Chance to consolidate let slip by Warragul
The fluctuating form by Warragul continued at Wonthaggi on Saturday as the Gulls failed to grab a chance to hold and consolidate its place in the “five”.
They are one of three teams between 5th and 7th place on three wins but have the lowest percentage.
Wonthaggi’s pressure across the ground and the mistakes it brought from Warragul was a key to the 12-6 to 7-8 result.
With last year’s captain Chris Carey returning from Port Melbourne for his second game this season and second-gamer Jake Horstman dominant in the ruck the Gulls held a strong advantage in the clearances count.
But that’s where their ascendancy stopped.
Warragul certainly had a battle in front of it after being out played in the second quarter to trail by 32 points at half time.
The problems were compounded when vicecaptain Sam Russell, a solid defender all year, was forced from the ground with what could be a serious knee injury during the second term.
Matt Rennie injured a shoulder but returned to the game.
The Gulls did show some fight.
They clawed their way back into the contest kicking four goals to one to be within reach, just 14 points down, when the three-quarter time siren sounded.
The challenge continued briefly in the last quarter, misses with a couple of gettable shots on goals stalling the momentum.
Wonthaggi recovered the poise and commitment that had put it in a match-winning position to steady and then run away with the game.
Classy Power defenders Shannon Bray and Byron Dryden were stumbling blocks for Warragul all game, Dryden’s run and linking initiating many attacks.
The Power forwards, although not tall overall, were also a bit too sharp and slick for the Warragul defence.
Despite the Gulls wins around the clearances Wonthaggi didn’t apply tags to Brad Scalzo and Nathan Paredes.
Paredes was a solid contributor all game and Scalzo was excellent in the second half after an unusually quiet start.
Nic Mulqueen was also good throughout as was Carey, Horstman, Dylan Proctor and Leigh Sheehan.
There were seven single goalkickers – Paredes, Brayden Fowler, Rennie, Sheehan, Ambu Uliando, Scalzo and Jedd Serong.
Warragul has had some good wins this year, the best of them when all players did their bits.
It has been exposed when some drop off.
Injuries have certainly not helped establish a settled line-up.
But it is an issue that needs to be addressed if the Gulls are to continue to push towards grabbing a place in the finals.
They have a good chance to get another important four premiership points when they take on winless Drouin at Western Park on Sunday in what will be a welcome return to home base after travelling away for four of the past five matches.