NOR-WEST JETS MATCH REPORTS ROUND 11
The Nor-West Jets played host to St George for the first time ever in Round 11 action, in near perfect conditions for football. With key midfielder Brendan Cameron returning to the side from his overseas sojourn, the Jets knew they must win, and win well, for a chance to sit in fourth position.
The Jets opened up in a dominant fashion with the aid of a slight breeze across the ground, and put on 5 straight goals to the skilful Dragons 2 goals. Jake Berry was on fire up forward, either kicking goals or setting them up for his team mates (Or stealing them as well) on his way to 7 for the game. Berry was well fed by his on-ball division of Sherwood, Dr FLGOFF Ahearn and John Dowl, who is proving to be the hardest man to tackle in Division 2.
Ben Cain was in scintillating form off half back, repelling countless Dragon forward raids, and linking well with wing man Owen Butcher and ruck Paul Webster. It was 2 goals apiece as the home side took a slender 9 point lead to half time.
As hard as St George tried in the second half, they couldn’t match it with Nor-West as they put on a clinic, kicking 5 goals in the 3rd term and 8 in the last, with usual defensive pillar Aaron Bayne playing a handy role on half forward to finish with 2 rare goals, as the Jets crushed the Dragons by 93 points, 20.5-125 to 7.10-52 in an accurate display.
Goals- J. Berry 7, A Bayne 2, P. Sherwood 2, W. Smith 2, J. Howe 2, C. Wenselowski, S. Tibben, P. Webster, S. Davidson, T. Hurst 1 each.
Best- B. Cain, J. Berry, P. Sherwood, D. Flgoff, A. Bayne, O. Butcher.
Reserve Grade, in a rare appearance as the main game, welcomed Mac Uni Kookas, and with 4 wins on the trot for the Jets, they assumed a confident swagger into this match.
Although the late withdrawal of regular 1st grade forward Josh James threw the start of the match into chaos, as Nor-West played the first 6 minutes with only 17 players on the field, the Jets still controlled the game, kicking 3 goals to nil, with a superior defensive performance from Aaron Skinner, captain Norm Hanley in a vintage performance, and Mat Laurence in his 50th game for the club. Dan Button, on his return from a hand injury, carved up from the half back line, sending the ball forward for Dan Graham, Scott Braid who helped himself to 4 goals himself and assisting in many more, and Tim Tibben, the man who is slowly realising his potential as a dangerous player. The Jets added 3 more while the Kookas managed 2 into the breeze through the hard work of smalls Chris Day and Andrew Kent. Nor-West took to the sheds with a 23 point advantage.
Coach Kyle implored his troops to tag out Day and Kent and shut down the Kookas work rate, and it worked well, as the home side slammed on 5 goals 5 behinds and kept Mac Uni scoreless. Steve Steasek was unstoppable around the ground, filling the hole in the Kookas forward line and roaming around gaining possessions at will, while Chris Lowe in the ruck was in a world of his own, rucking all day after Sam Carlson was sent to hospital with a dislocated elbow. Chris Collins and Lachlan Eldridge, both grade cricketers and year round Bensons Lane residents, cleaned up through the corridor. Eldridge, in his first game since juniors, played up forward and in defence before completing the game in the middle like a seasoned pro.
Last years gun Marty Ingham, just back in the country after representing Australia in polo in sunny Barbados, shone up forward, as he set about giving his many opponents nightmares for years to come.
To the Kookas credit, they slowed the game in the last quarter and kept Nor-West to 1 goal and scored one themselves, however the damage was doen, as the Jets made it 5 in a row with a 56 point victory, 12.7-79 to 3.5-23.
Goals- S. Braid 4, C. Collins 2, T. Tibben, M. Ingham, C. Hall, B. Goodwin, B. Gibson, M. Davidson 1 each.
Best- S. Steasek, C. Lowe, D. Button, L. Eldridge, S. Braid, N. Hanley.
The Jets welcome Division 2 benchmark Southern Power and will have a banner ready for former player Cheyne “Oxford” Anderson in the Division 4 clash.
Last Modified on 27/11/2010 17:37
