Reigning premiers continue purple patch as finals series looms

East Gambier v Millicent footy & netball

AT THE HELM: Millicent coach Clint Gallio fends off East Gambier’s Jake McKeon during a standout performance from the Saints’ leader, which saw him rightly named as best-on-ground for his side. Picture: FRANK MONGER

EAST Gambier put on a show for its home crowd at McDonald Park on Saturday, when it defeated Millicent by 16 points in Round 15 of the Western Border football season.

The Bulldogs welcomed back Jesse Fry and Kevin Thomson, which helped bolster their ranks as they applied heavy pressure to the Saints in all areas of the ground.

Millicent found it difficult to find space and in the end this was its undoing, with East able to lead the way at every change.

Millicent coach Clint Gallio was in impressive form and was rightly named as the Saints’ best-on-ground.

He snatched up the ball from the first centre bounce and drilled it into the Millicent forward line, where it remained until Gallio was able to put a minor score on the board.

Soon after, Hamish Nitschke banged through his first of three goals and the Saints looked to be in a good position in the opening five minutes.

The next centre bounce saw the ball make its way into the East forward line for the first time, where Mark Rumbelow took a solid grab to convert a behind.

It was not until the 11th minute the Bulldogs found the big sticks, when Mark Kieselbach put it through to take the lead for the hosts.

A couple of points from Jack Dawe followed, with East beginning to control the play more.

Then, another good mark from Rumbelow saw him with his first of three goals in the 20th minute.

Going into the first break East held a nine-point advantage, which it was able to maintain in the second term.

Millicent hit hard again early and had a couple of opportunities, with a short pass from youngster Harry Tunkin seeing Gallio slot one in at the nine-minute mark.

However, despite several other chances for the Saints, they either resulted in a behind, or the East defence turned the ball back around.

Rising talent Brad Rathjen intercepted countless Millicent attempts in the Bulldogs’ backline, taking some solid marks to turn over the ball and rightly earning himself a place among the best.

With Millicent struggling against the heavy pressure from its opponent, East was soon able to make a break of its own, as Jayden Eldridge ran down a ball which was kicked out of the pack, before a pinpoint pass found Rumbelow close to goal on a tight angle.

Rumbelow banged it through and East was back in control, with this score backed up by another major before half time.

Now ahead by 14 points, if Millicent was going to make up ground it would have been in the third quarter.

East kicked just two goals from 10 scoring shots, but with the Saints converting just one of each, the Bulldogs found themselves with a get out of jail free card.

But it was not over yet and the fourth quarter saw Millicent hit back at the margin with four majors for the term.

Sam Willis started the surge with a snap through the big sticks in the fourth minute, but East’s Jake McKeon answered with one of his own soon after.

Gallio then slotted one through from out wide and it was a 23-point ball game.

Millicent pressed on, but missed a couple of crucial opportunities which resulted in minor scores.

In the 23rd minute of play East coach Matt Willson banged through a goal and the game was all but won, with 28 points the difference.

However, two late goals, one from Dylan Bromley and the other from Nitschke on the siren, saw the final margin at 16-points.

Willson was pleased with his team’s performance on the day and said it was good to put four quarters together.

“It was probably the four-quarter effort that we have not had in the last few weeks,” he said.

“We have been winning, but letting sides in.

“We probably let them (Millicent) in on the scoreboard Saturday with poor kicking, but we maintained the pressure which we have been building towards.”

With East not backing off for the length of the game, Willson said that level of pressure high pressure was the only way to compete with the Saints.

“They have the likes of Tom Hutchesson, Clint Gallio and Dylan Bromley in their side, if you give them space they are very good footballers,” he said.

“When you play Millicent you have to have that pressure if you want to be even close to them, so that was a huge focus on Saturday.”

Willson said it was good to have both Fry and Thomson back in the lineup and it allows them to get back in top form before finals.

“They have probably both missed about a month of footy and it was really good to get them back,” he said.

“Obviously they will build towards the next couple of weeks and be better for the run, but they both performed really well on Saturday.

“We have a couple more to come back in, so hopefully we get them back this week and give them a run before finals and build on our form from there.”

Nick Lock was named as best-on-ground for the Bulldogs on the day, while Rumbelow was named second for his efforts in front of goals.

“I think John Forster was really good through the middle, just in and under and really tough,” Willson said.

Forster set the tone for East’s defensive pressure, while Willson was also impressed by Matt Ferguson’s performance on Bromley.

“I think he (Bromley) only ended up with one goal and he’s been kicking plenty this year, so that was a really good effort for us,” Willson said.

Willson also mentioned the regulars of Jayden Eldridge, Shem Balshaw and Josh Ransom, who all stood up on the day, while credited Rathjen on his efforts down back.

For Millicent, Steve Duldig upheld his current form to be named as second best after Gallio.

Will Flemming was solid around the ground to also receive mention, while Jonah Grimes, Tom Hutchesson and Willis were all in their trademark form.

East now turns its focus to its final minor round clash with North Gambier, before it prepares for its semi-final meeting with West Gambier the following week.