Power fails to score gold

By Marc McGowan
GIPPSLAND Power coach Damian Carroll said his team looked like boys playing against men in the first quarter of its clash with the Gold Coast at Carrara Stadium on Saturday.
And the Coasters’ five-goal-to-one opening term – and 29-point lead – was ultimately enough for them to record their first home triumph in the TAC Cup under-18 competition.
Power forward John Butcher’s fifth and sixth goals hauled his club to within two points inside the final minute, but there was no further score.
Gippsland slumped to 1-4 after its second loss of six points or less in the past three matches.
But Carroll was pleased with his side’s response to its inept first-quarter performance.
“Our boys just got beaten to the footy early and were a bit shell-shocked and not quite as hard at the footy as we would have liked,” he said.
“When they rectified that they were sensational. They showed a lot of character and, while the loss was disappointing, we were certainly very pleased with the effort after quarter-time.”
Butcher, touted as a potential number-one pick in this year’s AFL National Draft, played a huge role in the comeback.
He was the Power’s sole goalkicker in the opening term when he combined with fellow Victoria Country hopeful Tim Ryan.
It was one of just three times that Gippsland managed to go inside its attacking 50m arc for the quarter.
The loss of in-form key defender Jack Weston to an ankle injury accentuated the Power’s woes.
Gippsland worked itself into the contest after quarter-time and gradually won more of the ball through the middle, where the physical Coasters had been so impressive early.
Ruckman Nathan Vardy was having a good duel with the Gold Coast’s 200cm-plus beanpoles Zach Smith and Charlie Dixon, while the exquisitely skilled Russell Lehman (33 possessions) was also making his presence felt.
The Power reduced the difference to 20 points at the long break and continued to make inroads in the second half.
Butcher kicked his second major early in the term courtesy of a free kick before adding two more following good work from teammates Mitch Dowse and Kele Asa Leausa.
The stage was set for a thrilling finish at three-quarter-time with Gippsland slicing the margin to 15 points.
But it was the Coasters who kicked the first on the rebound before debutant Johnny Dryden hit back for Gippsland.
Another major to the home team gave it a 20-point advantage at the 20-minute mark, only for the Power to charge home.
Jed Lamb converted his first goal of the day and Butcher drilled the next two as Gippsland threatened to pull off an unlikely victory.
But the Gold Coast put numbers around the ball at the ensuing centre bounce and held on for its second win of the season.
Carroll praised Butcher, Lehman and Vardy – who he said had only been beaten once this year – and feels there has been definite improvement from his players in recent weeks.
“I suppose when you have won 12 of the 20 quarters you expect a better ratio than one and four, but, having said that, we’re not at that stage,” he said.
“It’s been 15 or 20-minute patches of quarters that have really cost us this year and we need to fix that problem.”
Meanwhile, Butcher, skipper Koby Stevens, Vardy, Lehman, Mitch Golby, Edward Carr, Tim Ryan and Dyson Heppell will play for Vic Country in a trial game against Vic Metro this weekend.
Weston would have joined them, but his injury will keep him out of the contest.
“I would think Butcher, Stevens and Vardy are certainties (to make the final 25-man squad), but any of the others are more than capable of playing,” Carroll said.
Gippsland’s Vic Country representatives will be missing when the club faces the Western Jets at Burbank Oval on Sunday from 2pm.