It’s Cora Lynn again

By Ken Moore
The reigning premiers Cora Lynn won through to another EDFL grand final after a resounding 26-point victory over Catani in the preliminary final on Saturday in front of a record gate at Longwarry.
It was not the end margin but the way the Cobras accomplished their victory that impressed onlookers.
Catani posed a big danger early in both the first and last quarters but for large parts of the game its midfielders were suppressed by a dominant Cobra engine room and after quarter-time the Blues never truly looked the likely winner despite a surge in the last quarter that saw them draw within six points after trailing by 38 midway through the third term.
Catani was in charge early and with goals by small forward Jason Mead with a snap around his body and ruckman Phil Smith, who used his body strength well to push through two defenders and toe poke a goal, the Blues were 13 points ahead inside the opening 10 minutes.
Moments later Cora Lynn opened their goal scoring account when Narre Warren recruit Jesse Edmond snuck forward and kicked truly before the Blues hit back with majors to Shane Warren and Smith again to edge 20 points in front.
Cora Lynn eroded the deficit by 12 points with goals by Anthony Giuilano from a very tight angle and former Garfield star Jack Allen late in the term. Catani played the more assured football in the opening term, controlled the central corridor and the centre takeaways but only had an eight-point lead at the first change to show for its dominance.
The Blues’ lead was due to an ascendant midfield led by Justin Evans, Antonio Benevenuto and Josh Tymensen and half-backs Chris Teniseli and Kaine Wedlock while Paul Youle was prominent in the ruck and threw himself into many ground level contests.
Cora Lynn’s opening term drive stemmed from half backs Luke Hughes and Michael Duiker while Shane Dwyer moved well across the forward line.
Cora Lynn came out a vastly different outfit in the second quarter and took total control of proceedings and with opportunist goals by Giuliano and Sheen, Hughes with a clever snap, Sheen again and Joe Allen the Cobras piled on five unanswered goals and raced to a 23-point lead.
Mid-term Catani skipper Paul Alger snapped a goal over his shoulder but it was quickly answered by Darren Sheen after the powerhouse forward used his big frame to reel in a marvellous one-handed grab. A mark and conversion from 35 metres out by Catani sharpshooter Luke James reduced the margin to 17 points at the main break. The Cora Lynn ruck division and midfield led by Brad Horaczko, Jimmy Bradshaw, Tim Payne, Luke Hughes, Jack Allen and Craig Taylor helped swing the game in the second quarter.
Catani Coach Paul Alger came off the interchange bench during the term and was the most effective player for the Blues in a team that had far too many bystanders for the entire 30 minutes.
The third quarter proceeded in a similar fashion to the second half. Cora Lynn came out firing and with goals by Sheen and Guiliano inside the first two minutes the reigning premiers extended their lead to 29 points.
For the next 20 minutes the Cobras peppered the goals and should have set up a 50-point lead but due to a heap of sprayed kicks on goal which yielded nine consecutive points, six of them easy set shots, the Cobras kept the door ajar for the Blues.
Late in the quarter the Blues added a bit of spice to a game that was slipping out of their control when Luke James produced an inspirational late quarter cameo performance to score three unanswered goals, all with deft weaves in heavy traffic to trim the lead to only19 points. A goal by Darren Sheen in time-on gave the reigning premiers a 24-point buffer at the last change.
Catani upped their game in the last quarter and with goals by Fiatupoo Too Too and two more majors by the elusive James they erased the Cora Lynn’s lead to only six points. Much to the relief of Cora Lynn fans Darren Sheen led and marked well and drilled through his sixth goal at the 10-minute mark to give the Cobras a bit of breathing space.
Mid-quarter young Cobra forward Chase Saunders allayed any Cobra supporters’ fears with the first of three consecutive goals to secure a 32-point lead. This brilliant spell by the tallish blond youngster, who replaced Ryan Donaldson in the side, was enough to give the reigning premiers an insurmountable lead and a berth in the grand final.
In the later stage Sheen booted his seventh goal and James slotted home his eighth to reduce the gap to 26 points when the final siren sounded.
Cora Lynn won because it had a good spread of contributors on all lines. Through the middle and off the half back line Jack Allen, Brendan Kimber, Craig Taylor, Michael Duiker, Luke Hughes and Tim Payne offered superb drive, defenders Dan O’Hara, Jason Hall and Tim Crespin kept things tight and Darren Sheen augmented a fine game with seven goals. Ruckman Brad Horazcko sparked the Cobras in the second quarter and Chase Saunders emerged as player to watch with a terrific second half and with strong hands and good pace has the rudiments of a potential star.
Entering the game Cora Lynn Coach Chris Toner said he was very nervous about his team’s task after Catani were super impressive after disposing with Warragul Industrials the previous week. “Outside of the first quarter I thought we had control of the game and importantly responded well to the best they could throw at us. We showed real grit and character today,” said the reigning premiership coach.
Catani played in fits and starts had many players well down on form. Luke James, with eight goals, displayed his mercurial skills and single-handedly tried his best to get the Blues across the line. Key defender Nathan Ruskin put in a whole hearted effort, Jason Evans, Antonio Benevenuto, Jason Mead and Josh Tymensen gave the Blues a springboard into attack, young wingman Luke Failla and half-back Chris Teniseli boxed on well all game.
“We started well and looked good early but did not put pressure on the scoreboard. They were better in the midfield from the second quarter onwards and too good on the day and managed to steady each time we made a charge,” said Catani Coach Paul Alger after the game.