COHUNA ran rampant on Saturday against a poor Swan Hill, thrashing them 22.16.148 to 2.3.15.
The win was the Kangas fourth in a row and third above 90-points on the trot.
The win allowed the Kangas to stay equal top with Kerang after the Blues conducted their own demolition job of Mallee Eagles on Saturday.
However, Kangas coach Neil Bradley is aware that there are much sterner assignments on the cards than the easy kills they’ve had in the past three weeks.
“We can’t really get ahead of ourselves, and we expect Nyah to be a much tougher challenge next week – we always seem to struggle against them for whatever reason,” Bradley said.
In what resembled a four-quarter training drill, the Kangas jumped the Swans early, leading by 25 points at quarter time.
However, it should have been much more with the Swans only entering their forward 50 a couple of times in the quarter, leaving their defence under siege.
After holding up well in the first, the dam wall burst open in the second as the Kangas kicked six goals to none leaving the Swans with only a solitary point on the scoreboard heading into the main break.
While the Swans were clearly lacking energy, the defensive structure led by Jake Hammond was excellent from the Kangas.
“We’ve made a concerted effort in the last six weeks to press up hard, and obviously, they couldn’t cope with it today,” Bradley said.
In front of a parochial home crowd, the second half was almost identical besides the fact the Swans finally kicked two majors, both by Kallen Heslop.
Jarrod Findlay produced a great 15-minute burst in the third quarter, slotting two goals and being involved in everything.
Bradley and the Kangas supporters urged their team not to take the foot of the throat at three-quarter time, reminding their troops how the club had been on the end of beltings from Swan Hill before, and it was their turn to cop one.
The Kangas obliged, nailing seven goals to one in the final quarter to round out a 133-point victory.
The Kangas dominated every facet of the contest, including shutting down Swans gun Matthew Wade.
“I love watching him play – he’s a superstar,” Bradley said.
“But he was going to Joel Helman at stoppages who held him well, so that’s another feather in Joel’s cap, and I thought he beat him today.”
There were plenty of men vying for best-on-ground honours, and Bradley struggled to single one man out.
“I thought the Findlay brothers were good, and Rhys (Free) kicked seven, so he’s up there too, along with Hammond,” he said.
Not many could hold their head up high for the Swans, but Tom Pontell, Jarvis Keogh and Heslop fought hard on a dark day for the club.
They’ll be looking to bounce back against Balranald at home next weekend.
VOTES3 – Joel Helman (Cohuna Kangas)
2 – Jake Hammond (Cohuna Kangas)
1 – Jarrod Findlay (Cohuna Kangas)
MATCH RESULTS
COHUNA KANGAS 4.2 10.5 15.11 22.16.148
SWAN HILL 0.1 0.1 1.2 2.3.15
GOALS – COHUNA KANGAS – Rhys Free 7, Dylan Johnstone 5, Jack Donat 3, Jarrod Findlay 3, Daniel Coates, Patrick Doyle, Tyson Findlay, Joel Helman 1.
SWAN HILL – Kallen Heslop 2.
BEST – COHUNA KANGAS – Jarrod Findlay, Tyson Findlay, Rhys Free, Jack Donat, Jake Hammond, Joel Helman
SWAN HILL – Jarvis Keogh, Matthew Wade, Tom Pontell, Xavier Moloney, Tobias Thoolen, Brendan Blackmore
