Wayward Wonthaggi powers through for crucial win at Morwell

IT WAS ‘game on’ for the two combatants in the match at the Morwell Recreation Reserve on Saturday, Wonthaggi and Morwell, with nothing to choose between the sides after the first half.

But it was Wonthaggi that continued to apply forward pressure throughout the day, benefitting from a defence in total control, to ultimately come away with a 24-point win.

Match report: After Morwell won the first centre break and was gifted a goal, following a generous 50 metre penalty to Boyd Bailey, it was Wonthaggi who had the better of the possession, creating plenty of chances up forward.

Aiden Lindsay led the way in the centre, after the ball was returned for the second centre bounce of the day and Wonthaggi went into attack for the first time, a good indication that the Power was at least ready to break even at the stoppages this week.

However, it was sometime before they could answer Morwell’s lucky opening goal, with Jarryd Blair figuring in a couple of the team’s best chances, overlooked for a free in front and then trying a long shot from 50 metres out that just fell short.

Finally though, it was a thrilling ‘team effort’ goal that got the scoreboard ticking over for the Power, the ball running coast to coast through the hands of Shannon Bray, Jack Blair, Jaxon Williams, Jarryd Blair, Mitch Hayes, Jarryd again working  a 1-2 with Jye Gilmour, on to brother Jack, then Noah Anderson who found Brayden Duve on the break for the easy opener.

It was some passage of play but provided all the good signs of team play, lowering the eyes to find an opponent, running to position and commitment.

The Power had plenty of winners already down back with Bray in peak form and the likes of Jakeb Thomas, Tim Knowles and Issac Chugg sharing the load.

They had it all under control until they let Morwell’s Brandon McDonald in for an easy goal and he had another soon after he took the ball off the pack, and put them up three goals to one.

But Wonthaggi wasn’t done with yet, missing shots for a couple of points, then in the shadows of quarter time, Cooper McInnes took on ruck duties close to goal, grabbed the ball off the pack and snapped it through at the 27-minute mark to provide the Power with good reward for effort.

Quarter time scores: Morwell 3.0.18 to Wonthaggi 2.4.16.

The wayward shots became endemic for the Power in the second quarter with Wonthaggi having most of the play to the town-end goals at Morwell but unable to make the most of several gilt-edge chances.

In the end, they had only five points to show for their efforts after a short, goalless quarter of 25 minutes but thankfully, Morwell fared worse with only two points for their meagre efforts.

The good signs for Wonthaggi were clear; their forward pressure was good, they had a number of players leading up strongly to provide targets on transition and the club’s enduring strength, its defence was well on top.

But teams will ultimately torch a good defence if their forwards don’t capitalise and that was the issue for the Wonthaggi brainstrust as they retired to the sheds for the half time break.

Half time Morwell 3.2.20 to Wonthaggi 2.9.21.

The Power made a few adjustments and looked the team most likely to go on with it after half time, producing chances for McInnes and Anderson early.

Morwell got a goal against the run of play, again to McDonald and Jaxon Willams had one he might have kicked but finally it was Toma Huther in the right spot who received from Josh Bates to kick a crucial one and put the Power back in front.

Play went back and force for a while and you sensed the next goal would be big, it was.

Power had lots of contributors at this stage; Bray down back and switching up into the ruck at times, Gilmour, Thomas, Josh Schulz, Jack Blair and Duve among them but it took a free kick downfield to Noah Anderson to break the deadlock, a very important goal in the context of a tight game.

Smith might have replied for Morwell when the Power defence was caught one-out by a 50 metre penalty, but he missed and Wonthaggi got their third of the quarter, from 45 metres out, by Anderson to establish what looked to be a winning lead in a low-scoring contest.

Three quarter time: Wonthaggi 5.11.41 to Morwell 4.3.27.

The first five minutes of the last quarter was an arm-wrestle but it was Wonthaggi which got the all-important goal to secure their win, with Josh Bates on the end of a passage of play which featured more good work by Jarryd Blair combining with Hunter Tiziani and McInnes.

At 19 points up half-way through the last term and the defence holding firm, only allowing Morwell a couple of pot-shots for points, Wonthaggi had the outcome well in hand.

Delivering the coup de grace at the 17 minute mark was Anderson again, marking a pass from Harry Dawson on the lead and kicking truly from just inside the 50 metre arc.

It was the last goal of the game and the Power coasted in to the finish line after securing a very satisfying win, one that keeps them in touch with the leading division.

Final scores: Wonthaggi 7.13.55 defeated Morwell 4.7.31.