AN EVEN contribution helped Gippsland Power end its two-match losing streak with a commanding 51-point victory over bottom-side Sandringham in wet conditions at Morwell on Saturday.
The Power struggled to adjust to the conditions early and trailed at quarter-time, but kicked 12 of the last 15 goals of the match to record its sixth win of the year.
Gippsland coach Damian Carroll was thrilled with his players’ performance in what he called a ‘must-win game’.
“It was a big game for us and definitely if we’d dropped it, it would have been difficult to make the finals,” he said.
“It was a must-win game just with the (upcoming) draw and the (loss of) confidence of losing three in a row again.”
Vic Country representative and top-10 draft hope Nathan Vardy returned to the Power line-up and formed a dominant ruck unit with Chris Wylie and Dean Woodhead (22 disposals).
The trio combined for 48 hit-outs against the Dragons’ meagre 19, despite the visitors boasting AIS/AFL Academy graduate and 201cm beanpole Tom Nicholls.
Gippsland midfielders David Donchi, Russell Lehman (28), Mitch Dowse (23) and Ryan Tatterson made the most of their ruckmen’s good work to continually pump their team forward.
The dashing Tatterson was particularly impressive; winning 24 touches and restricting in-form Sandringham on-baller Tyson Thomas to just 16.
Woodhead opened the scoring following a free kick to Tim Northe, who injured his knee in a tackle and was unable to take the resultant shot.
Woodhead’s fortune proved the perfect tonic for a return to form and he was particularly impressive in the opening half in providing a strong presence across half-forward.
But Sandringham, which was playing much more direct, booted the only other goals of the first quarter through Jack Purton-Smith and Jackson Sketcher.
The Power’s early hesitancy and overuse of the ball transformed into much more direct play at the start of the second term.
Kooweerup junior Shaun Marusic was the benefactor with the first major of the quarter.
The scores were level midway through the term before a rare goal to defender Nick Sing (24) restored Gippsland’s advantage.
The Power was never headed from then on and entered half-time eight points ahead.
Small forward Jed Lamb took centre stage in the third quarter in typically mercurial fashion.
His first shot from 20 metres was horribly wayward and failed to score, but a brilliant goal after receiving the ball from Donchi kick-started his afternoon.
Lamb drilled two more majors in the term and hit the post with another kick as Gippsland established a match-winning 44-point lead courtesy of a seven-goal-to-one quarter.
Stoppages dominated the final term as the rain picked up, but Donchi capped a strong display when he slotted the sole major of the quarter on his accurate left boot.
Carroll was thrilled with forward trio Woodhead, Marusic and Lamb and also praised the courageous Sing for several sacrificial acts and fellow defender Luke Tynan (eight tackles).
“It is a very even season and it’s good to get back to 6-6 now and I take my hat off to the boys over the nationals (with several key players missing) to win five out of seven,” he said.
“We welcome a few back next week, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to be any better if we don’t come with the right mindset.
“But we hope we can go on from here and kick-start the season a little bit.”
Vic Country representatives John Butcher, Koby Stevens, Ed Carr and Jack Weston will return to the side for the Power’s clash with the Western Jets in Morwell on Sunday from 12pm.
