FOR the second consecutive week, the Geelong Falcons have been involved in a bizarre conclusion to a NAB League Boys match.
After thinking they had played out a draw against Gold Coast in Round 1 only to find out minutes later they’d won by a point, this week, a shot after the siren from Euriah Hollard has earned the Falcons a draw after trailing Bendigo Pioneers by 41 points at half time.
However, if you weren’t at Deakin University and were watching the live stream, the scoreboard on the vision showed the Falcons had lost by a point.
“We knew we were a goal down when ‘Bomber’ Hollard took the mark (before the siren),” coach Paul Corrigan told Bay 93.9’s The Sideline View.
“He was about 35 (metres) and had a set shot, so we knew he had to kick the goal to draw the game.”
With the breeze blowing to the University end of the ground, the Pioneers jumped out of the blocks to kick the first four goals of the match.
The Falcons could not use the breeze to their advantage in the second quarter, managing just behind, while the Pioneers were wasteful in kicking 1.11.
Corrigan’s men were able to shave six points off the half-time margin by the final change before storming home with a seven-goal-to-two last quarter.
“Bendigo were really, really good in that first half, and we were probably a little bit off in what we wanted to try and produce and the way we wanted to play,” he said.
“We had a chat about it at half-time and what that looked like in tidying up our contest and defensive work.
“In the end, the boys kept trusting that and taking the ball forward, and in the last quarter, we came home strong.
“Our defence behind the ball created some turnovers, and (we) scored off the back of them.”
Felix Henderson-Burch kicked three goals for the Falcons, while captain Jhye Clark, winger Osca Riccardi and ruck Olivier Northam again impressed.
Harry Wall suffered an ankle injury and was due to undergo scans on Sunday to check the extent of the damage.
The Falcons have a five-day turnaround before facing the GWV Rebels at Wendouree on Thursday night.
Twitter: @tom_king79
