Bell Park coach James Saker has hailed his team’s perseverance after claiming a vital win over a fellow finals contender, beating Leopold by 54 points.
Leading by 13 points following a first-half arm wrestle, the Jack Sarcevic-inspired Dragons produced an impressive third-quarter burst that ensured the Dragons would leave Memorial Park with the four points for the first time since 2017.
With Sarcevic kicking three of his six goals and late inclusion Zach Lamb contributing two majors, Bell Park kicked seven goals to the two-time reigning premiers’ one to take an insurmountable 49-point lead into three-quarter time.
The accurate Dragons kicked a further four goals in the final term to claim a 16.6 (102) to 7.6 (48).
“We knew it was going to be very contested,” Saker told K rock Football’s GFNL Match of the Day coverage.
“We set ourselves for that, and I think our engine room matched theirs, which was really important.
“Then our pressure, I think, throughout the day was really good. And our ball movement, we got it going as the game wore on.
“Early doors in tough contests, it’s a bit hard to move it super well. But I was really happy we persevered.
“At quarter time, we changed a few things around our ball movement, and the boys took that on.
“We made some mistakes, but eventually we were able to wear them down and get some scoreboard pressure.”
After taking a 0-4 record against teams inside the top five, including giving up a 23-point half-time lead to St Joseph’s in Round 9, into the clash, Saker wasn’t shying away from the importance yesterday’s victory will have on his emerging group.
“Off the back of last week’s effort, which was really strong, to back that up with a similar sort of effort and then obviously get the points against a team that we respect highly and we think will figure in the top five mix somewhere (is) very important for their psyche,” he said.
“I said to them after the game briefly that I know that’s within them.”
“But for the players themselves to get it done the way they did, hopefully, can spur us forward.”
Leopold started the day behind the eight-ball when captain Marcus Thompson (back) and key defender Harris Jennings (illness) were late withdrawals.
And it only got worse on the injury front, with the reliable Jett Matthews hospitalised with a serious shoulder injury and fellow defenders Mitch Burgess (adductor) and Andrew Pepper (calf) failing to see out the contest.
“(The) third quarter, a bit of chaos with injuries and throwing some magnets around,” coach Luke Kelly said.
“But I thought up until half-time it was a really good arm wrestle, in terms of a contest.
“They came with a really clear plan, and we probably just weren’t composed enough in the first half to maximise our opportunities.
“Once you get after half-time and you start losing your soldiers, you’re always chasing your tail after that.”
Connor Giddings kicked four goals for Leopold to take his season tally to 30, while South Australian recruit Henry Hawker showed some positive signs late and finished with two majors.
Bell Park will now prepare itself for another challenge when it hosts Newtown & Chilwell in the Zoe Kennedy Cup clash at Hamlyn Park.
While Leopold heads to Anthony Costa Oval next Sunday to take on St Mary’s.
Adam Garner produced the competition’s best individual goal haul of the season so far, kicking 12 as Colac handed North Shore a 239-point hiding at Windsor Park.
The Tigers’ percentage climbed from 166.78 to 204.58 with the 41.17 (263) to 4.0 (24).
The highlight for the Seagulls was the performances of debutants Mitch Stosic, Daniel Gudasic and Mark Gudasic.
Seven players kicked multiple goals as Newtown & Chilwell took another step towards securing the double chance in beating Geelong West by 101 points at Elderslie Reserve, 25.10 (160) to 9.5 (59).
Gennaro Bove, Jedd Coburn, Connor Fopiani, Archer Harkness, Jett Modola, Will O’Dwyer and Ben Pennisi each kicked three majors for the high-flying Eagles.
After missing last week’s win over Grovedale, Tanner Lewis, who kicked two goals, was named the Giants’ best.
Ladder leader St Joseph’s made light work of Grovedale, coming away from Burdoo Reserve with a 100-point victory, 25.13 (163) to 9.9 (63).
Former Tiger Mitch Chafer and Oscar Morrison each kicked four goals for Joeys.
At the other end, Tom Gillett finished with three goals for Grovedale.
Paddy Dowling has moved ten goals clear on the league goalkicking table after producing his third double-figure haul of the season as St Mary’s crushed St Albans by 124 points at Anthony Costa Oval.
Dowling finished with ten goals in the 25.12 (162) to 5.8 (38) victory.
Cody Brogden and Nic Clarke kicked two goals apiece for the Supersaints.
An eight-goal haul from South Barwon star Fraser Fort was the highlight of a 195-point win over Lara at McDonald Reserve.
The Swans kept the Cats goalless in the 30.18 (198) to 0.3 (3) victory.
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