IRYMPLE’S three-game gap ahead fourth place suits co-coach Tom Brownbridge, who says the “breathing room” will give the Swallows more scope to experiment in the second half of the season.
After the Swallows’ 43-point win over Red Cliffs, Brownbridge said Irymple’s 7-1 record was “ideal” and met pre-season plans to accumulate wins early to allow players to move into new positions in preparation for finals.
“Come finals, if push comes to shove, you might have to pull the trigger on a couple of things and the ability to do that now … it’s a big thing for us,” Brownbridge said.
Anthony Calvi, who played for both Irymple and Red Cliffs, tossed the coin in a match Red Cliffs Football Netball Club announced on Saturday would be “the Anthony Calvi” game.
The first half at Quandong Park turned out to be a low-scoring affair, both sides combining for five goals.
The Tigers generated more scoring shots than Irymple but had eight behinds from nine attempts to trail by 14 points at the main break.
The tone of the match didn’t truly change until the final quarter, when Irymple began shifting play from the wing to the centre of the ground while transitioning to attack and scored seven final-quarter goals.
Brownbridge said the first half had been “stagnant” due to Red Cliffs’ decision to play a “negative brand of football”.
“(Red Cliffs) had numbers back (in the first half) and didn’t really give themselves a chance to win the game and didn’t really give us a chance to kick goals,” Brownbridge said.
But he said Irymple eventually learned to identify the “hundred per cent options” and hit open targets to create opportunities in their half-forward line.
“That opened (spaces) up for the forwards like Liam Garlick and Justin Robinson to run into and they took those marks, and then we just piled on the goals from there.
“I went forward in the last quarter just to drag that better player with me. I could just sit in the pocket and then it gave Justin more rein at having to mark the ball.”
Nick Pezzaniti kicked five goals, but Brownbridge said the 250-game veteran Nathan Hamence led from the front with 36 touches, while Joshua Moritz was among the Swallows’ best on the ground.
It was an unlucky day in front of goal for Red Cliffs as they kicked only three goals and 15 behinds.
Vas Tuifao lamented some of Red Cliffs’ misses, saying the Tigers had an opportunity to create more scoreboard pressure to remain in the game.
The former Tigers coach said Red Cliffs did not go into the match with a more defensive strategy, but as the Tigers had some footballers playing out of position, he said they focused on applying themselves in defence.
“We were just much better in our defensive end and a lot more organised,” Tuifao said. “The guys were communicating better.”
He said Alex Bell stood up in his marking duties on Pezzaniti but said the Tigers midfielders had shown more two-way running to help in defence.
