WOORINEN showed they are still very much in the premiership race for season 2022 with a devastating six-goals-to-one second quarter helping set up an 80-point win over the Mallee Eagles at Lalbert on Saturday.
The Tigers dominated for large periods of the match, which included scoring the first five goals of the game on top of booting 12 of the last 15 – to eventually run out comfortable 17.13 (115) to 5.5 (35) winners.
The previously unbeaten Eagles were ambushed by the visitors, with the Tigers too strong around the stoppages and regularly winning the contested ball throughout the day. Not only did Woorinen outplay the Mallee boys on the inside, but their run and spread away from the contest was a consistent cause for concern across all four quarters.
Nyawi Moore was tremendous with his run and drive off half back through the early stages of the game, while Dylan Collis, Robert Rush and Xavia Elford also proved to be thorns in the home team’s side with their speed through the middle of the ground.
Arnold Kirby again turned in a best-on-ground performance, dominating in the ruck for the Tigers for the second week in a row. Not only did the Woorinen big man win the hit-outs for his team, but his presence and marking ability around the ground became a day long headache for the Eagles brains trust.
While Woorinen may have jumped the home side out of the blocks in the early stages of the game, making matters worse for the Eagles were game-ending injuries to key midfielders Brady Fordham and Toby Sheahan within the first ten minutes of the match. Their absence – along with that of Harry Allen – for the remainder of the afternoon, would go some way to explaining why the Mallee boys were both smashed in contested footy and lacked run and drive out of the middle.
The injury news for the Eagles didn’t get much better as the game progressed, with Jack Shannahan (hamstring), Tom McGregor and Darcy McGregor all coming from the ground in the second half to receive treatment – with Shannahan not taking any further part in the match.
While there weren’t a lot of positives to take from the afternoon for the home side, the continued good form of Zac O’Meara in defence was certainly one the Lalbert faithful could look towards. O’Meara has settled into his new role in the back half, battling hard all afternoon to clearly be the Eagles best.
Much of the talk in the lead-up to the match surrounded the Mallee Eagles gun full-forward Sam Dunstan – who had piled on 25 goals in his first three games for the club. Dunstan would end the game with four of his team’s five goals and played a lone hand in attack, making the most of the very few opportunities his undermanned midfield was able to provide him throughout the afternoon.
At the other end of the ground, Clayton McCartney (four goals) and Tom Eltringham (three goals) were causing just as many problems, with the Eagles defence struggling to close them down. The only negative for Woorinen in an otherwise perfect afternoon came in the shadows of the full-time siren, with Eltringham injuring his hamstring, leaving him in some doubt for the coming weeks.
VOTES3 – Arnold Kirby (Woorinen)
2 – Dylan Collis (Woorinen)
1 – Clayton McCartney (Woorinen)
MATCH RESULTS
MALLEE EAGLES 2.0 3.1 4.3 5.5.35
WOORINEN 5.2 11.5 14.9 17.13.115
GOALS – MALLEE EAGLES – Sam Dunstan 4, Wes Bennett 1.
WOORINEN – Clayton McCartney 4, Xavia Elford 3, Thomas Eltringham 3, Matthew King 2, Lachlan Gardner, Arnold Kirby, Daniel Mase, Elijah Miliado, Mitchell Uhlhorn 1.
BEST – MALLEE EAGLES – Zac O’Meara, Darcy McGregor, Beau Bennett, Sam Dunstan, Wesley Bennett, Hamish McGregor
WOORINEN – Arnold Kirby, Dylan Collis, Clayton McCartney, Xavia Elford, Angus Butterfield, Henry Thompson
