By Ken Moore
NEERIM Neerim South is a team to be reckoned with – it is a genuine premiership contender.
That is the message it sent out to all rivals after it extended its winning streak to eight games with a hard-fought 15-point victory at a bitterly cold Lang Lang on Saturday.
The vastly improved Cats have now displaced the Tigers in second position on the ladder and on form look the most capable team of upsetting hot flag favourites Garfield.
All players struggled to deal with the blustery wind and the game never reached great heights.
Neerim midfield dynamo Chris Urie was a stand-out and set the Cats on their way with a goal inside 30 seconds from the start. He kicked another soon after to give the visitors a 14-point lead at quarter-time.
Kicking with the aid of a three to four-goal wind in the second term, Lang Lang hit back with majors by Bryce Tonks and Adam Baxter to reduce the margin to only three points at half-time.
Three third-quarter goals by enigmatic Cat utility Tyssen Morrow put Neerim 23 points to the good at three-quarter-time and in the driver’s seat.
The Cats managed only one behind in the last quarter, but significantly held the Tigers to only one goal by Kurt Batt who posed a big threat all game and was the home team’s most productive player.
Other good players for Lang Lang included assistant coach Dan O’Hara, who was terrific in defence and through the middle, and emerging types Bodie Brown, Aaron Creasey, Billy Hayes and Dylan Mitchell.
Coach and ruckman Ben Dwyer picked up big numbers all over the field and tall wingman Chris McCurdy was prominent in the first half.
Neerim midfielders Chris Urie, Leigh Sheehan and Cam Hinkley played instrumental roles and Mick Urie was busy across the forward line. Nick Humphrey read play well and took some good marks in defence, as did Dean McFarlane.
