Long, wet trip east pays off for Power

WITH an ‘East Coast Low’ swirling off the coast of East Gippsland last Saturday, heavy rain at the Bairnsdale City Oval barely stopped all day with the result that it was a hard slog from start to finish for Wonthaggi Power and the Bairnsdale Redlegs.

At one stage, halfway through the last quarter, Wonthaggi’s Josh Bates was tracking the ball towards the boundary on Bairnsdale’s half forward line when he was tackled across the line, after getting the kick away, by Bairnsdale’s CHF Logan Austin.

The pair literally ‘splashed down’ in a huge puddle on the edge of the oval with Bates fully immersed and coming up drenched, head to toe, while Austin emerged with a big smile on his face.

You had to laugh.

But despite Wonthaggi coming home, from the longest road trip in Gippsland, with a 74-point win, to squeak ahead of Sale on percentage, back up into second place on the ladder, it was by no means easy on the day.

With their narrow victory over Traralgon, Sale has stitched up their own “double chance” in the finals and in so doing, made it certain that Wonthaggi will also finish in 2nd or 3rd, meaning that Sale and Wonthaggi are set for a Qualifying Final showdown at the Morwell Recreation Reserve on Saturday, August 27, regardless of what happens in their final match at home against Moe.

The match started in the driest conditions of the day, but the rain soon set in, and the match was often a series of scrimmages until the ball could be scrambled free with hard bullocking work, a hopeful handpass or a soccer off the ground.

The two big men, Toma Huther of Wonthaggi and Josh Wykes of Bairnsdale, were immediately engaged in a full-court battle, in the ruck and around the ground, with Wykes often doing the in-and-under work of a ruck-rover, while Huther made good position for the outlet.

The return of Jack Blair, straight into the engine room, after five weeks out, had immediate impact, often working the contested ball clear, linking up with Darcy Brosnan in particular, putting his head over the ball to earn free kicks and encouraging his team mates throughout.

It was a complete game from him and a chance to run back into form ahead of the finals.

It also gave his brother, coach Jarryd, the chance to have a few lengthy spells on the pine, for a rare look at the play.

After a long period of time on the Wonthaggi forward line, with unsuccessful set shots by Troy Harley and Jack Hutchinson, and with two or three Bairnsdale attacks, turned away by the capable

Power back six including Flynn Anderson, Steven Scott, Shannon Bray and Fergus O’Connor; it was Wonthaggi who finally broke through at the 7-minute mark.

And it was great end-to-end play which brought up the first; Will Lenehan taking a fine intercept mark on the last line, kicking long to a contest where Andrew Murray and Hunter Tiziani combined well, off to Travis Krause, and with players streaming past, the outlet handpass to Jarryd Blair, on to Darcy Brosnan and finally with Troy Harley tackling the Bairnsdale defender, and the ball falling free to

Jack Hutchinson for a goal, over the shoulder.

It was a terrific team score, with almost half the side either involved or running to support.

And that’s pretty much how the day went from there with Bairnsdale providing a good contest at the stoppages from the likes of Nathan Dennison, Josh Wykes, Liam Give and Oscar Pike, and in defence where Randall Stewart, Simon Deery and Kieran Vickery were busy but with Wonthaggi able to swing plenty of quality through the on-ball group, and having a host of talent forward and back, they were always going to kick a bigger score.

Even in the wet, their skills were better, they had more at the contest and looked quicker over the ground.

Soon after the first, Murray got the ball going forward again to where Toma Huther lowered his eyes and found Harry Dawson who made no mistake from close range.

Bairnsdale got their only goal for the first half, partway through the first quarter, when Damien O’Connor soccered one through in the wet. 

They got another like that in the second half.

Wonthaggi maintained control throughout the match, but it would be wrong to suggest they didn’t get a good contest from the home side, who ultimately finished on, matching Wonthaggi’s three goals in the last quarter.

Both teams were spent when they headed for the rooms but a smart use of three or more ruckmen through the match by Wonthaggi and 10 or more players rotating on the ball would have helped spread the load on a hard slogging day.

Apparently, not everyone got a hot shower, however!