Five straight for Pies
Poowong vs Yarragon
The Magpies won four wooden spoons in the 2010s and now, they’re the ones EDFL clubs are chasing, sitting on top of the ladder with five wins in a row, their best start in years.
While it wasn’t their most polished outing, they did enough to defeat Yarragon 13.14 (92) to 10.5 (65) in a contest that turned a few heads.
It wasn’t the trademark top versus bottom clash many may have expected, with Yarragon able to control the ball with short kicks and pinpoint accuracy up the ground to put pressure on the highly touted Magpies.
Poowong booted the first three goals of the match inside five minutes, but from there, were made to work for the rest.
Yarragon went into halftime down by four goals, but were able to win the second half, kicking five goals to four in positive signs for the young developing side.
Magpies’ coach Chris Doria said the way Yarragon played on Saturday wasn’t indicative of their ladder position this season.
“They didn’t play like a bottom team at all, they were really good. They moved the ball fantastically well and it made Mick and myself speak about their ball movement to our team, that it had to be like theirs,” Doria said.
Despite perfect conditions for football, the Magpies came out flat according to their coach, with their skills not up to scratch against the Panthers.
They used some brilliance from Nick Visser in the second term however, his two quick majors breaking the game open and giving the side some breathing room, while Jack Hazendonk also hit the scoreboard twice and Jake Anderson was dangerous down forward, despite not having his kicking boots on, finishing with 2.6 for the day.
Mitchel Van’t hof was the most consistent player for the Magpies to be named best on ground, with Nick Visser beginning to show his prowess this season now in another terrific performance.
Conor Cunningham was tough to beat in the ruck, while Jake Anderson, Jack Hazendonk and Cody Loughridge also found themselves in the best.
Yarragon’s forward line troubled the depleted Poowong backline, who have had to call up several players from the reserves to fill holes left by injuries which have ravaged the side in the early part of the season.
Coach Brad Wheller said he was proud of the four-quarter effort from his side.
“The effort saw the game taken right up to Poowong, the forward pressure that was lacking in the first three rounds was a highlight as was the effort to run and take the game on,” he said.
Tom Dovaston booted three goals and took some brilliant, contested grabs as did Brayden Hunt who kicked three of his own, with Steve Dillon kicking two for the Panther side.
Ben Damschke was fantastic for Yarragon all afternoon to be named best on ground in a team performance that will only see the side grow in confidence.
Tom Follett was terrific across the ground as was Tom Dovaston who provided a solid target up forward. Jesse Hayhow, Sam Van Der Zalm and Dylan Armour rounded out the best for the team.
Next week Poowong will travel to the new Neerim South Rec Reserve, ready to face a red-hot Neerim on their new deck, something Chris Doria said his team is excited for.
“It’s a big ground, but we are excited. It’s all about getting back to our processes and we know if we do that we can play well,” Doria said.
Yarragon will welcome Lang Lang as they still search for their first win of the season.