Down at the stoppages, Grubbers rely on star duo
OCEAN Grove walked away with the four points, but Newcomb claimed midfield bragging rights as it pushed the finals-bound Grubbers at Grinter Reserve yesterday.
The Power outclassed their more-fancied on-ball rivals for four quarters, but was soundly beaten around the ground as Ocean Grove chalked up an 80-point win.
Grubbers coach Paul Lynch lamented his side’s performances at the stoppages, but praised ball winners Brent Macleod and James Linton.
“I just thought we got beaten around the footy,” Lynch said.
“They beat us at the stoppages, and that’s our bread and butter. We’ve got a dominant ruckman and three or four really good mids and I thought we got beaten in the pit.
“Once the ball got out, I thought Macleod and Linton were extremely dominant but we just didn’t win it at the coalface and that’s where we’ve turned our footy around in the last few weeks.”
Lynch refused to blame his side’s physical deficiencies, rather lauding the Newcomb on-ball brigade.
“They were good,” he said.
“Their ruckman got it over (Andrew) Jarvis a little bit, and won his fair share of hitouts.
“They were just better than us and that was the disappointing thing.”
The Grubbers remained third despite Modewarre’s thrilling win over Queenscliff, but Lynch felt his side might have let an opportunity slip to grab a percentage-boosting win by conceding 10 goals to the Power.
But the Grubbers will enter next week’s clash against Anglesea in solid form, having won four matches on the trot.
“Our last month has been super, if you take patches out of today’s (yesterday) game,” Lynch said.
“Against Modewarre, Queenscliff and Geelong Amateurs we were really, really good and we’re playing the type of footy that I want them to play, now.
“We’re starting to get repeat stoppages that we’re looking for and I think we’re starting to look like a finals footy side.
“I always said we’d be better in the back half of the season.”