Kerang suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday, going down by 38-points to a white-hot Woorinen at Riverside Park.
The Tigers shocked the home side with their pressure around the contest and attack on the ball, forcing the usually unflappable Blues into an error riddled four quarter performance.
The writing was on the wall that Woorinen would be up for the fight within the first minute of the match, with a forward half smother deep in the Tigers attack leading to Lachie Gardner kicking the opening goal of the game. The visitors piled on three more goals across the next 30 minutes to take a 20-point lead into the first change in front of a shell-shocked home crowd.
The margin remained the same at half time, despite Woorinen having the better of the play during the second quarter – before the Tigers put their foot down with a six goal to three second half seeing the visitors run away with a comfortable 12.8.80 to 6.6.42 victory.
Woorinen couldn’t have been more impressive in their dismantling of the previously unbeaten premiership favourites, with a clear plan to apply pressure and press up at their opposition ball carriers working to perfection. The Tigers’ zone defence was impenetrable and shut down Kerang’s usually precise ball movement, which in turn created countless uncharacteristic turnovers from the home side.
The Blues lack of a dominant forward target also proved problematic, especially in the continued absence of joint coach Bryce Curnow. Woorinen’s back six, led by Ben Booth, Angus Butterfield and new recruit Mitchel Taylor, were all over the Kerang forward line and gave the Blues very little chance to move the ball into attack with any conviction on the few occasions they were able to find a clean possession forward of centre.
The same cannot be said for the Tigers at the other end of the ground, who had Lachlan Gardner and Lachlan Wright posing a constant aerial threat all afternoon – along with the adaptable Patrick Veszpremi, who played forward with great success.
Woorinen had winners on every line, with Arnold Kirby winning his ruck duel with Troy Davis and Rob Miller, Robert Rush, Jye Barry, Nyawi Moore and Matthew King all strong contributors through the midfield for the Tigers.
Josh Nitschke was Kerang’s best as he tried to lift his side – especially in the second half – with drive off half back and through the middle. Marty Kelly was another who had plenty of the ball, as did Jesse Clark and Lachie Ross.
The win by Woorinen has certainly thrown the Central Murray season wide open and given the Blues finals rivals a blue print with which to challenge them come the pointy end of the season.
For Kerang though, it may well be the loss they needed to sharpen them up ahead of what is now looming as a highly anticipated finals series – one that will still see Kerang go in as premiership favourites, despite the loss.
VOTES
3 – Ben Booth (Woorinen)
2 – Lachlan Wright (Woorinen)
1 – Lachlan Gardner (Woorinen)
MATCH RESULTS
KERANG 1.2 3.3 4.5 6.6.42
WOORINEN 4.4 6.5 9.6 12.8.80
GOALS – KERANG – Troy Coates 2, Sam Heavyside, Bradlee Pay, Nicholas Pay, Michael Runciman 1.
WOORINEN – Lachlan Wright 4, Lachlan Gardner 3, Patrick Veszpremi 3, Jye Barry, Arnold Kirby 1.
BEST – KERANG – Martin Kelly, Josh Nitschke, Lachlan Ross, Troy Davis, Jesse Clark, Joshua Hunter
WOORINEN – Ben Booth, Lachlan Wright, Patrick Veszpremi, Matthew Gardner, Arnold Kirby, Angus Butterfield
