General News
15 August, 2024
Gale's pivotal moment in Maroons' win
SOMETIMES a football match can turn on one moment — sometimes, a whole season can. So it was with Calivil when they faced Newbridge last Saturday with a possible finals berth on the line. Just before half-time, Demon Tom Wakefield grabbed the ball...
SOMETIMES a football match can turn on one moment — sometimes, a whole season can. So it was with Calivil when they faced Newbridge last Saturday with a possible finals berth on the line.
Just before half-time, Demon Tom Wakefield grabbed the ball on the outer wing and looked to go forward, with his side leading by two points, but he stopped dead when accidentally hit in the face by an opponent.
Clearly waiting for a free kick which didn’t come, Wakefield was dispossessed, and Newbridge rushed the ball into attack, where co-coach Sam Gale took a strong mark and goaled, giving the Maroons the lead for the first time.
From the subsequent bounce, Newbridge stormed forward again, and Gale swooped on a loose ball, ran into goal and put his side eight points in front.
Thereafter the game fluctuated, with Calivil’s remarkable accuracy keeping it in the match and the top-five hunt, but there was a strong sense that the game was now Newbridge’s to lose.
In the last quarter, which the Maroons entered five points ahead, 9.11 to 10.0, Newbridge’s greater physical strength overwhelmed the Demons, who ran out of legs to lose by 20 points, ending their finals hopes and virtually guaranteeing that the Maroons will finish fifth.
Strong-marking forward Brandon Dimech was one of the Maroons’ best, while Caleb Sanders’ four goals and Gale’s three proved critical in the absence of full-forward Chris Dixon. Speedy Calivil winger Rhys Lourie was clearly best afield in the first quarter and ran his heart out all day, Ben Baker kicked four goals, captain Sam Green was solid in defence and Jacob Mulquiny was also among the best.
Newbridge only has to beat winless Mitiamo in the final round to finish fifth, but the top four teams are a world ahead of the rest in the Loddon Valley.
Top team Marong sat out the round, but second-placed Bears Lagoon Serpentine boosted its percentage with a 175-point win over Maiden Gully, with Doolan Nihill’s seven goals a standout among 12 goalkickers as the Bears continued to flourish without injured spearhead Josh Mellington.
Pyramid Hill beat a disappointing Inglewood by 135 points, with Ben Knight and Brodie Carroll best for the winners, while Lachlan Sharp roared back into form with 14 goals as Bridgewater swept aside Mitiamo by 117 points.
Pyramid Hill is all but certain to leapfrog Serp into second in the final round. The Bulldogs face Maiden Gully, while Serpentine has the bye, so percentage should see Pyramid Hill win the double chance.