Anglesea coach Jordan Keras has revealed he wasn’t concerned when his team found themselves facing a deficit heading into half-time of Saturday’s clash with Barwon Heads.
Trailing by nine points as the players headed to the sheds after cutting the margin from 13 at quarter time, Keras was content with the Roos’ position despite some first-half inaccuracy.
That level of confidence proved to be on the mark when the home team produced arguably its most crucial quarter of the season, kicking five goals to one to build a 16-point buffer at the final change.
Consecutive goals to Anglesea Simon Umbers and Will Batson as the final term approached its half-way mark pushed the margin to 30 points, with the final score landing at 12.15 (87) to 9.11 (65).
“This year’s been just a really typical pattern for us, where we’ve had more inside 50s, we’ve owned more territory for big parts of games, and we just have not been able to put it on the scoreboard, and we’re kicking a lot of points early in games,” Keras said.
“We rely a lot on our pressure and our fitness, as we’ve spoken about for the last couple of years, and we knew at a game like yesterday that it’s which team battles it out for longer.
“We were pretty confident that we were going to have their measure in that area.”
Last year’s grand finalists replaced Barwon Heads inside the top five with the win, which also kept Keras’ men in double chance calculations following losses by Drysdale and Queenscliff.
However, Keras has played down Anglesea’s chase for a top-three finish, as it prepares for Modewarre, Newcomb and Queenscliff to round out the home-and-away season.
“Top three is probably a big ask for us now,” Keras conceded.
“It’s funny, I saw an article where Mark (Hovey, Modewarre coach) said he didn’t feel like they’d played much differently than last year, but they were outside the five.
“We feel a little bit similar. We had some games last year that we dropped, and then we found ourselves in the top three at the end of the year.
“We’ll just focus on week by week for now, as cliché as that is, and we hope to come into a final series winning five on the trot.
“That’s our goal. If we can do that, it will give us some good confidence leading into a finals campaign, which is a wide-open race, as I’m sure everybody is feeling.”
Defender Ryan Baker and Jai Anderson, who played a negating role on star Barwon Heads backman Kyle Polley, were crucial to the final result.
“He stopped his aerial presence,” Keras said.
“Jai’s the best. He’s a workhorse, and I think every team has those players who just need to play roles.
“He played his role and a bit more yesterday. It was really pleasing.”
Forward Ayden Gras kicked four goals to take his season tally to 58, with Declan Everett, Dale Kerr, and the returning Simon Umbers each contributing two majors.
For Barwon Heads, Tom Baker managed four goals, with Polley and Damian McMahon named in their best.
The Seagulls next face Newcomb, needing a win to maintain touch with the top five.
Ocean Grove has sent veteran defender Glenn Campbell into retirement the right way, beating Newcomb in a thriller by four points at Ray Menzies Oval.
After 100 games for the Grubbers, the man affectionately known as ‘Funky’ announced before the 9.12 (66) to 9.8 (62) victory he would be hanging up the boots.
However, the loss came at a cost, with co-coach Nick Bourke’s injury-impacted season likely over after suffering a broken finger early in the contest.
The Grubbers also lost Ben Bennett in the first quarter to an ankle injury.
Veteran Jye Walker and Mitch Ward each kicked three goals for the winners.
Missing Jack Duke due to suspension, Joe Clarke and Ollie Marshall finished with two majors for the Power.
Torquay has a mortgage on a qualifying final berth after keeping Drysdale to just three goals in a 37-point win at McCartney Oval.
The Tigers’ 8.12 (60) to 3.5 (23) victory has given them a two-game and significant percentage lead over the Hawks and Queenscliff, with three rounds remaining.
Recruit Ollie Tate was outstanding in the trying conditions, with Tynan Smith, who has proved a handy addition in recent weeks, contributing three goals.
Lachie Nelis, who was one of three individual goalkickers for Drysdale, was named the visitor’s best.
Modewarre has beaten Queenscliff for the second time in 2025, winning a low-scoring scrap at Queenscliff Recreation Reserve by nine points.
The Warriors’ 6.10 (46) to 5.7 (37) victory keeps alive hopes it can farewell outgoing coach Mark Hovey with a finals appearance, staying two games outside the top five with three matches to play.
Big man Zack May and midfielder Matty McKim revelled in the conditions for Modewarre.
The Coutas best were Kai Keenan and captain Caleb Whitley.
Geelong Amateur conceded the first two goals but then only two more for the contest as it handed Portarlington a 130-point hiding at Queens Park.
The 25.15 (165) to 4.11 (35) victory, which all but guarantees the Pegs the minor premiership, included five-goal hauls for Mitch Day and Nick Maishman.
Ruck Scott Greenhough, who would be a warm favourite for the Demons’ best-and-fairest, was the standout for the visitors.
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