Newcomb coach Tony Mirabella says Saturday’s loss to perennial Bellarine premiership contenders Torquay is a reminder of what level the Power need to reach if their finals stay is to be an extended one.
Despite being kept to its lowest score of the season in suffering a 43-point loss, Newcomb has finished the home-and-away season inside the top five for the first time in 19 years.
“A few people asked me this week, ‘Will Torquay take the foot off a little bit and rest a few?’,” Mirabella said.
“I was watching before the game to see who might be a late change, and no, they went with a very strong team and played an amazing brand of footy, and it’s exactly what we needed.
“It’s just a little reminder of what we need to produce if we’re going to win a couple of finals.”
Mirabella admitted to a few concerns during the first half when Anglesea, which could have snatched fifth spot off Newcomb if it had beaten Modewarre, raced to a big lead early.
“Someone behind the fence made quite a loud comment about Anglesea being 40-odd points up,” he said.
“I had actually told the coaches that I didn’t want to be looking at scores, and I can’t sit here and say I wasn’t a little bit nervous about the way things were panning out.”
However, the Warriors were able to do the right thing by Newcomb by ending the Roos’ premiership defence, which Mirabella says provided some awkward moments in the Power rooms post-match.
“Because we are going into finals for the first time in 19 years, we need to appreciate the support and the volunteers and the community that were there for us,” he said.
“We had a bit of a cheer in there, and the players sat there awkwardly while that happened.
“I think it says a lot about where we’re at as a team that we just expect so much of ourselves.
“And I’m really proud of the disappointment because they’ll turn that into a great performance next Sunday.”
Barwon Heads will be Newcomb’s first finals opponent since the 2007 grand final.
The Power had the better of the Seagulls by a triple-figure margin in Round 19, but Mirabella is fully aware that scoreline won’t repeat itself.
“I think that the players are probably in a place where they know that a team can turn things around, as we have done a couple of times this season,” Mirabella said.
“We won’t be taking Barwon Heads lightly.
“And last week’s result really is a grain of salt right now, considering that finals footy can dish up anything.”
Defensive enforcer Andrew Pepper will return after being held back due to calf soreness, while Harry Fraser successfully negotiated an appearance in the reserves, having not played since injuring his knee in Round 13.
Newcomb had no multiple goalkickers, with late-season revelation Tom Webster and wily veteran Jack Duke limited to one goal apiece.
For Torquay, which will meet Geelong Amateur in Saturday’s qualifying final, Banjo Dyer and Tynan Smith kicked three goals apiece, with Weylin Doyle, Nathan Mifsud and Matt Boag standouts.
Playing co-coach Sam Lloyd has become the first player in more than a decade to kick a century of goals in a Bellarine season after slamming home 13 majors as Geelong Amateur wound up its home-and-away season with a 79-point win over Surf Coast at Summertime Pools Oval.
Lloyd entered the contest with 87 goals and brought up the milestone during the third quarter after receiving a handball from teammate Jai Sheahan.
It was his last major of the contest, which the Pegs won 25.11 (161) to 12.10 (82) ahead of their qualifying final clash with Torquay.
Suns veteran Luke Cartelli kicked six goals.
Barwon Heads (4th, 10-8) ensured its elimination final spot in beating Ocean Grove (10th, 3-15) by 32 points at Steeline Ray Menzies Oval to maintain its recent Battle of the Bridge dominance.
The Seagulls, who were coming off three consecutive losses, did enough during the middle stages of the contest to see off the Grubbers, 14.16 (100) to 10.8 (68).
Jack Henderson was the standout in front of goal for Barwon Heads, finishing with five goals, while Mitch Jensen contributed four.
For Ocean Grove, who farewelled co-coaches Dave Farrell and Nick Bourke, Lorne Waldron capped an impressive first season at the club with four goals, taking his season tally to 38.
Minor premier Queenscliff didn’t have it all their own way in beating Portarlington by 18 points at Portarlington Recreation Reserve.
The Coutas, who will return to the venue on September 5 for a second semi-final meeting with either Geelong Amateur or Torquay, made a fast start, using the breeze to kick six goals in the opening term to storm to a 41-point advantage.
However, the Demons fought back in the second quarter, kicking six goals of their own to cut the margin to nine points.
Portarlington twice got to within a goal of Queenscliff during the third quarter, and when coach Sam Scott kicked a behind early in the final term to make the deficit five points, the home team was eyeing an upset.
However, the Coutas kicked three of the last four goals of the contest to claim a 14.14 (98) to 11.14 (80) victory – their 16th of the season.
In just his second appearance of the season, Max Annandale again kicked four goals.
Modewarre (9th, 6-12) has ended a mixed campaign in style, ending the premiership defence of Anglesea (6th, 8-10) with a 15-point win at Ellimatta Reserve.
The Roos started all guns blazing, jumping to a 35-point lead at quarter time on the back of an eight goals to two opening term to put them in a position to snatch fifth spot off Newcomb.
The Warriors still trailed by 29 points at halftime, before a 5.5 to 1.5 third quarter cut the deficit to five points at three-quarter time.
The visitors maintained that momentum into the final term, kicking six goals to two, to claim a 16.14 (110) to 13.17 (95) result.
Connor Joseph and Scott Morter kicked five goals apiece for Modewarre.
Ayden Gras finished with six majors for the Roos.
Drysdale (8th, 8-10) had the bye.
