What's the point? Power out after controversial score review

THERE’S been a sensational finish to the First Semi-final between Wonthaggi Power and Warragul at Leongatha on Sunday with a gallant Wonthaggi side on the wrong side of a controversial finish to the match.

With the scoreboard at Wonthaggi 13.4.82 to Warragul’s 12.9.81, the Gull’s goal-kicking machine Jed Lamb marked the ball with only seconds to go and had the chance to ice the game with a goal but he narrowly missed.

The scoreboard then had the scores locked at Wonthaggi 13.4.82 and Warragul 12.10.82 but since the three-minute mark of the last quarter, when it appeared as if Wonthaggi had rushed it through the points – the scoreboard was wrong – by a point.

Working on the impression that they were 14 points in front at the 20 minute mark of the last quarter, after a sensational goal by Kaj Patterson, Wonthaggi had a keen eye on defending the margin, and threw their bodies in without regard for injury, as the minutes ticked away.

Cooper McInnes was a casualty of that, limping from the ground with an ankle injury after a contested marking attempt.

But a contested mark by captain Tom Hobbs got the ball forward to Jed Lamb and he made no mistake, cutting the margin to nine.

A goal saving tackle by Ethan Dickison was another heroic effort, similar to the efforts of players all over the ground.

But Warragul was coming and Jordan Stewart took a mark on their next forward thrust and kicked truly from 20 – two points the difference at the 26-minute mark (but actually only one).

A stinging tackle by Blair stopped the Gulls’ next effort but a snap by Liam Serong brought up another point – one point the difference.

Tom Stern to Vinnie Caia and finally Jed Lamb, with only seconds to go looked ominous for Wonthaggi but he kicked only a point when he could have iced the game.

The ball went forward from the kick out and the siren sounded, signalling, everyone thought, two additional sessions of extra time.

The players went to the boundary line for a reset, but wait, the umpires were conferring in the centre, they spoke to the umpires and then advanced on the scoreboard and too one of the points off Wonthaggi’s total.

Incredibly, it was actually a win to Warragul on the basis of Lamb’s errant shot for goal.

But as the commentators from TRFM said, Wonthaggi might have played those final minutes differently if they’d known Warragul was closer than they were.

In reality tough, Wonthaggi’s players could not have played with more desperation, after losing defensive dynamo Issac Chugg as a late withdrawal before the match, Brodie Mabilia, who was best on the ground before succumbing to a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury midway through, and then Cooper McInnes deep into the last quarter when his contest for the ball was sorely missed.

The truth is that Wonthaggi had played out of their skins to put on eight goals to two in a withering first quarter and they put everything on the line to maintain and defend that advantage throughout but with troops falling around them, they just couldn’t quite hold Warragul out and it’s the Gulls and not Power that stays alive in the premiership hunt.

Leongatha will now play Warragul and not their near neighbours in the preliminary final at Sale next Saturday, where locals would have loved to see those two rivals face off in another final for maximum appeal.

It’s not going to happen now but Wonthaggi lost nothing, where their fans and the wider football community are concerned, for they way they fought out the season and the finals after losing some key players along the way.