TIGERS SHOW THEIR CLASS
THOMSON coach Reece Holwell believes his side can still improve despite a 46-point win over a Werribee Centrals side that provided a stern challenge.
Class prevailed at Thomson Recreation Reserve on Saturday as the reigning premiers overran a young Werribee Centrals outfit.
The Centurions had their fair share of the footy but lacked the polish of the home side, as the Tigers tightened the screws after halftime to claim a 15.10 (100) to 7.12 (54) win to improve their record to 2-0.
Jeremy Stacey (four goals) and Jonathon Casey (three) were both outstanding for Thomson, while Matt Baden’s ruck work, in particular his repetitive down-the-throat delivery to playing co-coach Reece Holwell, was something to behold.
The Tigers were simply bigger and stronger, and cleaner up forward, allowing them to convert more proficiently from similar inside-50 numbers.
“We looked at Werribee at the start of the year and knew they were going to be a dangerous side, a momentum side, and if they score a couple of quick goals they can really put the pressure on you on the scoreboard,” Holwell said post-match.
“In patches, that’s what they did today and we looked at them as a tricky side at the start of the year.
“I don’t think we played to our full potential today.
“Werribee were really, really up for the challenge and at the end of the day, to get away with a 46-point win, I’m just happy with that.”
Holwell said his side improved as the game went on after making some adjustments at the main break.
“At the start, the first half we weren’t kicking the ball properly to our forwards, just sitting it on their heads and they were able to roll one or two numbers back and we got out-marked a fair bit there,” he said.
“As the game went on, we were smart enough to lower our eyes a little bit and we looked more dangerous moving forward after that.”
Jackson McLeod (two goals) was put on ice late in the day after copping a head knock that gave him blurred vision, coupled with a corked hip.
The Tigers also had to do without Josh Westwood, who was a late withdrawal from the team due to a tweaked groin. NORTH Geelong’s strong start to the season continued, claiming a four-goal win over Belmont, 15.9 (99) to 11.9 (75), in a game of genuine momentum swings.
The Magpies kicked seven of the first eight goals before the Lions stemmed the bleeding to go into the main break down by 30 points.
A Bayden Maxwell goal to start the third quarter then triggered a flurry of Belmont goals, as the Lions responded with a seven-goal-to-one third term that saw them take a nine-point buffer into the final term.
But the Magpies again found their mojo in the last with six unanswered goals, including two to Mitch Habib that sealed the win.
Habib finished with four to give the Magpies their second win in as many games. BANNOCKBURN held on for the win, but thoughts of Bell Post Hill’s demise might have been premature.
The Tigers held off Bell Post Hill to win by just two points at home, 11.15 (81) to 11.13 (79).
Jason Tom and Jai Robinson snared three goals each for the Tigers and continued to pose a threat in attack, while Caleb Bacely kicked four goals for the Panthers to keep his side in the match.
After copping a hiding from Winchelsea in Round 1, the Panthers came back hard, and nearly pinched the win after being 23 points down at threequarter time, helped by some brilliant work from Beau McNamara.