Catani blow open premiership race
Ellinbank and District football pundits and spectators would have been forgiven for thinking the undefeated Neerim-Neerim South were leading a one-horse race for the premiership.
Having brushed aside their opponents with relative ease to date, the Cats were inflicted their first loss of the EDFL season by a resurgent Catani outfit that has blown the race wide open.
The Blues were always going to be a far better prospect than when they fronted up for a loss of about 140 points at Neerim South earlier in the season.
That remains their only loss for the season, the Blues primed to show what they were capable of on their home deck and coming away with the points.
If the Blues hadn’t already announced themselves as a chance following their recent win over Ellinbank, where they also charged home, they most certainly have announced themselves as a contender now.
The desperation in the final quarter was on show as the Blues charged in at each and every contest. They wanted it, and they got it, booting the final five goals of the game to sink the Cats, 12-4 (76) to 9-8 (62).
Following a tight opening half that emanated a typical final, the Cats worked out to a 17-point lead at three-quarter-time which had football followers wondering, perhaps the Cats are just too strong after all.
But the Blues weren’t done with, Catani coach Paul Alger offering plenty of encouragement to his charges at the final break.
“The game is still there to be won if we can get a roll on,” he said.
And get a roll on they did. The first goal of the term was always going to be important and it was the Blues who converted first, Antonio Benvenuto linking up with Paul Pattison to find Owen Fitzpatrick.
James Alexander set the Blues up for a long goal and the game was well and truly back on. The Blues went forward again but a hacked kick from mid-air deep in attack missed.
Pattison sent the Blues forward again, looking for Fitzpatrick, who couldn’t quite complete the mark but his follow up effort underlined how desperate the Blues were to obtain the result. He chased and caught his Neerim South defender to win a free kick and convert his 10th, putting the Blues in front.
Fitzpatrick had been a tower of strength and troubled the Cats when found one out, finishing the match with five majors.
A reversed free kick gave the Cats a chance to get back the lead, but coach Allan Chandler missed. It would be the only Cats score for the term as the Blues charged home.
Pattison launched another attack. The long ball was rushed, but pressure as the Cats attempted to clear allowed Nathaniel Rodda to set up a long goal as the Blues extended the lead.
Pattison was in the thick of it again soon after, finding space over the back to run into an open goal and put an exclamation mark on a barnstorming finish.
Earlier, the two sides played out a tight tussle.
Hayden Lownds converted the first goal from a free kick, but the Cats were quick to respond with a Calum Shiels spoil setting up Chris Urie for a running goal.
A free kick to Thomas Metselaar saw him combine with Tyssen Morrow, who found Chris Urie at the back for his second goal.
Another well-timed spoil from Shiels set the Cats on another attack, with Chandler finding Morrow over the back for the Cats third.
Just as the Cats looked like getting a run on, Rodda went long to find Fitzpatrick one out to cut the quarter time margin to seven points.
Having been pleased with restricting the Cats after themselves kicking into a slight breeze, the Blues were quick to equalise in the second term with a running goal.
Benvenuto and James Williams combined to send the Blues deep, with Mitchell Davey finding a diving Wade Haysom with a centred snap.
Nicholas Visser and Haysom combined to send the Blues into attack once more, where James Williams kept the ball alive and converted a clever checkside goal.
The Blues took the advantage and found Fitzpatrick for a strong mark as they extended their lead.
The Cats were always going to hit back, and scored on the rebound with Kody Wilson running past to help himself to the goal.
Chandler marked on the lead and a push for his troubles put the score beyond doubt as the Cats closed the margin to just five points at the main break.
A Wilson snap from the pocked early in the third term soon had the match back on even terms.
That was followed by a checkside goal, and another from a mark and quick play on as the Cats extended their lead.
A Neerim-Neerim South player went down and despite getting back to his feet with the assistance of trainers, coach Chandler yelled from the bench for them to call a stretcher, much to the chagrin of his Catani counterpart Paul Alger.
It was a deliberate ploy to halt the Blues’ advantage of the extra player and Alger was not happy. A long goal to Wilson, who had taken the advantage from high contact, only added to Alger’s frustrations.
A clearance allowed the Blues to go forward and score against the run of play, with Fitzpatrick pushing off his opponent with ease.
Still the Blues faced a 17-point deficit at the final change, but the doubters were proved wrong with a barnstorming finish paving the way for an inspirational Blues victory.