A 10-goal first half helped Tooleybuc-Manangatang withstand a strong second-half fightback from Koondrook-Barham at the weekend, the Saints holding on for a 22-point win at home and keeping themselves in the hunt for fifth position.
After breaking away to a 31-point lead at half-time, the Saints then wasted their opportunities in the third term, kicking five straight behinds to the Raiders’ 3.3, the visitors outplaying Tooleybuc-Manangatang to cut the margin back to just 15 points.
That would be as close as the Raiders would get, however, with the Saints steadying in the final quarter and absorbing their opponents’ relentless pressure on their way to recording a 12.12 (84) to 9.8 (62) victory.
With several key players missing, including Connor Nutting, Johnathan Marsden, Jaicob Kenny, Jesse Kane and Jackson Morris, it was a performance that still contained plenty of positives for Tooleybuc-Manangatang coach Brad Morris, including their dominant first-half display.
“(Koondrook-Barham) challenged us, we got out to a five-goal lead at half-time but they come out and had a real crack at us in the second half, and it just took us a while to steady again,” Morris said.
“We were a bit slow getting started after the break and then we found our niche and got going with how we wanted to play again in the final quarter.
“Our scoring was something we needed to work on from the previous week against Tyntynder, as it was pretty ordinary that day, but we managed to get our forward-half game going before they put a few numbers behind the ball and made it hard for us.
“For where we’re sitting with five or six guys out injured, just getting the four points was the main thing.
“Everyone has injuries at this time of the year and we’re no different, but it gives an opportunity to a few of our kids and for a few blokes to play different roles, so it’s not all bad.
“I felt we were pretty good through the midfield, when we started using our size and strength around the ball, I felt we got on top and that helped to get us repeat entries inside 50 which gave us more avenues to score.”
Saints ruckman Connor McDonald was one of those bigger bodies who had a big impact, with the in-form big man going head to head against Mitch Christensen in an entertaining battle for large periods of the game.
Both players were among their clubs’ better players, with McDonald just shading the Raiders ruckman, who also pushed forward and created problems for the Tooleybuc-Manangatang defence, kicking three goals.
Koondrook-Barham key forward Kye Attwell joined Christensen in booting three, providing the Raiders onballers with a strong marking target inside forward 50.
John Wardle was perhaps the most influential player on the ground, however, with the veteran Saints defender stepping up in the absence of Kenny and Morris to not only intercept many of the Raiders errant forward entries but help lock down on the dangerous Christensen when he went forward.
Also among the home team’s better players was midfielder Kai Kearns, who booted three goals, and attacking half-back Harrison Maher, who continued his strong form this season.
SCORES
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final Score |
| Tooleybuc-Manangatang | 5.2 | 10.4 | 10.9 | 12.12 | 84 |
| Koondrook-Barham | 4.2 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.8 | 62 |
VOTES
3 – John Wardle (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
2 – Kye Attwell (Koondrook-Barham)
1 – Connor McDonald (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
