THE Anzac Day clash between North Gambier and South Gambier at Blue Lake Sports Park was a challenging game for both teams with quality football played through all four quarters.
Stand out players including Brock Egan, Nick Blachut and Brett O’Neil showed their strengths on the field, pulling their teams along as they battled for the win.
North ended up breaking its 2018 Western Border drought with a well-constructed win over South.
The win was significant for several other reasons as well, including the fact it was the Anzac Day clash, it lifted the Tigers off the bottom of the ladder and star mid-fielder Brock Egan claimed the Tony Casadio Medal for best on ground
While the margin in the end was 31 points, with solid leads at every break, the Demons were in the game, pushing the Tigers all the way, but they lacked the ability to convert chances up forward and create space, which they paid for dearly in the end.
In contrast, North found plenty of space to kick into, providing its running players with the chance to move the ball quickly in the scoring zone to find the forwards in the open and hammer home its authority.
There were stand outs from both sides, with Egan’s best-on-ground honours well deserved.
He lifted his side through the mid-field, along with the likes of Nick Blachut and Nick McInerney, who could both have been as-worthy winners of the award.
For South, Brett O’Neil was finding plenty of the ball, along with Brad Bryant, but the likes of Mason Hein, Ty Opie and Dion Stratford were also rising to the occasion.
The game was marred by one major incident, where a harsh tackle on Brodie Glynn by Hamish Telford saw the Demon stretchered from the ground and admitted to hospital.
Coach Heath Mitchell said he was released from hospital later Wednesday night, but would now have several weeks off to recover.
At the time of going to print no report had been logded with the league.
The day’s proceedings kicked off with the usual ceremonies, which included the Ode and the Last Post, followed by the Australian National Anthem delivered well by Ellyana Sims.
From there the action began and it was the Demons who appeared to hit the ground running.
Jack Capewell was presenting well up forward, with Opie and Glynn in on the action.
But just one behind was all that could be mustered, before Sam Stafford bagged the first major for the day and the Tigers were up and about.
From there the flood gates threatened to open, when Jordan Hollitt banged on another soon after.
However, Brayden Kain found a handy possession up forward for the Demons, then handed off to Henri Capewell, who kicked the first major for the home side and the game was on in earnest.
But South could only muster one more goal before the first break, while the Tigers had managed to find six in total to lead by 24 points.
The second term was a more even affair, with the Demons fighting hard to stay in the contest and close the margin.
Bryant managed the first clearance of the term, but the Tigers repelled the attack.
Stratford intercepted a clearing kick and pushed back forward, but again the North tall timber was too strong and the chance was gone for the Demons.
Down back youngster Kaleb Bowd worked hard, chipping out of the danger zone to Stratford, with his pass finding Nick Jenkins.
But the run broke down along the wing and the Tigers pushed forward again.
The arm wrestle continued before an eventual Demons’ major closed the margin to 19 points.
With North’s next run forward, Tom Gould was awarded a free kick on the 50-metre line, then caught the Demons napping and played on to bang home a major and nullify South’s last score.
When the half-time siren finally sounded the Tigers still held the ascendancy by a handy 25 points, with the Demons showing more run and looking up to the challenge.
But that all changed in the blink of an eye when the third term started, with two early goals to North knocking the wind out of the Demons’ sails.
First McInerney received a handball from Fraser Marshall and split the middle with a long kick, followed up by a running goal from Blachut to quell the challenge.
South had its chances, but a tight North defence made any inside 50 a contested situation, where in their own attacking zone the Tigers found space to make the most of their opportunities.
That resulted in three straight goals to one major and four minor scores, with the Tigers’ defensive pressure a telling factor.
Trailing by 33 points at the final break, it was always going to be a tough ask for the home side to claim the glory, but the Demons played the game out, with both sides adding four majors to their totals.
The Tigers were victorious, displaying the brand of football they will need to play if they are to continue to win games and push for another shot at premiership glory.
Representing North after the game, Kevin Bryan said it was an honour to play on such a sacred day.
“We are not glorifying war,” he said.
“It is about the sacrifices that have been made previously, about mateship, camaraderie.
“Football means nothing (today).
“We get up for it, because that is our job.
“We did some work in the background and had Bob Sandow come and talk to us Monday night.
“We prepped the boys that way and also told them they should take in the moment, to enjoy the ability to be able to play on Anzac Day.
“It does mean something to get the win, but also we are honoured to be able to play on such a great day.”
For Egan – who said he was pleased to be awarded best on ground for the game – it was a similar sentiment.
“It is a huge honour to play on a day like this and the boys definitely don’t take it for granted,” he said.
“Apart from finals, it is probably the game you want to play during the year.”
