IRYMPLE 9.16 (70)
MILDURA 10.6 (66)
GOALS: Irymple: N. Pezzaniti 3, M. Roads, N. Mee 2, P. Power, M. Christensen. Mildura: C. Deckert, C. Kiel, A. Matthews 2, C. Lando, B. Camilleri, J. Bower, D. Wager.
BEST: Irymple: D. Coghlan, N. Mee, F. Cirillo, T. George, B. Jackson, Z. Wandin. Mildura: Z. Nelson, K. Lord, B. Townsend, J. Dean, C. Kiel, K. Dawson.
THREE THINGS WE LEARNT
EVEN KIEL DEBUT: Mildura had a debutant in Cameron Kiel. Fresh off four goals for Sunraysia Under 18s in the interleague game last week, he proved he was more than ready for his senior call-up. During the second quarter, Kiel kicked two stylish goals and was amongt Mildura’s better four-quarter performers. His efforts, although celebrated, came with some lament for an under-18 Mum who I chatted with that suspects her son’s junior team will be without Cameron in the short term at least.
WHEN INJURIES HURT: Mildura was hit by injuries in this game. Caiden Deckert, with two first-quarter goals, proved more than a handful at full-forward but limped off just before the first break and played no further part in the game. When the match was in the balance deep in the final quarter Josh Martin also limped off with an ankle injury. His run and experience would have been handy in the latter stages.
EXPERIENCE COUNTS: Drawing on all his experience, Todd George played his first game senior game for the season and relished his return to the ranks. A former coach and product of the current Irymple system, he played his role with aplomb. Seemingly without an opponent on the wing, he found space at will and was regularly used as the option for the short kick coming out of defence, which he then turned into attack.By Jason Torney (pic by line)
WITH a couple of debutants, Irymple identified that the excitement youth brings to a team was a theme worth exploring in their encounter against Mildura.
However, while youngsters Connor Byrnes and John Cooper played their roles, it was Irymple’s experienced heads that were the difference as the Swallows hung on to win by four points in a tight encounter at Brian Weightman Oval.
Mildura did a lot right. To kick more goals than the opposition suggests as much. Wanting to embrace the challenge the Demons brought tackling pressure and a willingness to hunt in packs, tactics that caused the usually clean Swallows outfit to fumble and second-guess themselves with ball in hand.
An ability to maintain that intensity meant Mildura were in the game throughout. Just when you thought Irymple might be getting the upper hand, Mildura would fight back. Irymple play their best football when they can find the short outlet kick, flick out a loose player and then use over-lap run. Mildura were able to close that run down through a want to win the contest. Josh Dean was strong around the ball and Zac Nelson was rarely beaten one-on-one and again provided great supply off half-back for the Demons.
While Irymple did not have the game played on their terms, they still proved a hard egg to crack. It is no secret that their backline is undersized and when exposed to quick ball movement and separation can look vulnerable, but this rarely happens. A game plan that sees them set up well behind the ball and the cohesion of the back six means they are seldom beaten. This was evident when Mildura’s Anthony Matthews, with two goals for the game, looked threatening at times but often was flying against multiple Irymple defenders.
Adding further strength to Irymple is the willingness of the leadership group to get their hands dirty and lead by example. When it was evident that Mildura had brought an appetite for the contest, Dan Coghlan decided to insert himself into the game by playing more on ball than in previous weeks and he relished the challenge. His strength at stoppages and his kicking efficiency meant he was the most damaging midfielder on the ground. Nick Mee also sensed the occasion and lifted at critical times to inspire his charges. A long 50-metre goal to start the last quarter ignited his team, which helped build the margin that ultimately proved too much for the Demons to chase down. His specky in taking the down-the-line-kick on the siren a nice exclamation point.
Perhaps the battle of the match was the contest between the competition’s leading goalkicker Nick Pezzaniti of Irymple and Mildura’s uncompromising defender Kofi Lord. While Pezzaniti kicked a match-high three goals, Lord was outstanding and arguably won the contest in a points decision.
This was very much a see-sawing game but when Irymple stretched the lead to 16 points thanks to some Pezziniti brilliance midway through the final term it looked like Irymple had withstood all Mildura could throw at them and would finish with a comfortable win.
To Mildura’s credit, they continued to bring the fight and threatened to snatch victory after Jack Bower had smartly converted deep in the final stanza to get Mildura within a kick. Throughout the last few tense minutes, it was the Irymple leaders, as it had been all day, that rebuked Mildura’s final challenge. Coghlan and Mee stood up when it mattered while Zac Wandin and Todd George, as noted by Coghlan after the game, “were able to find the ball when it was important and in big moments in the game”.
After the game, Mildura coach Ilario Cavallo was disappointed. Satisfied that his team had brought effort to the game, there was a sense of frustration that mounting injuries during the game had robbed them of a chance to run out the match and, as a result, it may have been an encounter they let slip away. With Red Cliffs and Robinvale to play in their next two games, the goal is still to be 4-4 at the halfway mark of the season.
While Irymple left Brian Weightman Oval with plenty to work on, including their goal-kicking accuracy, importantly they did take the four points and winning form with them as they look to take on a resurgent Ouyen United next week.
