By Justin Flynn
Newtown & Chilwell will head into this week’s clash against Bell Park after a win in a good old-fashioned shootout against Lara where 40 goals were scored for the game.
With scores level at half time, the Eagles slammed on 10 goals into the wind at Elderslie Reserve to win by 63 points in which coach Damien McMahon described as a “weird scenario”.
“Lara kicked with the breeze early and they got off to a great start and kicked three quick goals in concession to our none,” he said.
“We fought back and kicked four ourselves. And then in the second quarter we had the breeze and got out to a three-goal lead at one stage and then they kicked some goals late.
“It was an even contest and then we kicked ten into the wind in the third quarter and sort of blew the game open.”
It was a day for the forwards with Luke Maddock booting six for the Eagles while Flynn Young kicked five and Charlie Harris five. Dylan Jose kicked four for Lara.
“It was a pretty free flowing game,” McMahon said.
“They (Lara) had a very good side in and they use the ball pretty well and no doubt have improved a lot on last season. They certainly challenged us in the first half and had their moments also in the second-half. They had a few injuries late in the game, which probably took a bit of the sting out of the game, but overall it was a good contest and we’re happy to kick a score like that. We’re just a bit disappointed we allowed them to kick 15 goals.”
McMahon said a few positional changes at half-time helped his side. The main one being Gennaro Bove onto the dangerous Connor Thar.
“We put Gennaro Bove into a run-with role on Connor Thar – two Werribee boys playing on each other. Connor was certainly one of the best players on the ground up until half-time and was having a pretty big impact at the stoppages, so to his (Bove) credit, he really put the brakes on and shut it down for the second which we thought made a big change in the game.”
“Otherwise we just really challenged our guys at half-time. We were level at half-time and we needed a vast improvement and that’s exactly what we got. We were a lot better around the contest and just ultimately used the ball better and moved it quicker than what we did early in the game.”
The Eagles are in sixth spot on the ladder and will host a resurgent Bell Park, which is fourth.
BELL PARK lost its first game of the season by 91 points to St Joseph’s. Oliver Northam was best for Joey’s with 25 disposals while Hunter Lewis kicked four goals.
COLAC thrashed North Shore by 120 points with Adam Garner booting eight goals and Dustin Walters five.
LEOPOLD was tested by Grovedale before winning by 71 points. Tom Feely racked up 31 touches, Tate Porter had 25 and Connor Giddings kicked four goals 19 disposals.
GEELONG WEST defeated St Albans by 139 points with Emmanuel Ajang running riot with 31 possessions at 90 percent efficiency and Patrick Eastman booting six majors. Tanner Lovell had an astonishing 49 possessions.
ST MARY’S got the better of South Barwon by 15 points with 2019 premiership hero Nick Connors best afield.
