By David Nagel
The Goon is getting better!
It’s a scary prospect for teams in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition but reigning premier Nar Nar Goon appears to have increased the gap between itself and the remainder of the competition.
There’s simply no other way to assess it after the Goon ran rampant against the team that most expect to be its main challenger this year, Tooradin-Dalmore, winning eased down at the post; 21.11(137) to 15.9(99).
The final score really does flatter the Seagulls, who trailed by 67 points at three-quarter time before kicking 7.4 to 2.5 in the final term.
Seagulls’ coach Jordan Kelly can spin that final term anyway he wants to his players, but the simple fact is; the Goon was on a different planet when the game was at its hottest and the four points were up for grabs.
Some of the Goon’s ball movement, in the first half in particular, was breathtaking, and the Seagulls were unable to do anything about it.
The reigning premiers got off to the perfect start, with Trent Armour and Jake Smith running rampant through the midfield and Taylor Whitford doing as he liked in the forward line.
Whitford kicked the opening two goals of the match, the first from a crisp lead and the second after some clever work from a forward-30 stoppage.
Dermott Yawney, Jake Smith and Jed Smith then nailed set shots and the Goon was five goals ahead after 14 minutes of play.
The Seagulls back six were second to the footy, but that was totally understandable given the lack of pressure being applied through the centre of the ground.
The Goon transitioned the football beautifully, fully testing the Seagulls overall team defence like it hadn’t been tested this year.
The Seagulls heads dropped even further after Yawney took a spectacular mark in the goalsquare and snapped one through to make it 6.3 to 0.2 at the 22-minute mark.
A relentless tackle by Kyle O’Sullivan on Liam Adams, just a minute later, epitomised the difference in intensity between the two sides.
The Gulls looked shellshocked and totally devoid of answers.
Lewis Hill then ran from one end of the Spencer Street ground to the other; giving the Seagulls their first six-pointer to cut the margin to 34 points, before Jack Flannery capped off some great work with a deliberate set shot at goal.
A 28-point margin between the sides seemed an appropriate summation of the contest after the first quarter of play.
Whitford then wrangled an early free kick in the second term, and kicked truly, before Jacob Keysers nailed another set shot to make it 40 points the difference…five minutes into the term.
The Goon was just scoring far too easily inside forward 50, with the Seagulls offering little resistance to the Goon’s elite ball movement.
Harry Brain then found himself loose – 20 metres out from goal – after some great pressure caused a costly Seagulls turnover.
Now 46 points down, gun recruit Shane Savage dribbled one through to bring it back to 40…eight minutes into the second.
But the shootout aspect of the game suited the Goon to a tee, with Yawney drilling a long set shot after a great pass from half back Ryan Bromley.
The Goon now had 10.6 on the board; just 10 minutes into the second.
That was soon 11.6 after 11 minutes after Nate Pipicelli drilled a long goal after being the recipient of a 50-metre penalty.
The Goon was cutting through the Seagulls team defence like a hot knife through butter.
Skipper Trent Armour then rubbed further salt into an already gaping wound, kicking another from 40 metres out after taking a diving mark.
The Goon had six second-quarter goals on the board after 13 minutes of play.
The score was now 12.6 to 3.2; 58 points the difference.
Flannery then kicked the next two goals to make it 46 points at the 22-minute mark of the second.
But no-one can go with the Goon at this rate, and Brain took a strong mark on the lead, and goaled, to make it 51 points, before Hill and Andrew Dean kicked late six-pointers to cut the deficit to 38 points at half time.
The Goon then locked away the four points with a 6.1 to 1.2 third term, before tucking the whip under the shoulder and cruising through to the finish line.
Yawney and Whitford were the stars up forward for Nar Nar Goon, with four goals apiece, while Brain chipped in with three and Armour, Tex Marsham and Jed Smith two each.
Matt Gentile and Jake Smith were lively smalls for the Goon, both accumulating possessions while also applying pressure.
Paddy Cross was the leading possession winner on the ground with 15 kicks and 12 handballs, while Armour, Ryan Bromley and first-game recruit Nick Hillard were others to stuff the stat sheet.
As for the Seagulls; well now they know just how far the bunny is in front…and they’ve got some serious chasing to do.
They got some practice on the weekend, with the Goon winning overall possessions by 115, with half-back Adam Oxley (24 touches) the only player in the top 10.
The Seagulls midfield was beaten badly and appeared no match for Armour, Cross, Aiden Pipicelli and co.
The good news for the Gulls; its only early in the season and you don’t win premierships in May!
They also scored 99 points against the best team in the comp.
Dean and Flannery jagged three each for the Gulls, who had Logan Downe, Jesse Craven, Hill and Flannery produce their better moments.
The Goon head to Garfield this week, while the Seagulls host Inverloch-Kongwak in a crucial match for both clubs.
