GDFL Round 1 Review: Panthers saved by skipper, Giant win under lights

GDFL Round 1 Review: Panthers saved by skipper, Giant win under lights

GDFL ROUND 1 – BROADCAST MATCH

Bell Post Hill 12.12 (84) defeated Belmont Lions 11.5 (71)

BELL POST HILL coach Brad Martin has praised the efforts of Cameron Addie after the reigning premiership captain single handedly held off a fast finishing Belmont outfit in extra time.

The six time premiership defender proved to be the difference at Myers Reserve thanks to his contested marking while also keeping returning GDFL star Tyler Jones to a single goal.

“He’s (Addie) the best defender in the competition, a fantastic leader and your number-one pick for the interleague back six,” Martin said.

Opening term goals to Belmont recruits Jones (Apollo Bay), Nick Sneyd (Grovedale) as well as Mitchell Boal and Brodie Edge would see the Lions take out a 23-point lead at the first break.

“What we had spoken about before the game we didn’t really do the way we wanted to in that first quarter,” Martin said.

“As a coaching team we didn’t think they listened to us too well so to their (players) credit they reacted in the second and third quarters.”

The Lions’ opening term efforts would keep them in the match against a powerhouse which had averaged a winning margin of 91-points in their previous 15 meetings since Round 6, 2007.

An accurate five goal haul from St Joseph’s recruit Jay Kirwood kept the visitors in the game until first year Panther Daniel Maher found the sealer on the other end with seconds remaining.

“Today was a result of the risk we take when we don’t play practice games (with the exception of our six quarter hit-out against Drysdale),” Martin admitted.

“We also had five guys rewarded with a debut as a result of their preseason to help cover the seven missing from our grand final team including Caleb Bacely (suspended).”

Martin and his coaching panel were challenged early when Will Urquhart was hospitalised in the opening quarter (head) before returning Panther Beau McNamara was reported for striking.

Daniel Walve would be moved back from the midfield before the middle was then vacated by Tane Rabbas (groin) at half time who had 13 disposals by this stage.

Enter Jake Barlow who joined Addie in the best players with 30 disposals and 13 marks as well as debutant Matthew James who finished with 20 (nine in the third term).

grubby

“We were a bit stretched but everyone responded when they got moved around, Jake moved around and Tim (Barton) went forward so there was a lot of chopping and changing,” he added.

“The back six in its entirety stood up (not just Addie) as well; Danny Gray was fantastic as was Walve, Barton, Jordan Flaccavento and even Daniel Maher in his first game.”

 

BELMONT coach (and former Panther) Ash Witney disguised his devastation through humour post-match when responding to a comment made in the media the day before.

“Wasn’t it meant to be doomsday? If we weren’t competitive? Well I’m glad we can at least say that we didn’t have that doomsday,” Witney said.

“Today proves that you get reward for the training over summer, last time our boys played they were defeated by around 210 points so there’s improvement.”

“We probably had chances to win but the boys will learn from it by playing more footy together.”

Nick Chapman was named as the Lions’ best while Dylan Witney found plenty of footy.

Brent Watkins (shoulder) was absent in the final term however the speedster is likely to line-up in the side’s home clash against East Geelong.

“Today won’t mean anything unless we back up our efforts against East Geelong,” Witney added.

 

Geelong West 12.10 (82) defeated Winchelsea 11.13 (79)

THIRD year Geelong West coach Andrew Clark couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief when his side celebrated their three-point win over Winchelsea last night.

For Clark it marked the end of a sequence of head to head losses including last year’s one point defeat which saw his men surrender a 44-point lead midway through the third term.

wg

“We spoke about self belief at every change and after I look back at that game last year I’ll admit it has been nice to get one over Brendan (Forssman) so we’re 1-1 now,” Clark said with humour.

The Blues looked every chance to claim a fourth straight head to head victory over the former Cheetah entity when taking out a 13-point lead at the final break.

Nevertheless it would just add theatre for the large crowd at the West Oval before the Giants marched home to record the victory.

“All season we have worked on playing-on and moving the ball quickly but in the second and third quarters we weren’t doing that,” Clark added.

“We made a conscious effort that when we got the footy we were to handball and move it on which we rectified in the final term.”

Former Colac Imperials coach Thomas McKay finished with three goals while reigning Belmont Lions’ best and fairest Michael Leamer joined him in the Giants’ best players with two majors.

Winchelsea assistant coach Matt Costello and his captain Alexander Gubbins were named as the best players in the away rooms.

New Image

“We clearly have a forward line which can score quickly but we weren’t getting the ball in quick enough,” he said.

Geelong West will now travel to Victoria Park to take on Bannockburn in the GDFL broadcast match of the round.

“Bannockburn is a massive challenge for us but we don’t want to just be competitive now,” he added.

“Now we want to go out there and genuinely win because we know we can.”

 

Inverleigh 19.25 (139) defeated North Geelong 6.3 (39)

A SIX goal haul from 2017 Whitley medallist Jak Kennedy Hunt would prove enough for the Hawks hold off North Geelong by 100 points.

Second year Hawk Michael Best was named as his side’s best alongside first year recruits Mitch Elford (Bell Park) and Simon Seddon (Castlemaine).

Barwon Heads recruit Curtly Balshaw was named best for North Geelong while youngster Thomas Schwennesen finished with two goals (both in the opening quarter).

 

East Geelong 9.5 (59) defeated by Werribee 18.8 (116)

WERRIBEE has made a long awaited return to the top three thanks to a convincing 57-point victory over East Geelong.Ryan

The Centurions landed six goals to one in the third term in what was an impressive display under new coach Nick Smith.

Mount Waverley recruit Jackson Smith found three goals for the winners in a best on ground performance only to be matched by teammate and former Tasmanian star Nick Bauld.

East Geelong, who named four recruits in their best players, will be without Ryan Marino who was hospitalised last night with a rib injury.

Leading at each break the Centurions would eventually post their highest away score since Round 17, 2016.

 

Corio 3.2 (20) defeated by Bannockburn 29.13 (187)

AND BANNOCKBURN proved a class above Corio to the tune of a 167-point victory.

Brent Jacques found six goals while ball winner Jake Myles may have done enough to grab a Whitley medal vote in his first game for the Tigers.

 

By Alex Tigani
GDFL Media (07/04/2018)

No Comments

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.