Gippsland Power girls held their nerve late to record their second win of the Coates League season.
Not until medium forward Sophie Scalzo kicked the last goal of the game with four minutes remaining was the margin more than a goal in the Power’s 4.6 30 to 2.7 19 win.
Gippsland kicked the only two goals of the last quarter, a week after conceding four goals in the last to cough up a 24-point three-quarter-time lead.
The Power did well to hold GWV at bay in the first quarter when the visitors had all the momentum at Shepley Oval.
GWV defenders played in front, and the forwards looked dangerous but Gippsland’s pressure remained strong.
“They had a lot of good entries and we were able to stay in the fight,” said coach Nathan Boyd.
“We didn’t tap out if things went against us.
“They stayed accountable and gritty and got the ball out.
“I have confidence now and faith that they can reload and rebound.”
Two late contested intercept marks for Ash Centra capped off a terrific outing for the bottom-aged Gippslander in defence where she had 33 disposals and nine marks.
“She came today and was really focused and energised,” Boyd said.
“She had a great pre-game and we have seen her really embrace that defender’s role.
“As an interceptor, she just didn’t look like she was going to drop them and when it did hit the ground, she was so dangerous as well, so she had a really complete game.”
If it wasn’t her winning the footy, it was their best 2007-born talent, Ella Stoddart who continued her strong form, and 2005-born Amber Schutte had 20 touches, hit her targets well and stepped through traffic nicely.
Vic Country aspirant Ahlee Penry did her chances no harm with 18 touches while Alisha Molesworth also played well on the ball.
Sunday was the first time Gippsland got an opposition they had already played, with the first meeting between the teams seeing GWV win by 50 points.
The 61-point turnaround from that result was a measuring stick for the growth of a region which has strong 2007-born talent, which was playing futures footy prior to the community break.
Gippsland’s boys were also far too strong for GWV, winning by 49 points.
Outside of a blip in the third quarter, the Power was a class above.
Gun Zane Duursma showed his class kicking four goals as he also spent some time in the midfield, while Drouin local and skipper Seb Amoroso spent time inside 50 and kicked a goal.
Liam Mentha played his first game for the Power after representing the Northern Territory Academy in the first month of the Talent League and coming from a basketball and boxing background.
An Alice Springs boy who has moved down to Warragul and goes to school at Lowanna College with his Dad, he zigged and zagged his way to a goal and played a dynamic game on the wing.
Vic Country’s Lachie Smith, meanwhile, played his most assertive game of the season in the ruck, finishing with a game-high 21 hitouts, to go with three goals.
“I was really impressed with Lachie’s game today,” boys coach Rhett McLennan said.
“He’s been building, we watch Lachie every week and he has some really good elite moments and some funny fundamental moments as happens with big guys, but he had lots of elite moments today.
“It’s off the back of him acting his size, he’s a big brute of a man and he showed that today.”
Dandenong’s boys got a 30-point win over Bendigo.
The Rays got out to 21 points in front midway through the second quarter and maintained that ascendancy for the rest of the game.
Harry Doughton continues to impress, kicking a game-high three goals from five scoring shots to go with a game-high 10 tackles.
Kobe Shipp finished with 26 touches and is hitting form at the right time ahead of the national championships, as are Billy Wilson and Kade De La Rue who each had another strong game.
After going off injured last week, skipper Cooper Simpson missed the match.
The Rays’ girls, meanwhile, were far too strong for Bendigo, winning 17.25 127 to 3.2 20.
Meg Robertson made a statement with 33 disposals and two goals, which she will look to carry over into next week at the Vic Country trials.
Bottom-ager Jemma Reynolds combined three goals with 17 touches, while power forward Sophie Butterworth kicked 3.3 from 12 touches.
