By David Nagel
Diagnosing a problem is one thing – but dealing with it quickly and finding a remedy can be a difficult thing to do…especially in the cut-and-thrust world of football.
Reigning WGFNC premier Tooradin-Dalmore had a unique problem at the start of this season, but seems to have found the cure after a destructive 87-point victory over a hapless Nar Nar Goon at Spencer Street on Saturday.
The Seagulls appeared back to their brilliant best against the Goon, kicking 100-points for the first time this season on their way to a 17.14.116 to 3.11.29 triumph.
A plethora of changes – nine on Saturday from last year’s premiership side – hasn’t helped, but it’s been an attitudinal thing that has been holding the Seagulls back.
Put simply…they were getting in their own way – and smiling was their best medicine!
“Fundamentally we’re playing the same footy, but having different personnel does require a slight tweak to the way we do things,” Tooradin coach Lachie Gillespie explained.
“But I think the biggest thing this year has been the weight of expectation.
“Even though we were winning games earlier in the year, we weren’t playing particularly well.
“We were winning games, but the boys weren’t really loving it…and we had to ask the question, why?
“We just had this huge expectation hanging over us from last year.
“We’ve stripped it back, started again, put our egos aside and getting back to enjoying our footy again.
“It sounds simple, but this is a new Tooradin team and it’s up to us to see what we can make of it.”
The Seagulls had this one sewn up a long way from the finish post.
Class acts in Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds and Piva Wright had two on the board inside seven minutes of play, and when Wright kicked long to Julian Suarez, who gave quick hands to Adam Oxley, the Gulls had answered the Goons only successful thrust of the first quarter.
Suarez was marking everything up forward, while Will Lumby in the ruck, and defenders Trent Adams, Brad Lenders and Connor O’Riordan were having a massive influence on the opening balance of play.
Panos Papas signed off the first quarter with the first of his two goals, before Nate Pipicelli brought the margin back to 11 points with an early mark and goal in the second term.
But that’s where it ended for the Goon, who was treated with contempt as the Seagulls rattled on 13 goals to one from 15 minutes into the second stanza.
The Gulls played a brilliant patch of footy in the second term, kicking six goals in the space of 10 minutes.
Stewie Scanlon got things rolling with two in three minutes, before Bertoli-Simmonds struck again, and when Wright kicked a mid-air goal from close range, after some great work from Lewis Hill, the margin ballooned to 36.
A minute later, 23 minutes in, Liam Adams strolled into open space and kicked probably the easiest goal for the day.
The Goon midfield, minus skipper Trent Armour, was being torched – both inside and out – and when Papas kicked his second off his left, the Gulls were eight goals up at the main break.
It was hard to decipher; were the Gulls that good, or was the Goon that bad?
“It’s a tricky thing to judge, but that was as good as it has felt this year,” Gillespie said.
“We played really well, no doubt that was our best game of footy, but even more importantly than that…it just felt really good.
“The pressure was released, we played with freedom, and to beat a high-quality team was great…we came off a happy team and everyone really enjoyed it.
“Hopefully this is the catalyst for us moving forward.”
Wright ended the day with four goals, and Scanlon three, while Trent Adams and Lenders were unstoppable forces at the defensive end of the ground.
The Goon looked awful, uncompetitive at times…but they’re a much better team than what they showed on the weekend.
The draw against Phillip Island last week proved that, and they get the chance to square away a tough block of three matches against Cora Lynn this week.
Inverloch-Kongwak is half way to a perfect 10-nil start to the season after the Sea Eagles toyed with Warragul Industrials at Inverloch.
The Eagles prevailed 14.13.97 to 3.4.22 in one of their biggest statements of the season.
Tom Hams has a heap of talent at his disposal, but the ability to work deep into defence and defend has been one of the key features of their early-season form.
The Eagles have conceded scores of 54, 52, 21, 23 and 22…and those five games include Nar Nar Goon, Phillip Island and the Dusties as their opponents.
In five rounds they’ve conceded just 172 points…129 better than next best Phillip Island (301).
That’s the recipe for success right there!
Toby Mahoney and Oscar Toussaint were silky smooth for the winners, bagging three each, while boom recruits Will Hams and Tate Short continue to show their class.
The Sea Eagles will start warm favourites against Dalyston, Korumburra-Bena, Kooweerup, Bunyip and Cora Lynn over the coming weeks, before a thumping round-11 visit from Tooradin-Dalmore.
It’s hard to see them not being 10-nil heading into that clash.
Travis Ogden kicked two for the Dusties, who missed the lively Mason McGarrity up forward.
A five-goal last quarter has propelled Garfield to a 14.12.96 to 11.6.72 victory over Korumburra-Bena.
The home-town Giants were plucky for three quarters before Paul Carbis released the shackles in the final term and allowed his Stars to run free.
The Stars second win for the season was set up by a best-on-ground performance from Angus Emery, who snared four goals, while Jono Sauze and Jack Tenace-Greenall chimed in with three apiece.
Giants coach Paul Fermanis was an ever-present threat for the Stars, booting four of his own, while Rhys Dixon did his best to eat into the four-goal final deficit.
Dalyston is starting to earn some real credibility after chalking up its biggest win of the season against perennial finalist Cora Lynn at the Cobradome.
The Magpies had won just one of their previous 10 encounters against the Cobras, but a new-look outfit took the challenge head-on in a gritty and grinding 11-point victory.
The 12.8.80 to 9.15.69 win was set up in the second quarter, where five goals to two set the tone for the contest.
The home team outscored the Magpies in the second half, but the damage had been done.
Mason Storr kicked three goals in the Magpies fourth-consecutive victory, while loyal warriors like Michael Marotta and Kurt Thomas seem to be thoroughly enjoying their football.
Nathan Gardiner continued his great form with six goals for the Cobras, who shot themselves in the foot in the first and third quarters.
The hosts kicked 3.12 to that one particular end of the ground, wasting four more scoring shots than their opponents across the course of the afternoon.
The season of Kilcunda-Bass is starting to gain momentum after a second-consecutive victory over Bunyip on Saturday.
The Panthers made a lot harder work of this than most would have expected, with the Bulldogs struggling to be competitive over their last three weeks of footy.
The 13-point margin – 15.8.98 to 12.13.85 – was comfortable in the end, but the Panthers can thank their lucky stars they were efficient.
The Bulldogs had two more shots at goal, but just couldn’t nail the crucial six-pointers when it mattered most.
Taylor Gibson backed up his 10-goal haul from last week with another five on the weekend, leading the Panthers to victory, while key players in Kye Benson, Dale Gawley and Cam McKenzie got busy when the game was on the line.
Bunyip coach Lachlan Petch will be encouraged by the Doggies performance, despite going down.
Ben Stewart, Adam Banks and Seth Ashton were super-competitive all day, while Chase Saunders with five goals and Ned Ashton with three were dangerous propositions in the front half.
And a consistent four-quarter performance has led Phillip Island to a commanding 20.9.129 to 6.11.47 win over Kooweerup at Denhams Road.
After a bright opening term, where the Doggies led 4.3 to 3.4, the visitors took control of the contest with five, six and five-goal quarters, while keeping the Demons to just one major in each term.
Coach Cam Pedersen backed up his heroics from last week with a five-goal effort up forward, while Travis Woodfield continues to prove dangerous with four.
Daniel Bourke did well in the ruck, allowing Pedersen to run amok, and is structurally a really key player for the Bulldogs.
The Demons are battling at the minute, and need to set themselves for a huge performance against Warragul Industrials this week.
The Dusties are struggling a bit as well, and this week shapes as a real cracker between two teams desperate to win.
Nathan Voss will take good form into the clash, with Mitch Cammarano, Matt Voss and Tim Miller others that fought things out for four quarters.
