Gippsland’s power fade

By Marc McGowan
GIPPSLAND Power remains winless through two rounds of the TAC Cup season after a 40-point loss to unbeaten Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday.
The highly rated Power line-up matched the Falcons’ 22 scoring shots, but could manage just seven goals, despite dominating the early going.
Geelong ultimately booted 13 majors to the visitors’ five in the final three terms to run away with the contest.
In-form on-baller Russell Lehman, skipper Edward Carr and midfielder Mitch Golby dominated the clearances in the first quarter to continually pump Gippsland forward.
But the Power’s poor goalkicking let it down as it produced just two goals from 10 scoring shots.
Geelong was able to keep in touch with two majors of its own and the game remained tight until halfway through the second term, when the Falcons began to wrest control from Gippsland.
The Power was still just six points behind at the long break, but had few options in attack with boom forward prospect John Butcher struggling to have an impact.
Victoria Country and Geelong defender Tom Mac-Kenzie did a brilliant blanketing job on Butcher, restricting him to only six possessions for the day.
Gippsland coach Damian Carroll moved Butcher into the ruck in the second half to try to stir him into action, but the teenager was unable to shake his dirty afternoon.
The Falcons, on the other hand, improved the longer the match went on as Power defenders Jordan Dessent and Nick Sing battled to stop their increasing forward-50 entries.
Geelong had five multiple goalkickers, including three to Fraser Russell and Jackson Bright.
The hosts piled on four goals to one in the last quarter to seal the result and leave Gippsland floundering in 11th spot.
But Carroll was unconcerned with his side’s second defeat in as many weeks to start the season.
“I couldn’t question their effort – we probably just needed a bit more polish and better use of the ball, especially going forward,” he said on Monday.
“I didn’t really know what to expect (before the season).
“People said we had a pretty good team, so a couple of guys maybe need to show some of the form that’s been spoken about.
“But it’s really hard because most teams are pretty well prepared and generally the actual 22 or 24 who run out are pretty evenly matched.”
Carroll expects a much-improved performance from his players against North Ballarat at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval on Saturday from 3pm.
“I haven’t seen them (North Ballarat), so I’ll get the video tomorrow,” he said.
“They had a good win against Bendigo and have won and lost one, but we’ll just worry about ourselves and improving in a couple of areas.
“We’ll be striving for that first win and we’ve certainly been working hard and the boys are pretty committed and are as disappointed as anyone not to have a win yet.”
Meanwhile, Power co-captain Koby Stevens starred for the AIS/AFL Academy in its 102-point defeat to VFL club Williamstown at the Docklands on Saturday.
Stevens was named best for the elite under-17 squad and booted three of its six goals for the match.