LALOR, VIC. — Laurimar led at every change on the way to a 52-point win over Mernda in the first Qualifying Final at Lalor Reserve to kick off the Northern Football Netball League’s Division 3 finals series.
It was a slow start to the game. The Demons were doing most of the attacking early. But a combination of long-range shots and wide-out passes led to a score of 0.4 in the early going.
LAURIMAR: 3.3 9.6 13.10 16.15 (111)
GOALS: Patrick Fitzgerald 4, Tyler Thomas 3, Ethan Bateman 2, Cooper Fitzpatrick 2, Matt Keys 2, Joel Lawson 2, Jai Langford.
BEST: Tyler Thomas, Cameron Maloney, Rylan Herrick, Cooper Cusinato, Joshua Campbell, Bailey Macleod.
MERNDA: 1.5 5.5 7.8 8.11 (59)
GOALS: Matthew Bawden 2, Jett Philips 2, James Sekulovski 2, Zach Ciacia, Christian Evans.
BEST: Jacob Russell, Declan Felle, Dayne Kellett, Justin Spadorcia, Zach Ciacia, Lachlan Taylor.
It should be noted that one of the behinds resulted from a Laurimar defender’s errant kick while attempting to switch the play. In something rarely seen on a footy field, his kick split the middle, which, of course, registers as a behind to the opposition.
The Power scored a goal through Tyler Thomas, the only major for the first 20 minutes of the contest. Then his teammate Ethan Bateman marked at fifty directly in front. His long kick just had enough on it to cross the line. Matt Keys kicked another from close range to send Laurimar to quarter time with a 10-point buffer.
Mernda should have been a little closer and wasted some chances. Laurimar coach Jimmy Atkins was urging his players at the break to be cleaner and a little more direct. With Patrick Fitzgerald as the spearhead, it seemed like a good plan.
Fitzgerald stepped up and kicked three goals in the second term. Surprisingly, though, only one of these came from a set shot. The highlight of the second term came when his teammate Cooper Fitzpatrick slotted a goal from the boundary near the fifty-metre line.
A late goal to Christian “Billy” Evans reduced the deficit to 25 points at the main break. It left his team with a difficult task to mount a comeback.
In a similar vein to the first term, Mernda looked the better side for the first part of the second half. Despite Matt Keys booting his second goal to begin proceedings, the Demons dominated for a period of time.
They slotted majors courtesy of James Sekulovski and Jett Phillips and their intensity, pressure and effort were exemplary.
But a missed set shot led to the ball being transferred down the other end and Cooper Fitzpatrick snapped one for the Power against the run of play. Late goals to Joel Lawson and Jai Langford gave Laurimar a seemingly unassailable 38-point margin at three-quarter time.
The seconds prior to the break were memorable. Mernda had been attempting to move the ball forward but, as had occurred several times during the afternoon, the Power were able to hurt them on turnover.
The ball was kicked into the forward fifty where Fitzgerald was all alone with not an opponent in sight. A certain goal beckoned, but the siren blew and he was about to pick up the ball.
Mernda coach Brent Marshall told his team that their effort had been good, to pressure the ball carrier and go direct.
Matthew Bawden had been the most dangerous forward for the Demons and soon had his second. He probably should have slotted one or two more on the day. But it was to be the only goal for the quarter by his team. The Power slammed on three more to cruise to a comfortable win.
Fitzgerald kicked four majors on the day, and it could have been more as Declan Felle managed to affect several key spoils throughout the afternoon. Ethan Bateman kicked two as well as sharing the ruck duties with Josh Leather. Joel Lawson was another to kick two goals for Laurimar and Stephen McCallum came back into the side and was industrious in the midfield.
“It was good to tick the first box with a win, and now we look forward to next week,” said Laurimar coach Jimmy Atkins. He loved the work of small forward Tyler Thomas, who slotted three majors and also excelled as a pressure forward.
Thomas won the NFNL’s under 19 best and fairest last year. He has exceeded the expectations of many in playing every game this season.
He also paid tribute to the defence, led by Cameron Maloney, Rylan Herrick and Cooper Cusinato. They worked together to regularly force the Demons wide coming inside forward fifty.
While things weren’t as bright in the other rooms, Mernda coach Brent Marshall knows his team live to fight another day. “A lack of consistency cost us,” he said.
He praised the efforts of Jacob Russell, who had played his entire season to date in the reserves. He stepped up to be the main ruckman and allowed Declan Felle to mind Patrick Fitzgerald. Lachlan Taylor was also an inclusion and gave Russell a chop out in the ruck.
Marshall also appreciated the efforts of Declan Felle, Lachlan Taylor and Billy Evans who played centre and forward.
The Demons play the winner of Watsonia versus Heidelberg West next weekend at the same venue. Laurimar will take on Ivanhoe at Lalor Reserve on Saturday. Both teams appeared to have come out of the game relatively unscathed.
