WONTHAGGI Power ticked a few more boxes last Saturday on their way to their ultimate goal in 2023.
They backed up after a significant challenge the week before.
And they put a contained opponent to the sword in the last quarter.
“It’s a sign,” said coach Jarryd Blair after the game, “of a maturing playing group.”
Earlier in the year, in Round 2, when they put up a grand performance to lead the previously undefeated Leongatha with only minutes to go in their local derby, they couldn’t repeat the heroics the following week against Moe, fading away with an insipid performance in the last quarter.
Not so last Saturday.
Having disposed of premiership contenders Traralgon by a record 79 points, with a complete performance the week before, they repeated the dose again last Saturday against Morwell.
“It was really well done today. It has been one of our challenges to back-up after a big win and we did that today. And we want to keep that going,” said Blair, in a jubilant Power rooms after a 14-goal annihilation of the visiting Morwell Tigers.
“When you’ve got everyone contributing in their roles, you can finish on like that,” he said.
It had been a specific instruction from Blair, at the three-quarter time huddle, to be “ruthless” in the last quarter.
And they carried out his instructions to the letter, putting the foot on the accelerator to kick six goals to Morwell’s one in the last quarter.
“I thought we left a few holes for them that they weren’t able to take but others will. What are we trying to do?” he asked his players at the last break, clearly referencing their aims in 2023.
“Let’s be ruthless in this last quarter,” he said.
It was all there for the Power on Saturday.
Their rock of the past two seasons, the back six, were supreme again this week, not only containing their opposition to just four goals for the day, but also drilling their transition to attack through the likes of Kyle Reid, Tim Knowles, Fergus O'Connor, Josh Shultz, Jye Gilmour and Shannon Bray.
Jordan Staley was again given the job on the opposition’s key forward, holding the talented Brandon McDonald to just one goal for the day, where he has kicked 30 so far this season, including five against Leongatha in Round 6.
But there was plenty of pressure on the Morwell ball carriers, from a winning Power on-ball group, and around the flanks.
The onballers, including Aiden Lindsay, Toma Huther, Ryan Sparkes, Tom Murray Bodie Mabilia and a couple of others taking their turn; earned particular praise from Blair afterwards.
Although it must be said, Morwell’s forwards did miss some absolute sitters, none more so than Riley Loprese who shanked one from close range, right on the three-quarter time siren, after Adam Braendler had presented the goal to him on a platter.
And the Wonthaggi forward line looks settled and systematic; Cooper McInnes backing up his “magnificent seven” the previous week with another five in a matter-of-fact display, Troy Harley playing the lead-up role strongly with four, but also racking up scoring assists as well and several of the Wonthaggi runners finishing their work well near goals, including the ever-reliable Aiden Lindsay 2, Noah Anderson 2, Hunter Tiziani, Tom Davey, Brodie Mabilia and Issac Chugg all with one each.
The coach himself should have been on the scoresheet too after he and Cooper McInnes combined to bamboozle the Morwell defence with a series of baulks midway through the third quarter, only for Blair to fluff the easy shot. And Isaac Chugg could have brought the house down moments later, after he picked up the lose ball, on a flat-out run around the flank, before missing an easy shot.
The Power also has the likes of forwards Jack Hutchinson and Harry Dawson to come back in and the versatile Jakeb Thomas, who might have given Toma Huther a chop out last Saturday, one-out in the ruck for most of the day.
But it’s all working seamlessly for the Power at the moment, ahead of a tough four-week run against Maffra, Moe, Leongatha (at Wonthaggi on July 8) and Sale.
Final scores: Wonthaggi 17.12.114 def Morwell 4.5.29.