Power switches on

By Marc McGowan
The Dragons kicked three of the first four goals of the match, but the Power – without injured skipper Koby Stevens – improved the longer the game went on and finally shook the hosts in the last quarter.
Gippsland coach Damian Carroll, in his first season at the helm, was thrilled with the way his players responded after a slow start.
“I’m pretty relieved. The Dragons’ form has been good the last few weeks, so we knew it was going to be a tough game,” Carroll said. “We probably lacked in a few areas early in the game … their bad kicking helped us. We got a little bit out of jail, but, at the end of the day, I thought the last quarter was sensational.”
Star full-forward John Butcher, opposed to Vic Metro defender Dylan Joyce, started the Power’s comeback with two goals at the end of the first term to bring his side within three points.
But Sandringham, with favourite son and last year’s No.1 draft pick Jack Watts in the stands, started the second quarter full of running and only errant goalkicking prevented it from kicking away from Gippsland.
Hard-nut Kele Asa Leausa gave the Power the lead against the flow of play after winning a holding-the-ball decision and dashing defender Dyson Heppell set up Jed Lamb for his second moments later.
Heppell almost had consecutive goal assists, but Butcher missed horribly from a set shot.
Gippsland had an eight-point buffer at half-time, but the Dragons began the second half much like the previous term and regained the advantage on a Jack Gunston snap.
Ryan Tatterson, who lifted significantly in the third quarter, sent a kick deep inside 50m and Lamb ran onto it and goaled from the square to hit back for the Power.
Gippsland was never headed from that point despite Sandringham drawing within a goal several times.
Butcher set up Woodhead for another and also managed a third of his own, but Tim Northe gave up a horrendous 50m penalty that gifted Peter Shakallis a major.
That kept the Dragons within seven points at the final break.
Butcher was unlucky not to receive an early free kick only 20m out from goal before Dale Hoghton slammed through a long goal to give the visitors a 15-point edge.
A Power turnover in defence resulted in James North cutting the margin to six, but a Butcher free kick and major sealed the victory.
Defenders Nick Sing, Heppell (22 disposals) and Jack Weston impressed for Gippsland and had willing allies in captain Ed Carr (21) and Dale Hoghton (20), in his best game of the season.
Carroll believes his team is a premiership contender and wants to make a statement in the qualifying final against the Dandenong Stingrays this weekend.
“I think there’s a lot to look forward to and hopefully we can do some damage up there now,” he said.
“It’s a credit to the boys after (losing) the first three games to be sitting with a double chance.
“We would have been happy just to sneak into the finals, but (a win-loss record of) 11 and seven is pretty good. “Let’s hope we can go on from here.”
The Power and Stingrays clash at Princes Park on Saturday from 2pm.