By David Nagel
Kooweerup is exactly where it hoped it would be after four rounds of the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition after the Demons scored a satisfying 11.16(82) to 10.4(64) victory over Garfield at Denhams Road on Saturday.
With the departure of easybeats Bunyip – and the steady improvement of teams like Korumburra-Bena, Dalyston, Garfield, Warragul Industrials and Kilcunda-Bass – banking four premiership points is going to be no easy assignment for Dale Alanis and his Demons this year.
But early signs would suggest the Demons are also taking steps in the right direction, with competitive performances against the top two teams in the competition – Nar Nar Goon and Tooradin-Dalmore – sandwiched between their two wins this season.
In all honesty, Saturday’s win over the Stars should have been greater than 18 points because the Demons dominated scoring shots and the stats sheet.
They had 13 more shots at goal and 110 more possessions (361 to 251) but struggled to shake free of a Garfield outfit that dug its toes in and refused to concede defeat until midway through the final term.
An early last-quarter burst from Garfield’s two most impactful players, Eddie Morris and Mitch Johnson, had momentum rolling one way and the Stars looking the winners after six minutes of play.
But the Demons settled, kicking their six-point lead out to 26 points with three unanswered goals during the middle stages of the term.
Things started well for the home side with Nathan Muratore kicking the first goal of the match, but Garfield took control of the opening term with two goals to Johnson, and another to Lachie Schreurs, giving them an eight-point advantage at the first change.
Garfield defender Josh Evans then chose a poor option coming out of D50, conceding an early goal to midfielder Josh Bateman at the start of the second quarter.
A returning Will Farrer then got dangerous for the Demons, kicking two goals in five minutes, while Muratore kicked another on the siren to give the home side a three-point lead at the major interval.
Goals to Jed Pinkerton and Johnson, who created something out of nothing, gave the Stars some hope as players headed to the sheds at half time.
The Demons then put their stamp on proceedings in the early stages of the third.
With Bateman superb through the midfield, and the versatile Nathan Voss in great touch at centre half back, the Demons wrestled back control with three unanswered goals.
Winger/forward Brodie Grace kicked an opportunistic crumbing goal, before Tim Miller found himself some space just 15 metres out from goal.
When the unorthodox kicking style of Will Battams floated one through at the 16-minute mark of the third, the demons looked the winners after opening up a 24-point lead.
But the Stars had one last shot to fire, with a goal after the siren to Schreurs cutting the margin back to 19 points at the final change.
Johnson missed a great opportunity just 30 seconds into the final term, before he and Morris pieced together two beautiful passages of play.
Morris lifted like great leaders do at the start of the final term, finding Johnson on the lead on two occasions.
The first came after a burst through the midfield, while the second was absolute class.
Morris weaved his way through traffic, but momentum took him to the boundary, before he straightened up and spotted Johnson leading on the fat side.
Morris hit him up perfectly – a great hit – and Johnson converted to cut the margin to six points, just six minutes into the final term.
At that stage, Garfield looked the winners.
Morris then went again, producing a desperate run-down tackle on Bateman to deny the Demons a forward-50 entry.
Bateman didn’t have to wait long to have an impact however, slotting a classy right-foot snap in traffic to kick the margin out to 12.
The Demons were almost home when Miller dribbled a lucky one through from the top of the goalsquare; and were definitely banking four points after Zak Banks marked and goaled from 25 metres out.
The Demons were home, but late Garfield goals to Jack Tenace-Greenall and Jahmain Harrison gave the scoreboard a look of respectability that the gallant Stars truly deserved.
Bateman, Farrer, Miller and Muratore kicked two each for the Demons, who had three players contribute more than 100 possessions between them.
Voss perfectly split his 38 touches with 19 kicks and handballs, while Bateman had 34 (19 and 15) and the hard-running Trav Bindley had 30 (14 and 16).
Tyson Twite and Grace were others to have an impact.
Morris was magnificent for the Stars, lifting when they needed him most, with a game-high 10 tackles showing his dedication to the cause.
He added 18 kicks and nine handballs to those tackles, while Ben Tenace-Greenall led the Stars’ possession count with 23 and seven.
Johnson was the best forward on the ground, ending the day with five, while Lachie Sauze and Jett Pickering were rock-solid performers for four quarters.
The Demons, currently seventh (2-2), face a short but tough trip to Cora Lynn this week, while the Stars welcome top-of-the-table Nar Nar Goon to Beswick Street.
Morris will be working hard with his team this week, trying to deny the Goon access to the corridor that they waltzed through against Tooradin-Dalmore on Saturday.
