TOOLEYBUC-Manangatang have claimed their second win of the season, defeating Koondrook-Barham on a blustery day in Manangatang.
The Saints used the wind to their advantage in the first quarter and maintained a six-goal margin for much of the day to win 10.23 (83) to 6.5 (41).
Tooleybuc-Manangatang coach Dean Helmers said it was good to see a large crowd braving the conditions.
“It’s fantastic for us to get a win out here in Manangatang for our first game here this year,” he said. “All the locals came out and got around us so it’s brilliant to see.
“That wind in the first half was pretty crazy. I think we were using the wrong side of the ground too much in the first quarter, hence our inaccurate goalkicking.”
While the Saints dominated the game in the first term, locking the ball in their forward areas and keeping the River Raiders to a single behind, their inaccuracy kept the game within the sights of Koondrook-Barham.
With Koondrook-Barham set to gain the wind advantage in the second term, coach Will Callow instructed his team to go all-out in attack and harness the chaos of the conditions.
The Saints looked to stifle this momentum, with coach Dean Helmers asking for his players to maintain possession and take the shorter options.
But before the Saints could even gain possession, Dom Cirillo kicked Koondrook-Barham’s first goal, straight from winning the quarter’s first centre clearance.
The two sides traded goals before the major break, with Tooleybuc-Manangatang able to counter the wind advantage.
Helmers said he wanted his side to adapt to the match conditions better than they have in previous weeks.
“Last week against Woorinen we were four goals to one up in the first quarter,” he said. “But we didn’t really adapt with the game then.
“This week we wanted to change that, take the game on a bit more and posses the footy, which was really pleasing to see.
“We knew what we’d be up against today. It doesn’t matter about ladder position obviously as we’re down there too.
“They’re a young enthusiastic team and they get big numbers to the footy, there was no easy ball for us all day.”
As the second half began, the wind began to die down. And with it, much of the game’s sting was taken away as well.
Saints duo Tim Auckland and Connor McDonald were impressive in a ruck battle against a tough opponent in Mitchell Christensen, who was one of the River Raiders’ best performers.
The midfield battle between Ethan Goldfinch and Eli Boyd was intense, with both players spending time in their respective forward lines, and both kicking two goals.
Jack Mazzarella and Blake Grant covered the entire ground for the Saints, racking up disposals and ensuring their teammates had first use of the footy.
The Saints will be hoping to continue this momentum following this week’s league bye with a win in their clash with Swan Hill, while Koondrook-Barham will be looking for their first win in their game against Mallee Eagles.
FINAL SIREN
| Tooleybuc-Manag | 4.13 | 6.15 | 9.18 | 10.23 | 83 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koondrook-Barham | 0.1 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 41 |
VOTES
3 – Jack Mazzarella (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
2 – Blake Grant (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
1 – Connor McDonald (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
