Working on a winning formula
Rupanyup enters the 2022 finals series at the leading edge of a three-way battle for premiership favouritism. The Panthers finished the interrupted 2021 season second to Noradjuha-quantong, a remarkable improvement since their finals-missed PRE-COVID-19 season of 2019. Gathering players and improving their list has paid off and the side appears settled heading into its first finals series in some time. But the Panthers were not always in this position, especially during the first third of the season. While they were dismissive of less-competitive opposition and did what was needed to seal the four points against the bottom third of the ladder, their early form was mixed against the district’s better sides. A loss against hard-nosed Kalkee, the trailing edge of the league’s top-three premiership charges, in round three, and scraping two- and 11-point wins against Jeparit-rainbow in round one and Swifts in round four, were proof of the Panthers’ good, but perhaps underwhelming form. That is not the case on the eve of this Saturday. The Panthers, now minor premiers and a game clear of the Kees and Harrow-balmoral, have been on-song since they romped past Pimpinio, Taylors Lake and Kanivaleeor United from rounds five to seven. Wins against early ladder leaders Harrow-balmoral stand out among their best. The first, a six-goal defeat of the admittedly injury-hit Southern Roos in round nine, as well as a closer, but still successful, two-goal victory against the white and blue in round 14. Some straight kicking that Saturday would have made the
final margin more absolute, the Panthers kicking a lowly 12 goals, 15 behinds compared with Southern Roos’ 12 goal, three behind accuracy. Powerful midfielder Jack Kreuzberg has led Rupanyup consistently through the guts this season and Minyip-murtoa recruit and co-playing-coach Brayden Ison has stabilised the Panthers with his experience.
Jack Musgrove has been a force in front of the sticks, putting away 71 majors, including three hauls of seven, one of nine and another of 11.
Sides hoping to knock the Panthers off their perch early in this series will need to limit his damage or better yet, limit his opportunities with pressure at the source.
Ison spoke to The Weekly Advertiser before round one and emphasised his midfield would be one of the league’s best in 2022, and it was a solid projection as it turns out.
He said: “Our midfield is really strong and that matches our strength at the ends of the ground. We want to be attacking this year and not die wondering.”
Having come across from Minyip-murtoa at the end of last season, the reigning Wimmera Football Netball League leading goalkicker and Burras premiership player was a handy pick-up for the Panthers, whose leadership must have known they were on the verge of something special.
Can Ison go from premiership player to premiership coach? He said because the Panthers got themselves in a position to challenge for a preliminary final last season, they would know how important a top-two finish was for any team to make a proper finals challenge
Well, the Panthers did finish top two and are now minor premiers to boot.
Ison had said his motivation was to lead the best ‘teamfootball’ side in the league, and added ‘no individuals, no grandstanding’. As good advice as any – but we will know the real result in a few weeks. A Panthers premiership would make fair reward for a brilliant season.