By David Nagel
Reigning-champion Tooradin-Dalmore is on the board.
It’s been 25 long years since that line was trotted out after the Seagulls overcame a brave early challenge from Cora Lynn to record a 40-point victory in the WGFNC season opener at the Tooradin Rec Reserve on Saturday.
Minus a host of key premiership drought-breakers from September 10 last year, the Gulls looked in serious trouble early in the third quarter before producing a brilliant 20 minutes of football to take control of the contest.
The Gulls kicked 11 goals to two in the second half to waltz away with a 14.8.92 to 7.10.52 victory in front of a bumper home crowd.
The Gulls unleashed two gun recruits, with Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds slotting nicely into the midfield and key defender Ray Lengyel taking on the enormous task of quelling the league leading goal-kicker in Nathan Gardiner.
The Cobras also had reason to be excited, with club royalty in Nathan and Ryan Gillis returning to familiar surroundings after stints with Somerville in the MPNFL.
The early exchanges were typical of a season opener.
Both teams crashed in hard, with Seagulls midfielder Liam Adams laying the foundations for a best-on-ground performance with the first goal for the season, after just two minutes of play.
But the Cobras refused to buckle.
The visitors kicked the remaining four majors of the first quarter, with Cory Machaya – who started brilliantly in the midfield – starting the surge with a set shot from 40 after 13 minutes of play.
The Gillis boys then turned on the magic.
Ryan soccered one through heavy traffic, on his left foot, at the 18-minute mark, before Nathan kicked a cracker on the run from the resultant centre clearance to have the Cobras up and about.
And when Gardiner converted a fortunate marking decision from the boundary, the Cobras were 18 points up at quarter time.
Gardiner had two late chances – snaps of either foot – to increase the margin just prior to the first break.
Tooradin-Dalmore coach Lachie Gillespie wasn’t too disheartened, despite the Gulls conceding four goals in 10 minutes of play.
“I wasn’t too disappointed, it was competitive and the boys played pretty well early, then they stepped up and got a few goals in a row which we don’t like to concede,” Gillespie said.
“They played well early and used the footy well, but there was no panic from our point of view, it was really good footy to be honest.
“We found our feet in the second quarter and got things back on our terms and then played some really good footy in the third quarter.”
That might be the early-season contender for ‘understatement of the year’…because the Seagulls were brilliant in the third term.
Trailing by 11 points at the major interval, the Gulls conceded the first goal of the second half – in the opening minute of play – before putting their stamp on proceedings.
And the fuse was lit by none other than Piva Wright – the best-on-ground medallist from last year’s grand final!
Wright kicked an absolute bomb, off one step, from 55 out, at the five minute mark to spark the Seagulls into action.
With the midfield now on top, Julian Suarez then converted from a free kick before Stewie Scanlon finished beautifully after silver-service from Adams.
There were danger signs for the Cobras when Wright kicked his second for the quarter, bending through a set shot from the cricket nets forward pocket.
Scanlon then converted another, and when Adams ran into an open goal at the 25-minute mark the Seagulls were up and away.
They led by 19 points at the final change before booting five goals to one in the final term.
Gillespie was delighted, not just with the win but with the way his team performed with so many new faces on board.
Quality such as skipper Jordy Kelly (calf), Brent Macaffer (wedding) and Matt Livermore (farming) were all sidelined on the weekend, but some fresh stock was right up to the task.
“We had a couple in from outside, but most of it from there is just internal,” Gillespie said.
“Tom Bethune came up and played his fourth senior game, we had Charlie Shinners play his first senior game, Jehi Esler from the under 18s played his fifth game…there were five players that had no more than seven senior games of experience.
“It was awesome; it was really cool to have eight new faces from the grand final side.
“We feel like we’ve got that core nucleus, we always talk about structure and Tooradin footy and how that’s more important than the individuals, but it’s just nice to have it tested with a few quality players on the sidelines.”
Gillespie praised Wright for his intimidating impact in the third term, but was more content with the overall team performance.
“Piva (Wright) did some pretty strong physical work and kicked a couple of goals, he lifted, but the midfield group lifted as well,” he said.
“They were far too good and quick for us in the first quarter, and even periods of the second, but our midfield settled down a little bit and stopped getting ahead of the footy.
“The group played well, but when Piva turns it on it’s pretty hard to stop.”
Gillespie said Cora Lynn is going to cause opposition clubs some major headaches this year.
“They’re really well organised, they’ve definitely made a few changes to their game-plan from last year, they would have had a lot more disposals than last time we played them,” he said.
“They got moving pretty quickly, they linked up really well by hand and they’ve got a very serious forward line.
“They’re going to be a very dangerous side this season and will only get better as the year rolls on.”
Adams, Bertoli-Simmonds and veteran defender Adam Galea were amongst the best for the Seagulls, while Suarez finished with three, leading a band of multiple goal-kickers.
Adams, Bertoli-Simmonds, Scanlon, Wright and Blake Grewar all jagged a couple each for the champs.
Gardiner was the only multiple goal-kicker for the Cobras, ending the day with three, while newcomers Luke Black and Matt Briggs joined regular stars such as Lachie Peluso, Luke Ryan, Tristan Warkuss and Machaya on the best-players list.
Cora Lynn next host Garfield on Saturday 15 April, while the Seagulls also return home on the same day to take on Kilcunda-Bass.
SCORES – SEASON OPENER – ROUND 4
SENIORS
TOORADIN-DALMORE 1.2 3.5 9.8 14.8.92
CORA LYNN 4.2 5.4 6.7 7.10.52
Tooradin-Dalmore Goals: Julian Suarez 3, Liam Adams 2, Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds 2, Blake Grewar 2, Stewart Scanlon 2, Piva Wright 2, Trent Adams. Best: Liam Adams, Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds, Adam Galea, Cooper Shipp, Lewis Hill, Brad Butler.
Cora Lynn Goals: Nathan Gardiner 3, Heath Briggs, Nathan Gillis, Ryan Gillis, Cory Machaya. Best: Luke Black, Lachlyn Peluso, Luke Ryan, Matthew Briggs, Cory Machaya, Tristan Warkuss.
RESERVES
TOORADIN-DALMORE 2.0 5.2 6.3 11.6.72
CORA LYNN 1.0 1.2 6.4 6.4.40
Tooradin-Dalmore Goals: Jordan Jones 2, Timothy Lenders 2, Alexander Sabbatucci 2, Jake O’Donnell, Corey Provan, Ben Sellings, Joshua Trezise, Caden Webb. Best: Justin Smaluch, Alexander Sabbatucci, Will Lumby, Brett Coffey, Timothy Lenders, Jake O’Donnell.
Cora Lynn Goals: Josh Wilson 2, Jake Boccari, Kyah Cronin, Matthew Ferguson, Brady White. Best: Brady White, Sadaris Gardner Lefau, Matthew Ferguson, Jake Boccari, Corey Brook, Lachlan Cove.
THIRDS
TOORADIN-DALMORE 2.4 4.4 5.5 9.7.61
CORA LYNN 0.0 3.0 4.2 5.5.35
Tooradin-Dalmore Goals: Panos Papas 3, James Ahern, Jordy Boyd, Brody Campbell, Logan Downe, Ryan Gates-Crewes, Brodie Matthews. Best: Cooper Bassett, Logan Downe, Joshua Cope, Panos Papas, Kye de Little.
Cora Lynn Goals: Max McDermott 3, Ashton Hermanus, Thomas Kervin. Best: Flynn Abdallah, Lachlan Coverdale, Rio Lazaros, Max McDermott, Zac Taylor.
