By Year 10 work experience student, Trent Cartmel
AFTER the first 10 rounds of the West Gippsland league season, Kilcunda Bass’ under 18s side has had their fair share of ups and downs.
Taking into account the players who’ve left the club along the way and others whose good form has seen them promoted to the seniors, they might have expected an easier run to date.
The start of the season went pretty well for the Panthers, winning two of their first four.
Losses to strong teams like Tooradin and Inverloch-Kongwak meant that they were two and two after their dominant victory over Dalyston’s thirds, winning by 108 points, and their victory over Koo Wee Rup’s under 18s in round four.
But the loss of several players early in the year left the young Panthers vulnerable and in round six, they struggled to kick a competitive score against the Garfield Stars, who, it must be said are now sitting in third.
The following week it was the local derby against Phillip Island, and despite being up for the fight, they went down by 67 points.
In round eight they finally caught a break, with a big win over Korumburra.
In winning by 123 points they showed clean ball movement through the middle, and an unselfishness in the forward line which enabled them to have nine goal kickers, with crafty forward Matthew Dakin and full forward George Blum both booting four goals.
However, after a loss to Nar Nar Goon and Warragul industrials, the Panthers now sit just a game out of the top six, in eighth.
It has not all been doom and gloom for the under 18s though, with five young up-and-comers playing in the seniors including the likes of Trent Cartmel, Lleyton Cartmel, Ashden Grenness, Will Campbell, and just recently, Owen Thomas.
And there has also been a lot of support shown by the 18s for the Reserves, which have been struggling for players every week.
And as an encouraging sign, the 18s have shown a lot of heart the past couple weeks, despite those losses to Nar Nar Goon and Warragul Industrials.
With eight rounds left, games against Cora Lynn, Korumburra, Koo Wee Rup, and Nar Nar Goon will be important ones if they want to make a run at the finals.
