Drouin makes it three in row
Drouin made it a running treble of wins to close out its season when it eventually wore down Wonthaggi in a hard-fought contest in balmy conditions at Drouin on Saturday.
There might not have been a place in the finals at stake but both sides played with the intensity of as if there was.
It took Drouin took until well into the last quarter to seal the win.
The Hawks kicked 67 to 3-2 in the final term to run out 26point winners, 13-17 to 10-9.
At times in the first three quarters Wonthaggi got out to leads of around two goals and looked as if it might break away. Drouin’s resilience and determination that has been a feature of its play over the past five to six weeks came to the fore again.
There were no easy kicks, a lot of packs and plenty of full blooded tackles.
Power was showing similar determination to the Hawks, two goals in two minutes midway through the final quarter reducing the gap to seven points after goals to Jordan Kingi, Jeb McLeod, Eddie Morris and Tom Barr in the first eight minutes had opened a more than handy break for Drouin.
A run of seven behinds kept Wonthaggi at arm’s length before a couple of late goals to the Hawks pushed the final margin out to 26 points.
There were many important contributors to Drouin’s win.
On-baller Eddie Morris has had terrific season but his game on Saturday might well have been the best of the lot, capped off by three crucial goals.
Two of them in two minutes late in the second quarter got the Hawks back to within one point at the long break.
Bob McCallum was dominant in the ruck and around the ground and the defensive group made another big contribution to a win.
James McKellar was inspirational with some of his smothering, attacks on contests and tackling.
He and fellow backmen Wayne Morris, Liam Anderson, Joe Collins, David Miller, Clayton Kingi and Brendan Gower have been key elements in the Hawks’ much improved late season form.
But the credit can go right down the team sheet.
Tom Barr on a wing, Jeb McLeod, Liam Axford, Michael Laszczyk and David Olsen have all led by example.
The side is also finding more ways to score.
On Saturday Morris got three goals when resting forward, Barr, Olsen and Josh Seri kicked two each and David Miller, McLeod, Jordan Kingi and Jamie Ferguson chipped in with single goals.
RESERVES Drouin’s reserves were unable to finish their season with another win.
A scoreless third quarter put the game out of their reach losing at the end 10-8 to 6-6.
Damien Allison, Will Bryce, Luke Ferguson, Brad Glover, Simon Gardiner and Tyson Buckingham were better players for the Hawks with the goal coming from Austen Haymes (two), Brendan Clark, Tyler Dodge-Bunn, Rhys Fairlie and Brad Glover.
FOURTHS The Hawks’ fourths had a tough end of season assignment against equal ladder leader Wonthaggi and, although the scores blew out a bit towards the end, put in a more than commendable performance.
Power won 18-15 to 5-2.
Best for Drouin were Lachlan Jagoe, Trent Kearney, Jahmain Harrison, Jack Fraser, Dallon Jeffrey-Molan and Thomas Evans.
The goalkickers were Evans (two), Kaleb Hermansen, Kearney and Harley Nicklin.