Fighting Tigers determined to make finals chance stick
DROPPED catches have haunted Thomson this season but the Tigers are still a fighting chance of snaring a spot in the GCA3 finals.
With Corio seemingly safe in third spot on 60 points, the race is on to secure the final place in the top four.
St Albans Breakwater (51 points) leads the way, with Bannockburn (48) and Thomson (45) snapping at the heels.
In the final fortnight, Thomson faces last-placed Guild-St Mary’s and top-ranked Geelong West.
St Albans Breakwater meets second-placed Lethbridge and finishes with Guild-St Mary’s, while Bannockburn plays Geelong West then Corio.
The Tigers spilt chances in the first half of the season and won just one game before Christmas but flipped the script to win all but one since the New Year. The sole defeat came last week when six dropped catches led to a loss to Lethbridge.
“Our fielding hasn’t been good all year and it cost us on Saturday, big time,” Tigers captain-coach Adam Petterwood said. “Our bowling has improved out of sight, we have been able to limit teams and knock them over.”
Fielding aside, the improved form of key men Hugh Menzies and Jayden Hicks has helped the Thomson revival.
Shin splints forced Sam Stoneley to give up bowling and take up the wicketkeeping gloves, which has also been a success.
Menzies has taken 11 wickets in the past three weeks, while Hicks has hit his groove and scored 375 runs at an average of 46.88, the best average of any GCA3 batsman to play more than once.
“Jayden is the best player in the competition, that’s my opinion,” Petterwood said. “He can’t train due to work, he has missed games due to work and that makes it very difficult.”
Hicks is due to play both of the remaining matches before finals in a boost to Thomson’s hopes.
“Hopefully we rock up on Saturday and win, then we rock up next Saturday and win again and things go our way,” Petterwood said.
COLLINGWOOD has suffered a double blow a fortnight out from its Round 1 clash with Western Bulldogs with star midfielder Steele Sidebottom and promising young forward Will Kelly injured in Friday night’s Community Series clash with Richmond at Marvel Stadium.
On a night when the Tigers gave a hint that hunger won’t be an issue in their quest for a third straight premiership, the fastfinishing Magpies were left licking their wounds in the 11.14 (80) to 11.8 (74) loss.
Sidebottom lasted only five minutes of the match — for two disposals — before he came from the field with “a tight calf”, according to Fox Footy.
The 30-year-old didn’t return to the ground and now faces a race against time to be ready to take on the midfield might of the Bulldogs on March 19.
Kelly was crunched by the high-flying Dylan Grimes during the second term and emerged clutching his collarbone. He immediately went down to the rooms, in obvious pain.
The Magpies were uncertain of the extent of either injury on Friday night, but coach Nathan Buckley will be sweating on scans. Depending on their severity, collarbones can sideline players for up to six weeks.
Defender Brayden Maynard was also limping at the end of the game, but should be fine.
Sidebottom’s absence throughout most of the match at least gave Jordan De Goey the chance to spend more time through the midfield.
Having missed last week’s practice game against Geelong, De Goey had plenty of game time, kicking two goals and helping to drag Collingwood back into the contest late.
On last night’s evidence, the Magpies’ plan to use him more in the midfield looks a winner with his 27 disposals and five clearances a taste of what could be to come.
The Tigers were ultra professional as usual, with Dustin Martin dominating early in the midfield before easing into a forward role.
Jayden Short was sensational with 43 touches and Jason Castagna kicked four goals.