It’s game on, Catani

By Ken Moore
CATANI has thrown down the gauntlet to both Cora Lynn and Nilma Darnum after an emphatic 56-point first semi-final victory over Warragul Industrials at Neerim Neerim South on Sunday.
The Blues produced a performance of real merit that will give its opponents this week, Cora Lynn, a few sleepless nights.
Catani built a platform for victory when it rammed on eight unanswered goals between the five-minute mark of the first quarter, when it trailed by 12 points until the 10-minute mark of the second term which saw it produce a 45-point turnaround to establish a 33-point lead. The Dusties hit back hard to reduce the margin to 10 points at half-time before the Blues answered their challenge with defiant second half that yielded 14 goals.
Warragul Industrials hit the ground full of running and took the early honours with goals by Mick Santo and Shane Brewster before Catani seized control with five consecutive goals to take a 14-point advantage into the quarter-time break.
Luke James was the star of the first term with three goals and a spectacular mark when he leapt on the shoulders of tall Industrials ruckman Ben Hobgen. Blues ruckman Paul Youle was terrific in the first quarter and proved a big obstacle a kick behind play while Antonio Benevenuto, Shaun Pickering and Josh Tymensen all had a busy midfield presence.
For the Dusties, midfielders Dom LaRosa and Shane Brewster started well, Jamie West thwarted many attacks and key forward Mick Santo led well and took some nice grabs and if not for a few errant kicks on goal, the scores should have been at least level pegging at quarter time.
Catani continued the second quarter where it left off in the first and with goals by Chris Teniseli, Justin Evans and Phil Smith set up a 33-point lead. At this stage of the match the writing looked on the wall for the Dusties. The manner with which Catani scored their three second quarter goals suggested the Dusties defence was in disarray. The three Blues goals were due to a free kick, a poor defensive clearance and a lack of accountability when the later, scored by Smith, a big behemoth of a man was inexcusably left loose and allowed to receive a pass and waltz into goal.
Mid-term the Industrials dug deep and showed the character that earned them a finals spot and with with successive goals by star Narre Warren recruit Shane Brewster, the Dusties dragged themselves back into the contest. Further goals by Mick Santo and Danny Brewster trimmed the difference back to 10 points at half-time and it appeared Warragul had turned the game around and had the momentum entering the main break. The Dusties’ late revival was due to a big lift from midfielders Shane Brewster, Brett Wadleton, Manny Peresso and Jacob Matwijkiw, who all fired up and started the offer much-needed grunt and run that was missing since the opening minutes.
Catani showed a renewed intensity at the ball at the start of the third quarter and were rewarded when young wingman Luke Failla drifted forward to score his first goal and stretch the lead to 15 points. Moments later another youngster, Warragul’s Mitchell Dickason steered through his first goal to cut the lead to nine points.
However, less than five minutes later the Industrials were staring down a big hole after six-pointers by Owen Fitzpatrick, after a strong mark and successive goals by Luke James extended the Blues lead to 27 points. Mid term the Dusties hit back temporarily with a goal by Danny Brewster before Catani finished powerfully in time on with more goals to James and Benevenuto to hold a decisive 31-point lead at the last break.
Some clever centre taps by Paul Youle and clearances by Justin Evans and Antonio Benevenuto played an instrumental role in setting up the Blues with what was close to a match-winning lead.
Danny Brewster posted the vital first major of the last quarter to keep Industrial fans interested but from then on their efforts petered out and the Blues sewed up the game with goals by James, Fiatupu Too Too, both after strong marks and soon after Leigh Jose capitalised on a hesitant Industrial defence to guide home his first goal and when Owe Fitzpatrick snaffled his third goal the result was beyond doubt. The game meandered in the later stages and Catani went on to a thoroughly deserved 56-point victory.
Catani had three players – Luke James, Antonio Benevenuto and Justin Evans – stand out like a beacon. James was at his mercurial best, kicked eight goals, hauled in some freakish marks and is without parallel when he is such devastating form.
Midfielders Benevento and Evans were afforded too much space and regularly cut a swathe through the Dusties defence. Big men Paul Youle and Phil Smith were more than serviceable and Fiatupu Too Too played one of his best games for the season making a strong contribution at both ends of the park. Luke Failla and Chris Teniseli pitched in with many handy possessions and Nathan Ruskin was a lynchpin in defence and led a tight back six.
Catani Coach Paul Alger was a relieved man after the game, “It would have been a shame to get rolled after a good season. Watching them last week helped because we were able to look at their strengths. Fortunately for us they kicked ordinarily in the first quarter and failed to put us under pressure on the scoreboard.”
Warragul Industrials were overshadowed in most departments and paid dearly for their defensive errors. The Dusties played in stops and starts and lacked the zing that was a feature of their better efforts this season. Shane Brewster tried his heart out, his brother Danny snared five goals and was a constant threat. Ruckman Ben Hobgen played well but was forced to defend all too often while talented forward Mick Santo, kicked two goals and always looked dangerous but sullied his game by scoring seven behinds. Midfield Chris and Dom LaRosa, Brett Wadleton and Manny Peresso all tried hard and likewise Adam Neal and Jamie West in defence.
“They were bigger, stronger and too physical. They are a major threat to Cora Lynn next week,” said Industrials Coach Wade McGill at the conclusion of the game. The Warragul Industrials fairytale to rise from wooden spooners to premiers did not eventuate but it laid the foundations to be a power under Coach Wade McGill next season.