Tigers’ Hard Work Pays Off
coburgtigers.com.au
Grant Scott
Round 7
Coburg Tigers 5.4 9.9 14.12 20.17 (137)
North Ballarat 4.2 5.4 7.6 9.7 (61)
They say the sign of a good side is the ability to rebound from a loss. If that’s the case then the Coburg Tigers went a long way towards proving that they might just be that, rebounding from last week’s loss to Williamstown by comprehensively beating 4th placed North Ballarat at City Oval this week. The ‘twin tower’ approach in the forward line of senior Richmond players Greg Stafford and Cleve Hughes proved a handfull for the Roosters, the two dominating the air and kicking four goals each to provide the platform for a very sound seventy six point Burger win.
Despite the first goal of the match coming from the Roosters’ Nathan Saunders, the Burgers quickly responded with goals from Hughes and Mark Chaffey. Another swinging left footer from Chaffey just scraping through the goals at the grand stand end, and the Burgers had slipped away to a thirteen point lead.
The Roosters hit back hard with three straight goals to take a four point lead at the sixteen minute mark, but further Burger goals to Stafford and one from weekly goal sneak Vinnie Randello saw the Burgers enter the first quarter break with an eight point lead. ‘One percenters’ and an ability to get first purchase at ground level was to be an attribute the Burgers would display all day, Eric Kuret, Matthew White, Paul Shelton and Jeremy Humm leading the way.
The second quarter would be a dominant one for the Burgers, a sharp pass from Jonno Mullins to Stafford seconds after the first bounce creating the first goal of the quarter and Stafford’s third for the match. A battle of defensive wills ensued before the Burgers scored their second of the quarter thanks to a smart off the ground goal from Randello, who would eventually end up with three for the day. An across the body snap by White at the seventeen minute mark scored the Burgers’ third, and a fourth would come from Cam ‘House’ Howat after some sharp movement out of the backline.
Solid shut down and rebounding work across half back from both Luke McGuane and Sam Robertson would help the Burgers to a four goal to one quarter, and a twenty nine point lead at half time.
The third quarter would be a continuation of the Burgers’ authority with White, Humm, Chaffey and Kuret controlling matters at ground level, McGuane dictating terms to Kangaroos listed veteran Sav Rocca at full back, and Mullins and Stafford causing problems in the forward line. The Burgers would round off their hard work by kicking five goals to two and establish a match winning forty eight point lead at the three quarter time interval.
The last quarter would prove to be an extension of proceedings, Richmond fans no doubt excited by what would prove to be the “Cleve Hughes Show”, three goals and a number of marks coming from the talented first round AFL Draftee.
With McGuane continuing to provide attack off the half back line and with White, Chaffey, Humm and Cam ‘House’ Howat offering a powerful engine in the heavy traffic, the Burgers would ensure the match eventually becoming a seventy six point whitewash of the Roosters.
This week’s win lifts the Burgers back up to third place on the TRUenergy VFL ladder, just one game and percentage out of the coveted top spot.
Congratulations also go to the Coburg reserves this week after their sixteen point win - also moving up the ladder to be just percentage outside of the five.
Next week provides a bye for the Coburg seniors, the reserves playing against the Northern Bullants at AMF Oval in Preston at 11.10 am on Sunday.
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