Power stays on to hold off Coutas

NEWCOMB coach Rory Nicol has praised his side’s capacity to stand up under pressure after the Power held on for a four-point win over Queenscliff.

The vastly improved Power finds itself in unfamiliar territory, boasting a 2-0 record to start the season following Saturday’s narrow victory over the Coutas.

Battered, bruised and bandaged up, star onballer James Hussey helped lift his side across the line as the Power collected the scalp of a 2018 finalist.

Like Ocean Grove a week prior, the Coutas had their chance to win late in the contest but kicked just four points in the final quarter to fall short, 13.8 (86) to 11.16 (82).

“We didn’t retreat or roll over like we typically would, which shows signs of good culture, I reckon,” Nicol said.

“That’s probably most pleasing from my point of view. Either side could have been the winner in the last five minutes, I guess.

“It was a difficult game to coach in, actually — it was a real arm-wrestle and a slog.

“There were times we could have kicked away and Queenscliff obviously just hung in there.

“We were doing our best to put them away but we took the foot off the gas and let them back in a couple of times.”

The Power led by 12 points at the main break, with conversion proving in their favour, and that accuracy eventually helped them record back-toback wins.

“It’s reward for effort I guess,” Nicol said. “The effort they’ve put in over pre-season, they’re getting reward for it, which is great.

“We’ve done three pre-seasons beforehand and they didn’t get the reward from the effort they put in. But it’s pleasing for the players.”

Corey Ogle (two goals), Joel Geue (two goals) and Logan Wagener were instrumental in the result. However, Nicol saved most of the plaudits for Hussey (two goals).

“A real soldier effort,” he said. “He got beaten up a bit today, copped some late ones and came back on. Then he had a clash of heads with an opponent that split his head open, so he taped his head back up and went back out there.

“He was probably our best four-quarter player, Huss, he’s a warrior, love him. He’s got a lot of respect from his teammates.” GEELONG Amateur claimed its first victory of the season, thumping Portarlington by 107 points.

Ammos started slowly with just two goals in a first-term arm-wrestle, but got stronger as the match went on, finishing the match full of running with seven last-quarter majors to win 18.21 (129) to 3.4 (22).

Mitch Day and Patrick Killen kicked four each, while veteran Jarrod Young was best for his side after missing the Round 1 loss to Torquay. DRYSDALE added to Ocean Grove’s pain, kicking five of the last seven goals to win 14.13 (97) to 11.3 (69) at Drysdale.

Not much separated the two sides for three quarters, but the much-improved Hawks assumed top spot after two rounds courtesy of their second victory.

Mathew Hebbard slotted five for the Hawks, while former Leopold forward Mitch McGuire snagged three in a best-on-ground effort. The spread of targets was pleasing in the absence of key forward Jarrod Garth. Jake Williamson was also impressive for the Hawks. BARWON Heads has maintained its unbeaten streak, coming from behind in a barnstorming final quarter to overcome Torquay at Howard Harmer Oval.

The Seagulls beat the Tigers twice in 2018 by a combined margin of 157 points, but Torquay provided Mitch Herbison’s side a few headaches on Saturday.

The Seagulls fell 13 points in arrears at three-quarter time on the back of a five-goal-totwo third stanza from the Tigers. But Barwon Heads booted 5.10 to 0.1 in the last term to prevail 12.17 (89) to 9.9 (63).

Chris Martin was named best for the home side, while Callum Currie snagged four majors for the improved Torquay outfit.

Pictures: STEPHEN HARMAN Three of last year’s bottom four have shown significant improvement in 2019 to leave question marks around a proposed restructure to the competition. Newcomb would have been the first side dropped had AFL Barwon’s proposal gone through at the end of last season, but Rory Nicol’s side now sits undefeated from two rounds. The points system, meanwhile, has helped Drysdale build a powerful list, having attracted some of its former talent back as onepointers while also filling needs with key players from other clubs. The result is a quick return to finals calculations for the Hawks, who have raced to the top of the table on the back of two wins. The Hawks won just five games in 2018. Torquay has also shown stark improvement this season, after finishing with a 9-9 record in seventh last year. The Tigers lost twice to Barwon Heads by a combined 157 points last season, but fell just 26 points short on Saturday after leading at three-quarter time. After thumping Geelong Amateur in Round 1, Dom Gleeson’s outfit shapes as one of the big improvers. The last thing Rory Nicol needs is more long-term injuries after battling a 2018 campaign plagued with unavailability. But news out of Saturday’s win over Queenscliff isn’t all rosy, with Lachie McDowell suffering a horrific shoulder injury. The Werribee Districts recruit and former WRFL interleague on-baller had been out of the game for two years, but will spend more time on the sidelines. “Lachie McDowell looks like he’s torn all the ligaments in his shoulder, which is disappointing,” Nicol said. “That could be an eight-week injury, not sure at this stage. We’ll keep our fingers crossed — he’ll know more during the week (but) he won’t be playing next week, that’s for sure.” Successive 100-plus losses for Portarlington leave a significant cloud over the Demons. However, coach Jesse Smith clearly put on the agenda in the pre-season that the win-loss record would not define them. “I don’t believe we’re in a position where we can go off wins and losses,” he said last month. “I just want internal improvement across the board from the group, and if I can see development in the kids, that’s how I’ll gauge our year, not wins and losses.” Have the kids improved? Time will tell. ‘HE’S A WARRIOR’: Power coach Rory Nicol (inset) was full of praise for James Hussey (main) after Newcomb’s win against Queenscliff.