Inverloch-Kongwak can put its collective feet up for a week and give itself a healthy pat on the back after the Sea Eagles squared away their season with an emphatic 57-point victory over Garfield on Saturday.
A campaign that looked like slipping through its grasp in a real hurry is now back on track after the Sea Eagles overcame a plucky Garfield outfit to record a 13.14(92) to 4.11(35) triumph in the 200th game of club stalwart Clinton McCaughan.
The Sea Eagles won their first outing for the season against Korumburra-Bena, but then endured a rare five-game losing streak against – at the time – the five best teams in the competition.
They fought back superbly, with consecutive wins against Warragul Industrials, Dalyston, Kooweerup and Garfield squaring the ledger at five wins and losses for the year.
The Sea Eagles now have the bye, and will regenerate with returning players to make a healthier push towards this year’s finals series.
McCaughan and his young family led the Sea Eagles through a guard of honour and a 200-game banner, but the youthful Stars were in no mood for a party.
Led by inspirational leader Eddie Morris, the Stars hit the Sea Eagles with everything bar the kitchen sink in the early stages of the contest.
The inspired Sea Eagles hit back hard as expected as the first quarter became a competition to see who could waste their chances more.
Garfield won plenty of the footy but continually let itself down by missing easy targets by hand and by foot.
Skills were part of the problem, but from outside the fence it appeared decision making was a larger part of the issue.
It took the classiest player on the ground – Inverloch’s Nick Baltas – to kick the only goal of the opening stanza and give the visitors a seven-point buffer.
Morris found plenty of room for improvement at quarter time.
“We’re slow to react to what’s going on around us and our mids are not getting back and working between the arcs,” Morris said exasperated.
“We’ve got too many forwards flying for marks; we need to get that sorted.
“Slow it down, don’t panic: Jo Zaccari, you’re giving me exactly what I asked for.”
Unfortunately for Morris the Stars slipped off the pace in the second term, with unanswered goals to Baltas and impressive tall Jo Nowell opening up a 20-point lead for the visitors.
Mitch Johnson answered for the Stars with a solid mark and goal, before Jack Ginane kicked a beautiful banana from the boundary – at the scoreboard end of Garfield – to give the Sea Eagles a 32-point lead at half time.
The Sea Eagles stamped their authority in the third, kicking 5.5 to 0.3, to provide McCaughan with a stress-free run to the finish post in his milestone game.
The crafty left-footer even celebrated with a goal, beginning joyous celebrations for him and his excited teammates.
Defender turned forward Xavier Hughes kicked three goals for the winners, joining Nowell on that number, while Baltas was the class act on the ground and a terrific player on the day.
As good as the Sea Eagles were the Stars were equally as disappointing.
Morris was the standout, his strength at the contest magnificent, while honest types like Will Cole, Josh Evans and Zaccari kept the Sea eagles on their toes.
The Stars are very young and made several changes on the weekend…this is all just part of the growing pains.
While the Sea Eagles sit idle this week, the Stars host Kooweerup in a game they would have circled as winnable.
Phillip Island has improved its season-ranking to fourth after the Bulldogs rode a strong third-quarter performance to a 15.11(101) to 8.8(56) victory over Cora Lynn.
The Bulldogs led by just 13 points at half time, but had the four premiership points secured after a six-goal-to-one third term.
Jay Ladson was terrific up forward with four goals, while Billy Taylor and Max Walton chipped in with two each in the Bulldogs fourth win from five starts.
Nathan Gardiner played a lone hand up forward for the Cobras, who need to turn their form around in a hurry.
Phillip Island makes the long trip to Warragul this week, while Nick Pastras, Jett Edwards, Heath Briggs and Gus Da Costa will take some solid form into the Cobras home clash against Nar Nar Goon.
The Goon produced a workmanlike performance for three quarters before a six-goal final term put the finishing touches on a 17.14(116) to 4.6(30) victory over Kilcunda Bass.
Nar Nar Goon looks unstoppable at the moment; with its amount of scoring options the envy of every other team in the competition.
They had 12 goal-scorers on the weekend, headlined by three to Dermott Yawney and a couple each to Trent Armour, Matt Gentile and Clancy Pope.
Players such as Jacob Keysers and Pope have stepped out of the shadows to become hugely important players for the premiership favourites this year.
It’s merely adding to a list that already has a plethora of depth.
Nate Pipicelli was once again superb for the Goon, while Kyle O’Sullivan and Nick Hillard also had good days out.
And Korumburra-Bena is now a form team of the competition after the Giants scored back-to-back wins with an impressive 16.8(104) to 9.8(62) victory over Dalyston.
The Giants kicked 12 of their 16 goals through the middle stages of the match, with Tom Crocker booting five, Clayton Quaife three and Joel Cuman and Paul Fermanis two each.
Evan Allaway, Josh Hopkins, Tyler Newton and midfielder Matt Borschman were also influential for the Giants, while Dalyston coach Mitch Hallahan was in fine form in front of the big sticks with five goals.
Dalyston heads to a freshened-up Tooradin-Dalmore this week, while the Giants will fancy their chances on a road-trip to Kilcunda-Bass.
