Sea Eagles dust off Warragul

By Aiden Box

INVERLOCH-KONGWAK looked to build from their dominant showing against Garfield when they travelled to Warragul to face the Dusties in what shaped to be a finals-like encounter. 

After they fell to the Sea Eagles in Inverloch in round 10 in a fiery finish, the Dusties were keen to come out hard in hopes of revenge in clean conditions on the home deck. 

It took both sides a while to get a feel for each other as they battled for control of play and fought to move the ball to their style. 

After a missed shot, IK pressed hard in the forward half to create a repeat entry and it was young gun Hayden Lindsay bobbing up with a great mark deep inside 50.

The Sea Eagles then made it two from two, linking up through the middle beautifully to find speedster Joe Soumilas for a trademark running finish from 45. 

The visitors lifting to the end the first term, as both defences stood strong, the Sea Eagles holding an 8-point lead at quarter time after a low scoring term. 

After another chance was missed by Dylan Clark, some more IK pressure from Lindsay upfield led to another Warragul turnover and the visitors wasted no time finding Garnham deep inside 50 again for another. 

A great win at a stoppage on centre wing led to Marcus Toussaint getting himself on the board before the Dusties finally broke through with their second of the match. 

The hosts soaked up the enormous Sea Eagle pressure quite well throughout the first half.

Although their good work was undone by a 50-metre penalty which led to a Corey Casey goal to IK.

Clark’s second miss then led to a Dusties forward thrust and great surging goal, against the flow. 

Another major on the halftime siren keeping them in the game, IK’s led by 17-points at the main break. 

After a nice intercept mark from Marcus Toussaint, the ball found Tom Hams who received a free kick and another 50-metre penalty as the hosts’ ill-discipline really started to rear its head. 

The Sea Eagles remained focused and determined, as they had from the outset. 

They finally found a real groove, applying finals-level pressure on the ball and moving it quickly with every opportunity, this time finding Garnham on the lead for another. 

Warragul endured it all well once again though and were good enough to answer to cut the lead to 23-points before yet again having it all come undone by some poor decision making and discipline. 

After a halftime spray from their captain and a disappointing third term giving away chances, the Dusties were still in the game and needed a big fourth quarter to claim revenge on IK.

Warragul answered through Mason McGarrity, although IK’s pressure and gameplay across the field was simply too good. 

Shem Hawking was yet again at his classy best, intercepting everything and creating plenty of run from defence in a best on ground performance, as IK ran out 45-point winners. 

The Sea Eagles have one final test before finals, as they head to Nar Nar Goon for a blockbuster next Saturday, as for Warragul they’ll host a blockbuster of their own when Cora Lynn comes to Western Park.