THERE’S little doubt that the horrific injury to favourite son, Jakeb Thomas, three quarters of the way through the first quarter, stopped Wonthaggi's momentum as Traralgon surged back in the second quarter and looked to have established a winning lead.
But it was a tenacious Power side which evened it up again by the last change and went on to a character-building five-point victory, despite also losing defender Fergus O’Connor to what looked to be a serious knee injury.
At the last change it was 52 points to 51 points, Traralgon 7.10 to Wonthaggi 8.3 but with Traralgon coming home to the scoring end of the ground.
Big Tye Hourigan finished the third quarter by taking a towering mark deep in defence and took a big grab up forward at the start of the last quarter before taking the first shot on goal. Fortunately for Wonthaggi it wasn’t a goal and with Kyle Reid clearing the ball three times, Wonthaggi Power swung it quickly up the other end to where Noah Anderson ran on to the ball, straightened up and really might have kicked it.
It was end-to-end play for a while with Traralgon also having a few chances to get ahead.
Mitch Membrey got a free and 50 metres and found Tom McMahon and the ball finally ended up with Dylan Loprese. His goal stretched Traralgon’s lead to eight points.
Up the other end a defensive mistake by Jordan Cunico ended up with Blake Cornelis who ran his full distance and snapped a fantastic goal.
Not long after that Jarryd Blair made up a lot of ground in defence to allow Kyle Reid to clear and Wonthaggi’s Jai Williams had a shot at the other end, for a point and there was only one point in it.
Wonthaggi’s players shared the ball around with Josh Bates in a head bandage involved, allowing Jaxon Williams to mark and kick a beauty to put the Power back in front for the first time in more than an hour.
With Jasper Shone making a great contest in the centre and Ryan Sparkes getting his fifth kick for the quarter, in the first 12 minutes, Cooper McInnes marked on the lead and put the Power in front by 11 points.
Traralgon went into attack but Reeve Moresco relieved the pressure. A brain fade by Dylan Loprese ended up in a downfield free and Jai Williams kicked one from close range to get it out to a 17-point lead as the wind dropped to the Traralgon end of the ground.
Down the other end, Loprese got a free for over the shoulder which wasn’t there and his long shot from 50 metres, on the angle, for goal made up for the moment he had earlier.
Kyle Reid and Sparkes were standing up for Wonthaggi where Cooper McInnes came out and took a fine grab. The Power had it inside 50, working hard and finally Jaxon Williams threw it on the boot and kicked his fifth at the 21-minute mark.
Courageous defensive work by Reid not once but twice saved a certain goal but the Maroons’ Loprese got a free kick and managed to cut the lead to 11 points with seven minutes remaining.
Connor Ambler received a free out of the centre and found Loprese on the burst. He went back and kicked his fourth for the quarter to make it just a five-point margin still with plenty of time remaining.
Traralgon looked to go ahead when they went forward out of the centre but another intercept mark by Kyle Reid saved the day yet again.
Traralgon’s captain Tye Hourigan was going forward and back as required to be a marking option and the Maroons continued to press but against the run of play late, Cooper McInnes marked on the angle 30 metres out and managed a point to make it an even goal the difference.
Play was frenetic as Traralgon pushed forward and the Maroons looked to get the equalizer when Kade Ruyters kicked forward but Chugg made a goal saving tackle to upset his delivery and Loprese fell over going backwards after the ball which went through for a point.
The ball was then locked in on the Traralgon forward line. Jarryd Blair threw himself in and saved it.
Sammy Hallyburton ducked his head but no free was payed and there was a rolling maul around the ball with any mistake death for the Power but with sensational team defence by Wonthaggi, they managed to stand up to the immense pressure, featuring a great tackle by Blake Cornelis, without giving up either the ball or a free kick. It was stirring stuff.
A free kick to Traralgon for a deliberate out of bounds on the wing at the 33rd minute gave Traralgon one last chance but Shone and Patterson cleared it away and the siren sounded with Wonthaggi going into attack after a cracking game and a courageous comeback by Wonthaggi, more so in the circumstances of two bad injuries on the day and several others playing on after serious knocks.
One of the best on the ground, Jaxon Williams, who finished with five goals in a great display up forward on a windy day, paid tribute afterwards to his teammates while also wishing ‘Snake’ Thomas and Fergus O’Connor well with what look to be season-ending injuries.
“It was a good win against very good opposition,” said Williams, saying it was probably the best he had been involved in, especially coming back in the second half.
“Yeah, the coach was pretty pleased. Hopefully we get a good week on the track,” he said.
It is understood that Jakeb Thomas has badly broken his ankle after arriving late at an aerial contest on the wing and having a pack of players collapse on top of him.
Final scores: Traralgon 11.13.79 to Wonthaggi Power 13.6.84
