A new rivalry begins…

Senior debutant Jake Stewart, right, was in the thick of the action for Bunyip on Saturday against famous local rival, Garfield. 192849 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Russell Bennett

WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION

REVIEW – ROUND 4 (SPLIT ROUND)

One of the biggest talking points heading into the third season of the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition was just how its two newest clubs would fare, particularly against each other.

Tooradin-Dalmore entered into life in the WGFNC with plenty of hype and anticipation that it could give the existing senior football powerhouses – the likes of Inverloch Kongwak, Phillip Island, and Cora Lynn – a real run for their money.

The Warragul Industrials, however, were expected to struggle in their first season out of the Ellinbank and District Football League.

So, there were concerns that last Thursday’s Anzac Day clash at Tooradin would be a one-sided affair.

But, soon after the conclusion of the pre-game ceremony – one that gave real perspective behind the day, and delivered a stark reminder that footy and netball really are just games at the end of the day – those fears of one-sidedness were allayed.

Though the Gulls appeared to kick away in the first term, with nine scoring shots to two to boast a 27-point quarter-time lead, the Dusties bounced back in the second and trailed by just 10 points at the main break.

The home side again regained the ascendency in the third, but this was far from a one-sided clash. Instead, it was one that provided genuine optimism that the Dusties could be a force to be reckoned with in the competition sooner rather than later.

Corey Nickels booted four majors up forward for the Dusties, while Tyson Bale was presented with the Anzac Day Medal for his starring role in what was ultimately a losing side.

For the home side, meanwhile, the hard-nosed Andrew Proctor turned plenty of heads with his own performance, while Kris Sabbatucci and Jake O’Donnell were also particularly effective and Andrew Dean continued his strong goal-kicking form with three majors.

In the wake of the clash, which the Gulls clinched 11.15 (81) to 9.3 (57), Tooradin-Dalmore senior coach Lachie Gillespie told AFL Gippsland Media that his group, clearly, still had plenty to work on.

“To the Dusties’ credit, I thought they played really well,” he said.

“They came out and won a lot of the contest, so hats off to them, but we probably didn’t play our brand of footy, which is a little bit frustrating.

“There’s a lot to go next week and work on.”

Gillespie said his message at half-time was simply for his group to continue to endeavour to play a pressure brand of ‘Tooradin footy’.

“I felt like we got ahead of ourselves. We had a reasonably good first quarter and just thought it was going to keep going that way. It was actually really good to get challenged like that, and I think the boys can learn a lot from it because of it.

At half-time it was to play a Tooradin brand of footy – to get that pressure up and win your own footy. It’s pretty simple.”

Gillespie also spoke of how privileged his club was to feature on Anzac Day, which it had also done often in the past against Cranbourne in the former SEFNL.

“I think it’s a great time for the players, the kids and our netball club to be able to embrace it and be able to put on something to thank everyone who’s fought,” he said.

“To have the ceremony is a really big part of it. We’re a small community but we’ve got connections (with the armed forces) through the whole club.”

Dusties senior player Nelson Minichiello also spoke to AFL Gippsland Media about his own perspective of the day – one that is particularly telling, given his history with the army.

“It’s pretty special – getting to celebrate Anzac Day with my mates and play footy is a pretty special occasion,” he said.

“It makes me very proud to play for the Dusties – it’s not every day you get to play on a pretty good deck, and on such a special occasion.”

Minichiello also spoke of how proud he was of the Dusties group.

“We didn’t really let up, which was good,” he said.

“I think everyone wrote us off before we even started, coming to this new league, but we definitely put up a hell of a fight. The boys never gave up, in the true Anzac spirit of mateship.”

But unfortunately, he was unable to take to the field with his brother Cooper for the clash.

“I’m pretty shattered – coming down from Townsville, I want to play with my brother as much as I can,” he explained.

“Unfortunately he was in a car accident yesterday (Wednesday), so he’s still in hospital with a cracked sternum and a bit of bruising. Hopefully he makes a speedy recovery and I can get back to playing with him in the backline.”

Elsewhere across the competition in the second weekend of the Round 4 split round, Dalyston recorded its first win of the new season with a 19-point triumph over Kilcunda Bass at home, 13.6 (84) to 9.11 (65). The Magpies got the early jump on the Panthers and held on throughout the second half, with Kevin McLean (seven goals), Darcy Brosnan and Luke Wakefield starring.

Bunyip, meanwhile, defeated famous neighbouring rival Garfield in a low-scoring slugfest at Beswick Street 4.10 (34) to 3.7 (25) off the back of some impressive work by the strong-bodied Duncan Proud; and Inverloch Kongwak – despite being undermanned – had too much in the tank for Korumburra-Bena, winning 10.11 (71) to 5.6 (36). Toby Mahoney kicked three majors in a best on ground effort for the Sea Eagles.