Wonthaggi Power proves a point at Sale

WITHOUT first-gamer Kyle Reid playing with the ‘experience’ of a 10-year veteran in defence, and then drifting forward to kick a crucial third-quarter goal, they don’t win.

Without Jarryd Blair winning several, fiercely contested centre breaks in the last quarter, they don’t win.

Without the efforts of ruckman Toma Huther around the packs and Tom Davey’s second, third and fourth efforts at the ball, they don’t win.

Without Mitch Hayes coming off his wing to impact the outcome of centre contests, they don’t win.

And without the determination shown by all Power players at the contest, they don’t win.

On a day when every single thing that happened on the ground counted in the final analysis, Wonthaggi came away with a famous, one-point victory at Sale on Saturday, propelling them up the ladder from fifth to second, and putting their destiny in 2022 firmly back in their own hands.

So, how did they do it.

By half time, Wonthaggi Power had been able to exert some measure of control over the match with goals to Noah Anderson (2), Jordan Staley (2), Jack Hutchinson (1) and Jack Blair (1) but within minutes of the restart, Sale had hit the front after two goals by Jack McLaren, getting off the chain out of the centre. Ryan Sparkes and co had to pay much closer attention to him after that.

But Sale had flipped the switch in the centre and was outworking their opposition. Big Brad Dessent was a constant danger up forward and stretched the home team’s margin to nine points with a long shot for goal. And he again marked on the lead to put them 15 points up. There were danger signs for Power with the local crowd getting vocal behind the black and white.

But Tom Davey took the initiative at the next centre bounce and raced away with the ball to kick long for a much-needed goal.

Ryan Sparkes and Jarryd Blair combined at the next centre ball-up to get it forward to Andrew Murray and he hit up Jordan Staley in a thrilling mark before his goal cut the Sale margin to three points.

It was an absorbing arm-wrestle all the way to the three-quarter time break with Wonthaggi grinding out a 10-point lead. Here’s how:

Jarryd Blair was dumped in a crude tackle, earning a downfield free and goal to Jakeb Thomas, Kyle Reid cut across the front of Dessent to help Shannon Bray and the other defenders out, Sparkes and Murray combined superbly for a goal and a fine intercept mark by Reid resulted in a great goal from the angle by Hutchinson.

Sale responded with two of their own to cut the margin back to four points but then Reid drifted forward and goaled just before the three-quarter time siren in an important momentum swing.

It was all set up for a classic finish.

In the opening minutes of the last quarter, Jordan Staley had a chance to extend the lead but shanked the kick after great lead up work by Murray, Sparkes, Hayes, and Jack Blair.

There were great contests all over the ground, with pressure on every possession. Kyle Reid dropped back to be the second man up to spoil Dessent, and Fergus O’Connor was doing some great work back there as well but finally the weight of numbers saw Dessent lead up strongly, mark and goal. The Sale crowd went up!

Jarryd Blair used all of his experience to win the next centre break combining with Dawson and Knowles to go on the attack again, Sale responded, but an end-to-end passage starting with Reid again lead to Hutchinson and Sparkes setting up Noah Anderson for a thrilling running goal.

Wonthaggi was nine points up at the 16-minute mark and appeared to be doing enough but then it was Sale’s turn to take the initiative cutting the lead to two points with a goal to Tom Campbell. They might have had another close in through Cooper Whitehill after a dubious free against Jarryd Blair but they ultimately took the lead after another free kick to Jayden Allison.

Players from both sides were throwing themselves into each contest, without regard for personal safety, and it was actually two Wonthaggi players, Jack Blair and Harry Dawson, who clashed heavily on the Wonthaggi forward line, both going for a mark.

Dawson was awarded the grab and calmly went back and put the Power back in front with only seconds remaining.

The next centre break was again crucial, Sale’s Jack Johnstone getting it going their way, but Mitch Hayes again intervened coming off his wing and together with Sparkes he neutralised the situation… siren!!

What a game, what a win, Wonthaggi home by a solitary point.