Costly win for Joeys

ST JOSEPH’S brushed aside one of its main challengers to the premiership on Saturday to assert its authority over the competition once more.

On a breezy afternoon at Hamlyn Park, the league leader set up the contest in the opening two quarters, before sending a message to the rest of the GFL in an impressive second term, kicking four goals into the stiff breeze while its well-organised defence kept the wind-assisted Dragons to just 1.2.

A pair of experienced heads in the back half, Dan Measures and Daniel Lovick, were instrumental in the victory, chopping off Bell Park attacks at will.

The win was soured, however, with injuries to key cogs Rhys Hultgren and James Hickey.

Hultgren suffered concussion following an offthe-ball incident with Bell Park’s Pat Knott that may be looked at by AFL Barwon’s match review panel, while Hickey, in just his third game of the season, succumbed to a chronic toe injury that has curtailed his season.

Joeys midfielder Brenton Rees was equally prolific in the clinches, while goalkicking midfielder Jacko Davis nabbed another haul of four goals, including an expert left-foot snap in the third term, moving his season tally to 26.

It was a performance that pleased St Joseph’s coach Heath Jamieson, following an equally impressive 57-point win over the Dragons in Round 1.

“After quarter time we took Bell Park’s strength away from them,” Jamieson said.

“I thought their endeavour early in the game was really good, we know they’re a contested type side who are strong in tight.

“At quarter time we were a little bit disappointed with the way we played, but from quarter time onwards I thought not only did we match them in the middle of the ground, but our contested footy and footy around the source was super.

“That probably impressed me the most.”

Jamieson was reluctant to comment on the Hultgren incident, but was disappointed for the VFL-listed Hickey.

“(He) was fine until the last contest before halftime when he hurt his toe again,” Jamieson said.

“We don’t know the extent of the injury. It’s one of those things — he’s touch and go every week.”

Coming up against winless Lara this week, and a tough finals series awaiting, Jamieson forecast some changes to give some players a breather. “We’ve thought about next week,” he said.

“We’re not really in the business of resting players, but we won’t play anyone that doesn’t have to. We won’t take any risk with them.”