with plenty of new faces in the Mirboo North team and only a couple of numbers matching those worn on the regular yellow and black Tiger jerseys.

Mirboo North’s hopes of prevailing in Damien Turner’s 300th senior game for the club were soon snuffed out, when the visitors took a 41-point lead into the quarter-time huddle.

The Kangaroos’ continual forward flurries were causing plenty of worries for Mirboo North, with Fish Creek having three majors on the scoreboard, after six minutes of one-sided play.

During this hectic period of Kangaroo domination, it seemed the only thing both teams had in common was that raindrops kept falling on their heads.

When the siren sounded for quarter-time, seven Fish Creek goals had come from seemingly everywhere; there were a couple each to Jordan Shaw and Tom Cameron, plus singles by Jai Stefani, Blaine Coates and Matthew McGann.

Mirboo North’s lone goal kicker for the opening term was Nick Cummaudo from a set shot, 45 metres directly in front of the big white sticks. 

Mirboo North managed to slow Fish Creek’s scoring in the second quarter to 2.2 whilst adding a goal itself from skipper, Hudson Kerr — courtesy of a 50-metre penalty that plonked him inside the 10-metre square.

In the context of the quarter, Kerr and Turner, along with Joel Lambourn, Taj Wilkins and Patrick Lewis were sources of inspiration for their teammates, as the Tigers started to match it with the

Kangaroos in one-on-one contests around the ground. 

Alas, nothing much gelled for Mirboo North after the long break; Fish Creek banged on eight more goals whilst the struggling Tigers added three majors — all of which came off Josh Taylor’s right foot boot.

Coates, Matthew and Sam McGannon, Pat Pekin, Shaw and Luke Cocksedge were great contributors for the Kangaroos and constant thorns in Mirboo North’s side.

Just as Mirboo North had been pushed off the ball all too frequently in the first quarter, Fish Creek’s bigger, stronger and more experienced players brushed aside their younger and lighter opponents, with an impressive brand of football that will serve them well in the finals.

In fairness to Mirboo North, eight members of its senior side are on the long term injury list and didn’t participate in the match. 

Their replacements, including newcomer, Doug Fitzgerald, battled their hearts to honor Turner’s milestone game, but simply couldn’t compete with the classy Kangaroos in the air or at ground level.

Roland De Biase finished with four goals for the winners, whilst Matthew McGannon and Cameron both claimed three, with Shaw and Jake Staley snaring two apiece.

This Saturday, Mirboo North’s 2023 season concludes with a trip to Willow Grove when it tackles bottom side, Hill End.