SWAN Hill have climbed back into the top five with a hard-fought 21-point win over a gallant Koondrook-Barham.
While never reaching any great heights as a spectacle, the match was still memorable for the commitment and endeavour shown by both teams.
The Raiders attacked the contest like a team desperate to break their winless streak.
Swan Hill’s clear focus on youth development also ensured several future stars on both sides were able to give bright glimpses into the future.
First-gamers Xavier Leonard (Koondrook-Barham) and Seamus Doherty (Swan Hill) were both among their teams’ better players.
Leonard won plenty of the ball in the forward half and Doherty showed his burgeoning talent in the ruck.
That Doherty was able to not only compete, but help his side win the ball around the stoppages, allowed the Swans the luxury of playing Toby Thoolen deep forward, where the in-form big man contributed three goals in the 8.15 (63) to 6.6 (42) victory.
The Raiders’ Eli Boyd was another to show positive signs for the future, although it was still the experienced heads of Xavier Moloney and Jose Miliado who proved to be the difference in the result.
Moloney was sensational in the first half, intercepting many of the Raiders’ errant forward entries, while Miliado worked his way into the game to become a constant threat across half forward for the Swans in the second half.
One area of concern for Swan Hill must be their forward-50 entries, which failed on countless occasions to hit a target, despite the presence of Thoolen for much of the afternoon.
The same concern can also be levelled at the Raiders, who wasted their opportunities at times, albeit without the presence of a dominant marking target.
Patrick Goble and Corey Barrington were influential for Koondrook-Barham in the midfield, as was Jack Shannon after half-time, while key defenders Scott Wood and Reagan Hamilton were solid.
Swan Hill simply had too many contributors right across the ground in a game that was at times marred by stoppages, with both teams keen to shut down their opponent’s ball movement and turn the game into a contested scrap.
Hamish Robertson and Tom Holdstock both found plenty of the ball across half-back and through the midfield, while Jarvis Keogh was a strong focal point through the middle of the ground, where veterans Luke Phelan and Matthew Wade also found plenty of the ball.
Swan Hill will now set its sights on its make-or-break match against fellow September contender Lake Boga this Saturday, with the winner likely to take a big step towards finals action, while Koondrook-Barham will be searching for its drought-breaking win when they travel to Manangatang to take on the Saints.
FINAL SIREN
| Koondrook Barham | 2.1 | 2.1 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swan Hill | 1.4 | 3.10 | 5.12 | 8.15 | 63 |
VOTES
3 – Xavier Moloney (Swan Hill)
2 – Jose Miliado (Swan Hill)
1 – Patrick Goble (Koondrook-Barham)
