AN afternoon-long downpour couldn’t put a dampener on Swan Hill’s first win of the season, the Swans weathering the wet to claim a 40-point win over Koondrook-Barham.
The River Raiders got the game back level in the second quarter, before a seven-goal-to-zero third quarter helped the Swans win 13.16 (94) to 7.12 (54).
The win sees the Swans move off the bottom of the ladder and leaves Koondrook-Barham as the remaining winless side in this year’s competition.
Swans coach Michael Herlihy said getting his first win as senior coach was like “getting a monkey off our backs”.
“We were very desperate to get that first win and we just hadn’t quite strung it together,” Herlihy said.
“It was really pleasing it was able to happen today.
“It was just an amazing feeling.
“As much as we want to stick to our processes and those sorts of things, it is certainly something that does weigh on you and does play on everyone’s minds.
“Sometimes clubs can fall off when they aren’t getting those wins, but the support we received this afternoon was amazing.
“Everyone is still getting behind the team and me.
“I’s a really good feeling here at the minute.”
Swan Hill were able to find centre-stoppage dominance on the back of the composure and experience of Jimmy Toumpas, who showed his class in the slippery conditions.
“We know what we are going to get from Toump, and Luke (Phelan) is always going to be working hard, and Toby is another one who has been a star for years here.”
The Swans made the most of a strong start to the match, getting on top of the inside-50 count and making their forward ventures count with four unanswered goals in the first term.
Ned McKeown was key to the start, kicking two goals in the opening term, while Tom Isma and Luke Phelan also started the game with an early goal each.
Phelan, McKeown and Tobias Thoolen would all finish the game with bags of three goals, while Isma would add his own pair of goals to the scoreboard.
While Thoolen provided a strong target deep in the Swans’ attack, opposing number sixes Lachlan Joyce and Raiders star Mitch Christensen battled it out in the ruck.
Swans skipper Luke Phelan played the conditions fantastically, hitting the ball in straight lines and extracting it with strong effort.
Nyawi Moore was another of the Swans’ better performers, while Herlihy sang the praises of his team’s young-guns.
“Today the likes of Sonny (Beasy), Lachy (Vroljiks) and Bodhi Kelly were just fantastic,” Moore said.
“There are times where I have to chuck the younger guys around a little bit but they never shirk the issue.
“They always back it up and play their role, and they did fantastically today.”
But the Raiders kicked off the second quarter in perfect fashion, as Xavier Leonard got on the end of the first clearance to kick the Raiders’ first goal within the first minute.
Koondrook-Barham would keep the goals coming for the quarter, working their way back into the game with four goals to one and bringing the half-time margin back under two goals.
Co-captains Jack Thrum and Jack Shannon were impressive in their efforts to get their side back in the game, while key defenders Peter Lewis and Will Lake battled hard all day.
The Raiders’ momentum would be temporarily halted when forward Lachlan Lauren was helped off the ground after he picked up an ankle injury in a collision.
The Swans got back to their best in the third term, even though the afternoon drizzle soon became almost torrential in the second half.
Herlihy said he wanted his side to not be put off by the conditions and continue their running game.
“I’d had a quick look at the forecast and thought we might get some passing rain but we adapted to the conditions really well,” he said.
“We could have been swimming out there and I still would’ve taken that weather and get the win.
“It even makes it that little bit more enjoyable – on days like this you can bond a bit closer with your teammates.
“We didn’t muck around with the ball in the middle and worked hard to get it forward.
“Once we’d got the ball forward, I think we did really well to lock it in there and not allow them any easy kicks or movement out of defence.”
The Swans were able to put the game to bed in the third, kicking seven goals while they held the Raiders to a lone behind.
With the margin at 55 points at the final break, the Raiders didn’t stop fighting in the last quarter, when they kicked three of the last four goals.
As the league bye awaits this weekend, the Swans will have an extra week’s rest before taking on the Saints in two weeks’ time, while the River Raiders will host Cohuna in round 12.
SCORES
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final Score |
| Swan Hill | 4.4 | 5.7 | 12.13 | 13.16 | 94 |
| Koondrook-Barham | 0.3 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 7.12 | 54 |
VOTES
3 – Jimmy Toumpas (Swan Hill)
2 – Luke Phelan (Swan Hill)
1 – Lachlan Vrolijks (Swan Hill)
