It was a game of pressure at the Booth Reserve on Saturday and the effort of Pakenham’s Chad Shooter to give Hampton Park’s Sean Nunan a hard way to go, typified the Lions’ work ethic on the day. Picture: Stewart Chambers.By Brad Kingsbury
PAKENHAM emphatically rammed a 30point win over Hampton Park up the noses of its detractors and stamped itself the side to beat in the Casey Cardinia League on Saturday.
While most of this year’s media attention has focussed on the prospects of last year’s grand finalists, Narre Warren under highprofile coach Aussie Jones and 2005 superside Doveton, the Lions have slipped quietly under the radar until now.
The weekend victory, achieved on the intimidating confines of the Booth Reserve, saw the Lions adapt its preferred open running style of play to take on and beat the Redbacks in the physical inandunder game required to gain the advantage in the wet conditions.
Both sides produced many heroes during the entertaining clash, but none stood taller than Lions’ coach Michael Holland who led his young team by example in a bestonground performance.
In typical style Holland deflected the plaudits for the effort to his players after the game, but observers from both clubs acknowledged that the example he set, together with his machinelike midfield partner Lincoln Withers, set up the Lions win.
Holland selected a side that included noted mudrunners Evan Broadbent and Gerard Atkins and focussed his players on producing a big effort at a morning prematch team meeting.
The ploy worked well with the Lions booting the first four goals before Hampton Park snared one back late in the first term.
The 19point quartertime lead turned out to be a telling advantage as the ball became heavier and players became tired as the match drew on.
Pakenham ruckman Justin Sutherland gave Holland, Withers, Beau Wheeler and wingman Troy Willis first use of the ball that was delivered to an open forward line, courtesy of a fourwingman tactic that saw the halfforwards push up the ground.
Hampton Park rallied through the efforts of star key forward Matt Shorey and inform defenders Ryan Simpson and Scot Eastwood, but was unable to create enough scoring opportunities to peg back the Lions lead.
The difference remained in excess of three goals for the rest of the match, with Pakenham dominating the last quarter to stretch the margin to 30 points at the final siren.
It was only the Lions’ second victory at the Booth Reserve since joining the MPNFL five years ago and Holland was thrilled with the effort over four quarters.
“In those conditions when you kick three or four goals at the start, it sets your game up,” he said.
“They were always going to come at us, but the boys responded brilliantly. We had a super week on the track and we were sharp and ready to go.
“I can’t fault our attack on the ball and I think we adjusted a bit better to the wet conditions than Hampton Park today. We had a meeting at 11am to make sure that everyone was switched on and they carried that into the game.”
The downside for Pakenham was a hand injury to youngster Cory Lenders, but Holland said that with the imminent return of Nathan Brown and Dimitri Dimakopoulos, his side was set to prove doubters wrong.
“There is still a question mark with some people about us,” he said.
“We don’t have a player that is going to kick seven or eight goals every week and we don’t have the big names, but we share the load and we’ve got players, despite their age, that are showing leadership and really want to go somewhere this year.
“I’m super proud of the players, but finals aren’t won in July and we’ve still got plenty of improvement in us.”
Redbacks’ coach Jason Chapple agreed, saying Pakenham was the team to beat at this stage of the season.
“You don’t lose one game for the year and sit on top of the ladder if you’re not hard at it,” he said. “They were too good. They’re the team to beat for the premiership, no doubt.”
Chapple was not upset with his players’ performance, but lamented the start and said that it was a lesson that would be well learned.
“I think that 15 minutes of footy cost us,” he said.
“When the ball was relatively new they took advantage and kicked three goals from outside 50 (metres) and that was the game. We had our opportunities, but early on they were better.
“I actually thought the conditions would favour Pakenham, but it was all credit to them and we were beaten by a better side.
“I was pretty happy with our endeavour and very happy with our discipline also. We stayed positive and didn’t pot each other and had a go until the end.”
