Inverleigh has kept alive its flickering finals hopes with what coach Chris Moore has described as the club’s best win since the 2023 grand final after beating Bell Post Hill by 45 points at Myers Reserve.
Leading by four points at three-quarter time, the Hawks, sparked by teenage star Sam Cations, slammed on nine goals to two in a final term that dreams are made of to claim a 19.12 (126) to 11.15 (81).
“We weren’t playing good footy, we weren’t travelling well, we had some honest conversations with each other during the week, and it was good to finally put it all together,” Moore said.
“We thought that we were playing a brand of footy that probably didn’t suit us.
“So we just stripped it all back today; just went one-on-one across the ground, and it was about beating your opponent, and we did.”
Playing his first senior game since Round 2, and just the eighth of his fledgling career, Cations was recalled from the under-18s on Thursday night.”
“We think Sammy will be a big part of Inverleigh’s future in years to come,” Moore said.
“We’re aware that it’s his last year of under-18 footy, so we wanted to let him play with his mates.”
“However, we just thought conditions today would suit him.”
“I didn’t expect him to kick six, but it wasn’t just that. It was also his pressure and overall effort.
Moore also praised the efforts of vice-captain Jarrod Love, fellow midfielder Boe Collins against his former club, and stand-in ruck Brayden Warren against Panthers duo Brock Carter and Renn Lovitt.
“For Brayden to take on the ruck duties against two really experienced and big ruckmen on that ground, he was fantastic,” Moore said.
“He got a chop out for a couple of minutes a quarter.
“Unfortunately, Dan Grozdanovski is just too undersized to be able to go up against two monsters, so Braden had to do the majority of the day.”
Inverleigh remains in eighth spot following the win, but only a game behind fifth-placed East Geelong, who the Hawks face in a crucial clash next week.
“One of the conversations we had during the week was that it’s our job to go out there and win games of footy and put the best performance that we can,” Moore said.
“And I thought that last week against Belmont, we didn’t do that, and I think a few of us were embarrassed by not the score, but the effort that we put in.
“If we can continue to put today’s effort in, we’ll keep pushing and, hopefully, if we can, pinch a spot in the five.”
In a further boost for Inverleigh, the talented Casey Meehan got through his second appearance in the reserves since returning from injury and will come under consideration for a spot in the seniors against the Eagles.”
“We’ll monitor him during the week, and we’ll see what happens,” Moore said.
For Bell Post Hill, which is now outside the top five on percentage, Josh Norman kicked three goals, while reigning Whitley medallist Jack Yates again led from the front.
The Panthers should return to the winners’ list when they travel down the hill to take on Corio next week.
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