Not so bright for Blues

By Ken Moore
THIRD-placed Catani finished the home-and-away season on Saturday with mixed emotions.
The Blues crushed Longwarry by 53 points, but started the game hoping a victory would secure a second-spot double-chance position.
However, after Cora-Lynn upset ladder leaders Nilma-Darnum, its hopes were dashed.
Catani only just led at the10-minute mark in the third quarter before going on an unanswered 11-goal spree to put the game to bed.
Catani kicked with the advantage of a two goal slight crosswind in the first quarter, but it was Longwarry that scored the first goal when cagey Crow forward Luke Serong produced a terrific snap from an acute angle.
The rest of the quarter was crammed with errors by both sides until key Blue forwards Owen Fitzpatrick and Luke James scored late goals to give the home side a seven-point lead at quarter time.
Blues’ ruckman Paul Youle was outstanding early and dropped back in defence to take a handful of crucial marks during the term, while, from limited opportunities, key forwards Phil Smith and Owen Fitzpatrick hauled in some strong marks and looked dangerous when the ball was in their vicinity.
Crow assistant coach Matt Campbell was busy in and around the midfield and in defence Chris Weller, Andrew McKenna, Tim Milner and Ben Cuckson all applied plenty of resistance.
Catani started the second quarter brightly with a clever goal at the two-minute mark by Antonio Benevenuto before both teams missed a number of shots on goal over the next ten minutes.
At the 12-minute mark, smart Longwarry forward Beau Runnalls won a free kick and shot truly, but the Blues answered with majors by Shane Warren and youngster Luke Failla to establish a 17-point advantage at the main break.
Catani always looked to attack in the first half, but was frustrated by the safety-first tactics of Longwarry.
For a good deal of the half, the Blues could not get their hands on the ball due to the Crows, who were content to hold onto the ball and criss-cross the ground.
Longwarry’s slow build-ups did little to help their forwards.
The Blues’ lead at half-time was underpinned by strong defence from Shane Fitzpatrick, Tom Grant and Andy Stockx.
Wingman Brodie Rundell, ball magnet Tye Holland and Aaron Serong across the half-back line were all vital contributors for the Crows in the second term.
Less than two minutes into the second half Catani small Luke McFarlane, moved forward after starting the game in defence, split the big sticks with a kick from close to the boundary line, opening up a 22-point lead.
In the next few minutes elusive Crow forward Beau Runnalls marked and goaled twice to reduce the margin between the two sides to only 10 points.
At this point there was little to suggest that a stunning change in the game was about to happen.
At the 10-minute mark, Owen Fitzpatrick took a low mark deep on the half-forward line, only for his opponent Ken Towt to be sent from the field for allegedly kicking the powerhouse Blue forward.
Incredibly Towt’s departure precipitated a nine-goal avalanche by the Blues, led by Luke McFarlane who went on to notch another four to make it five for the quarter.
Owen Fitzpatrick, Kaine Wedlock, Luke James and Fiatupu Too Too, the latter with a 65-metre plus bomb all chimed in with goals.
During this spate of Catani dominance, midfielders, Kaine Wedlock, Antonio Benevenuto, Justin Evans and Sean Pickering, all relatively quiet in the first half, simply ran amok and the home side built up an unassailable 66-point lead by three-quarter time.
Further goals inside the three-minute mark of the last quarter by Owen Fitzpatrick and Luke Failla gave the Blues a 79-point lead and a 100-point margin looked a strong possibility.
A major by Crow utility Aaron Serong a few moments later stemmed the bleeding and put an end to the home side’s 11 goal unanswered run.
Thereafter the visitors took some comfort by outscoring the home side in the last quarter and reducing the margin to 53 points at the final siren.
In a good team effort by Catani after half-time, wingman Kaine Wedlock, with a number of surging runs, and small utility Luke McFarlane, with five third-quarter goals, played the most influential roles.
Midfield Antonio Benevenuto and Justin Evans were prominent and in defence Shane Fitzpatrick, Tom Grant and Andy Stockx were all solid.
After the game, veteran Blues coach Paul Alger said he was happy to take some good form into the finals.
“It was a good win, but we won’t get too carried away as they had nothing to play for,” he said.
Longwarry’s most effective player was Beau Runnalls who steered through five goals from limited opportunities.
Tim Milner, Aaron Serong, Jason Ronalds and Andrew McKenna read play well behind the centreline and rebounded the ball well, while Brody Rundell produced a number of his dashing trademark runs.
The Crows over-possessed the ball during the first half and the departure of key defender Ken Towt appeared to deflate the Crows in the third term.
Longwarry was crying out for more goal-scoring power all game and will need to reshuffle its side around in this week’s elimination final against the Blues.
Longwarry coach Graeme Jose described the Blues as too big and too strong.
“The most promising thing to come out of the match was the performance of our young kids.
“I thought Dylan Holland and Jason Wells, in particular, did well,” he added.