Ivanhoe moved to the top of the ladder and premiership favouritism with a strong 35-point triumph over Laurimar and Laurimar Oval in Round 8 action of Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3.
It was nip and tuck through the first two and a half quarters in a game where both teams exerted extreme pressure. This caused repeat stoppages and even when a player dished a handball out of heavy traffic to a teammate, invariably he was also under pressure. There was hardly a time when either team moved the ball smoothly from defensive fifty into forward fifty.
The Hoers broke away from the mid-point of the third quarter when the busy Riley Loton booted two majors in quick succession to take Ivanhoe out to a 15-point lead.
Then Patrick Fitzgerald, who was playing a virtual lone hand up forward for the Power, slotted his sixth goal for the game after receiving a free kick.
The next two goals for the Hoers were critical, both in terms of the scoreboard and the way that they were achieved. In a game where the intensity made it hard to get any clean possession, Joel Kleimann executed a great pickup and slotted a goal while being under pressure.
Soon after, playing coach Wayne Schultz received the ball inside forward and managed to evade two would-be tacklers to snap truly. It blew the lead out to 21-points in the shadows of three-quarter time. Given how difficult it had been to move the ball with any efficiency for most of the contest, if seemed like a match-wining lead.
Nonetheless, Laurimar coach Jimmy Atkins would’ve been revving his players up at the orange break to play for the win. The first goal was critical if the Power were to affect a great comeback, but Kleimann kicked two majors early in the final term to seal the victory.
Remarkably, there was not another goal kicked in the final 22 minutes of play. Laurimar was endeavouring to find an avenue to goal but was unable to consistently hit targets in space.
“I’m over the moon with the result,” said Ivanhoe coach Wayne Schultz. “It shows how far we’ve come and that we have been good enough to close the gap.”
Schultz noted that the team’s work rate increased after half time and that they were able to outnumber their opponents at the contest. The Hoers were winning the contested ball at ground level and doing the little things well.
Schultz gave his best to Vivian Blackmore-Moore, who got to the outside and used the ball well. The midfield brigade of Riley Loton, Alex Federico and Kane Veliou were very dangerous, while winger Marcus Rogers was industrious and hit the scoreboard.
Schultz noted that Laurimar’s Patrick Fitzgerald was “unbelievable” and that it was a great experience for Oscar McIntyre to play on him. In one of the last passages of play for the day, Fitzgerald led out wide. McIntyre did everything perfectly for a defender – he had good closing speed and punched at the right time. But Fitzgerald used his body and strong hands to still grab the mark.
Power fans were disappointed that star midfielder Jesse Donaldson was a late withdrawal prior to the game. This had a ripple effect as small forward and 2025 Under 19s league best and fairest winner Tyler Thomas was moved from the forward line into the middle. A good small forward was precisely what Laurimar lacked on the day.
“For two and a half quarters we matched them everywhere, but you have got to play four quarters” said Laurimar coach Jimmy Atkins. Atkins praised the work of Matt Keys who was strong at the contest all day as well as the obvious stand-out in Fitzgerald.
Tyler Thomas did well in his midfield role, while the defensive trio of Micah Vecchio, Cameron Maloney and Cooper Cusinato repeatedly repelled Ivanhoe forward thrusts.
Ivanhoe’s win helps them get a step closer to locking away the top spot on the ladder and a bye in week one of the finals series. These teams do not clash again until the penultimate round which will be another eagerly anticipated match-up ahead the finals series.
