WGLFL round 6 review

By Ken Moore
WITH four goals in the final six minutes Garfield stole a thrilling sevenpoint victory over Drouin. Seemingly in charge at the main break, the Stars should have been further ahead but sprayed shots on goal to only take in an 11point lead despite having 11 more scoring shots. Drouin raised its game in the third quarter with five goals to go into the last change nine points to the good. The Hawks’ revival was due to midfielders Mick Ablett, Danny Murphy, Kent Edwards and Jay Barr while Brent Mounsey managed to escape the clutches of Dean McFarlane to notch two goals and provide a good target at full forward.
At the start of the last quarter Garfield captaincoach Ben Soumilas moved himself forward and this paid immediate dividends when he goaled from a set shot to cut the lead to less than a goal. Just when it looked vulnerable, Drouin responded to the challenge. Bob McCallum led the way when he nailed a long goal and followed it up with another from an acute angle and this was quickly followed by Brent Mounsey who pulled in a strong mark and converted his fifth to put the Hawks 22 points in front and heading towards what looked a certain victory. In the final six minutes the Stars got back up of the canvas with goals by Jim Bow, Dean Richer and Justin Pickering. A rushed point and another behind by Mal McKenna on the run inched the Stars in front by a point with less than 60 seconds to go, but drama was to follow.
When the siren sounded, the scoreboard wrongly had the scores tied and the ball was in the hands of Garfield youngster Jim Bow, who was to take a set shot from 35 metres out on a 45degree angle. Bow coolly slotted home a major much to the jubilation of his teammates, most of whom thought he had won the match. For the Stars, Ryan Munro, Ben Marsh and Bunyip recruit Rob Lee offered plenty of drive through the middle, ruckman Tom Marsh impressed a kick behind play and Beau Runnalls popped through three opportunist goals in the first half. “We did everything wrong yet it was a great win because of the character we showed in the final minutes,” said an elated Ben Soumilas after the match.
Drouin could feel hard done by and was gallant in defeat. Bob McCallum was tremendous in the ruck and troubled the Stars’ defence with his mobility when he moved forward, Jay Barr pulled in strong marks and ran hard and midfielders Ken Edwards, Travis Delarue and Mick Ablett were at their combative best. Youngster Brett Masterson did well to quell the influence of Stars’ speedster Shaun Pickering in a tagging role. “We did well for 95 minutes out of the 100, the youngsters showed promising signs, we gained a bit of momentum today and I was proud of the boys,” said Hawk captaincoach Danny Murphy, putting a positive spin on what was a shattering defeat for the firstyear coach.
Sale did a demolition job on Warragul by 124 points. The Gulls could only manage one goal for the match and, apart from the third quarter, could not mount sustained pressure. Warragul little resembled the team that won its first three matches and it was hard to find a winner in a teal jumper. John Reid and Des Barr had a dip around the packs, former Poowong onballer Craig Rollinson and firstgamer Drew Stenfors, who played across the halfback line, provided the only salient signs to come out of the match. Sale put the game well out of Warragul’s reach with an eightgoal second quarter when James Hamill, Stuart Anderson, Justin McLay, Shane Fyfe, Chris Laverty and Gormandale recruit Corey Scholtes stepped up to overrun the Gulls’ midfield. After failing to trouble the scorers last week, Chris Aurisch returned to form with six goals and Brenton Martin and Nick Fowler with four goals apiece continually menaced the Gulls’ defence. Youngster Ryan DeVisser affected many telling spoils at centre halfback and is now starting to find his feet in the seniors. The Magpies are flying on form it will take a good side to knock them over.
Three goals inside the first seven minutes by Justin Bramich set Maffra on its way to a 73point victory over Moe. The Lions hit back after the early onslaught to find themselves within a kick when Dean Caldow goaled a minute into the second term but from then on the Eagles were at their uncompromising best and lifted to run away.
Michael Geary put on a show with eight goals to pave the way for Traralgon to run out 102point victors over Leongatha. Thirds captain Lee Stockdale showed he was a player we will hear a lot more about, notching four goals. Leongatha veteran David Crosthwaite provided plenty of rearguard action and Roy Mullins and Tim Wightman had productive games in another disappointing effort by the Parrots.