Greensborough withstood a late charge from dual reigning premier West Preston-Lakeside to win a heavyweight encounter at Greensborough War Memorial Park by a solitary point.
Expectations were high in the lead up to the two 2019 Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 grand finalists, who were meeting early in the season, but a long 18 months since the Roosters gatecrashed the Boro’s almost perfect season to claim the premiership.
Hopes for a display of the division’s best skills needed to be put aside early in the match as it was clear that whoever withstood the finals-like intensity, and won the inside battles, would rule the day.
Much of the battle was fought between the 50m arcs and the quality of supply to the forwards for both teams reflected the lack of time and space on offer to either midfield.
Goal kickers needed to react swiftly to hopeful punts forward, rolling maul-like packs entering their leading lanes and chances from difficult areas.
A familiar pattern emerged across the match where West Preston-Lakeside would control possession and the flow of the game early each quarter, only for Greensborough to bend, but not break, and regain control later in the stanza.
A post-mortem at Roosters HQ will ask questions as to how West Preston-Lakeside were not able to emerge victorious after controlling more than enough possession, dominating centre clearances and marks inside 50, as well as shading inside 50 entries generally and stoppages around the ground.
However, it was through the most definitive metric which Greensborough won the day – efficiency in front of goal.
The Boro’s ability to seize their fewer inside 50m opportunities to kick 11.8 compared to West Preston-Lakeside’s 10.13 – and a handful which missed the target all together – enabled Greensborough to stay in each quarter and, ultimately, the game.
Ominously, the first goal of the match came through the Roosters ace, Ahmed Saad, early in the first quarter and set the tone where West Preston-Lakeside had the best of early possession.
The Roosters, after a few misfires, capitalised again, through Matthew Vincitorio and, at the 15-minute mark, the scoreboard reflected the flow of play as West Preston-Lakeside opened a 13-point lead.
However, Greensborough were imposing themself on the game by that point more forcefully, with star recruit Nathan Hrovat and 2019 Frank Rosbrook Medal winner Tom Bell making a difference in the engine room.
It was also clear that time had not healed all wounds and it was not unusual for skirmishes to continue after the whistle in the initial quarter, and throughout the match, some of which resulted in 50m penalties.
Indeed, Greensborough’s first goal, through Josh Callaway, came after 22 minutes when a holding the ball decision outside 50m turned from a promising opportunity to easy goal after a 50m penalty was awarded.
Whilst both primary ruckmen performed admirably throughout the day, taps from Matthew Harman gave his Roosters midfield first opportunity more frequently in the early stages of the second quarter.
More often than not, though, West Preston-Lakeside were not able to convert possession and continued their inaccuracy from the first quarter, kicking 2.4, in addition to an out of bounds on the full.
Aidan Tilley, whilst leading and presenting well, was not alone for the Roosters in regards to poor conversion, but was symptomatic of West Preston-Lakeside’s challenges in front of goal.
Whilst the Roosters had the better of the open play, Greensborough did kick the first goal of second quarter – and Hrovat’s first for the club – as well as two more, eclipsing West Preston-Lakeside’s two for the quarter in total.
Ahmed Saad providing the highlight for an early mark of the year contender, although the follow up set shot resulted in hitting the post.
Both ruckmen had their moment in the sun late in the second quarter. First Jake McNamara marked strongly and kicked a goal for the Boro, only to be matched by his Roosters opposite number, Matthew Harman, just before half time.
Whilst West Preston-Lakeside made their customary good start to the quarter through controlling play early, Greensborough made their move in the third quarter, striking early twice through Andrew Stellas when the opportunities arose.
The game also began to open up and eight goals resulted from the quarter, six of which came from the Boro.
Thomas Brindley was working his way into the game for Greensborough and would prove a key component in the eventual win. Constantly he presented as an outlet to release pressure on the wing and between the flanks and, more often than not, he showed strong hands in marking contests or forced the ball to the ground until the cavalry arrived.
An intriguing contest was also continuing in the West Preston-Lakeside forward line. Ahmed Saad was lively, kicked three goals for the game, and was generally a problem for Greensborough all day long.
However, his opposite number, Billy Bedford contained Saad as well as could be hoped for and certainly did not lower his colours in a strong showing.
It would not have been wrong to suggest that a 19-point three quarter time lead to Greensborough, at home, would be enough to see them to victory. However, dual premiers do not know when they are beaten, and the Roosters hit back strongly with three goals inside the first 15 minutes of the final quarter.
West Preston-Lakeside’s launching pad for the strong early showing could well have been a direct result of coach Rob Maiorana’s three-quarter time insistence that the Roosters entries into 50 needed to be more targeted, that the ball needs to come to ground if not marked and that they needed to be stronger in those ensuing contests.
Confidence seemed to be further instilled in Sanipepa Egan and Ethan Penrith as they both embarked on long runs off half back to force the issue on behalf of the Roosters. Both of which resulted in significant interventions – a goal to Liam McVeigh for the former, which brought West Preston-Lakeside within a goal, and a point which put the Roosters ahead via Malik Elfakahani in the case of the latter.
When Saad brought the sides level halfway through the final quarter, the Roosters seemed to be on their way to a famous victory.
What followed was a frantic 16 minutes of football which was even more thrilling as, inevitably, legs wearied from the lack of serious action for 18 months. Play flowed back and forth, but both defences holding up under scrutiny.
Past the 20-minute mark, Greensborough began to sway the play their way – clean hands from Nathan Hrovat and Jordan Smith pairing well with Tom Bell’s strong legs holding up in tackles to deliver the ball Boro’s way.
Benjamin Fisher, in his second game, provided the two critical interventions in the final moments which proved decisive for Greensborough. First, he reacted instinctively to kick the ball off the ground for a behind at 22 minutes to level the scores, and then goaling after Brody Tickell squeezed the ball to him in the 26th minute.
A minor score from a long-range set shot by Tom Bell extended Greensborough’s lead to seven points, then Matthew Harman goaled on the siren for the Roosters to add yet another twist in an eventful game, but Boro had held on to win by a point.
Whilst there is no doubt both sides wanted to win this early Round 2 match-up, neither would assume that their return match, in Round 9, will be the final time they meet this season.
Final score: Greensborough 11.8 (74) def West Preston-Lakeside 10.13 (73)
GREENSBOROUGH
Goal Kickers: A. Stellas 2, N. Hrovat 2, B. Fisher, J. Callaway, M. Haynes, J. McNamara, J. McCubbin, J. Ireland, B. Tickell
Best Players: B. Bedford, T. Brindley, J. Johnston, J. McNamara, N. Riddle, N. Hrovat
WEST PRESTON-LAKESIDE
Goal Kickers: A. Saad 3, M. Vincitorio 2, M. Harman 2, L. McVeigh, A. Tilley, M. Elfakahani
Best Players: M. Tobin, E. Penrith, A. Tilley, L. McVeigh, M. Harman, M. Dreher
