WONTHAGGI Power withstood a determined fightback by Maffra in the second quarter to go on and record a percentage-boosting 50-point victory up at Maffra on Saturday.
However, results elsewhere conspired to rob Wonthaggi of a move into the top five when Morwell comprehensively beat the ladder leaders Leongatha at Parrot Park and Wonthaggi’s other rivals for an opportunity to play finals’ football this year, Sale, squeaked home against Traralgon by three points, despite trailing the Maroons all day at home.
Sensationally, big Brad Dessent slotted one from way out on the boundary in the last quarter as sale snatched the lead and the win with only a few minutes remaining.
Had either Leongatha or Traralgon, sitting one and two on the table, won their games, Wonthaggi would have gone in but they’ll have to rely on defeating Bairnsdale at Wonthaggi next week, and hope Leongatha can take the points at Sale.
It’s a good indication of the closeness of the competition with Moe moving up into second place courtesy of a low-scoring win over Drouin, a team that has only won one game so far this season.
And despite the final margin in their game against Maffra on Saturday, there were times when Maffra gave as good as they got from the visiting Power side, especially in the second quarter when they kicked four goals to nil.
For Maffra, the day was highlighted by the Eagles’ captain and three-time premiership hero Daniel Bedggood breaking Winston Gieschen’s 253-games record at the club when he ran out for his 254th senior game, being chaired off after the game through a guard of honour by both teams.
The first goal of the match, after a hotly contested first five minutes, came from Aiden Lindsay who ran into the open goal for the easiest of openers. Lindsay was a tackling machine all day and one of the reasons why the Power gained ascendency on the ball, where Jaceb Thomas worked hard to negate the efforts of young Eagles’ ruckman Tom Scott.
From the outset, though, Fergus O’Connor was in command down back where he was later joined by Jaxon Willams and between the pair of them, they set up an almost impenetrable wall. Isaac Chugg, Jye Gilmour, Tim Knowles, Josh Schulz, Cade Brown and Connor and Tom Macmillan were others playing their roles in a defence that has had to adapt to injuries.
Maffra had plenty of chances to open their account, but it wasn’t until halfway through the quarter that Noah Christy kicked their first with the outside of the boot on the run.
But Wonthaggi was pressing, and it was a very popular outcome when 16-year-old Tom Macmillan kicked his first goal in senior football, in his second game for the Power. They didn’t look back.
Straight out of the centre it was Josh Bates to Jack Blair and on to Mitch Hayes before Connor McInnes made a good contest up forward and, ever-the-opportunist, Jarryd Blair swooped front and centre to bounce through their third with a snap.
There were to be three more as Wonthaggi took full control.
Bates, Lindsay and Hayes combined again out of the centre and with McInnes marking on the lead and goaling it was champagne football.
Thomas roved his own tap next and barreled one forward to Jaxon Williams who marked down low and made no mistake from 40. Power looked unstoppable going into the first break 30 points clear after Cooper McInnes ran on to the loose ball and slotted their sixth. O’Connor and Isaac Chugg, with a long, speculative kick, did the good work in the back half.
Kaj Patterson might have capped off the perfect quarter with a long shot after the siren but his point made it an even 30 points at the first break.
But the home team was able to give Wonthaggi plenty to think about in the second quarter when they put on four goals to nil to even up the contest by half time, the Eagles’ Seth Smith getting them started with two long shots for goals in the opening minutes.
The third quarter was an arm-wrestle until Chugg, Hayes and Hunter Tiziani combined for the first, but it was some time before Cooper McInnes could get the next, with the assistance of Lindsay and Hayes.
A great tackle by Josh Schulz went unrewarded on the wing, and Andrew McNeel was working hard on the ball, but each score was hard earned as Wonthaggi teamed up well with creative handball and determination at the contest to retake the initiative.
The umpires needed an ARC score review when Jaxon Williams’ shot from the angle almost squeezed through but ultimately it was McInnes who got Power’s third for the term after a fine contested mark.
The last quarter was more of the same as Wonthaggi stretched their final margin to 50 points courtesy of a four goal to nil last quarter.
The defence had turned on a masterclass, stopping Maffra from scoring a goal in the second half, with Jaxon Williams demonstrating his versatility, dropping back to become the intercept defender Wonthaggi has been missing since Shannon Bray and Jakeb Thomas have been called out for rucking duties.
Best players for Wonthaggi included Cooper McInnes with four goals, but also for providing a hard-working throughout, Andrew McNeel in and under on the ball, Aiden Lindsay and Jakeb Thomas also part of a winning on-ball unit; Fergus O’Connor, Cade Brown and Isaac Chugg down back, Jaxon Williams front and back, and plenty of others in a good team effort away at Maffra.
Final scores Wonthaggi 13.8.86 def Maffra 5.7.37