Picture: THOMAS MILES
A GRADE – PADTHAWAY 14.16 (100) d PENOLA 10.10 (70)
PENOLA A Grade footballers still hold down top spot on the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara premiership ladder, despite losing their first game of the 2019 season on Saturday.
The Eagles suffered a 30-point loss to the third-placed Padthaway, with a last-quarter effort flattering the final score somewhat.
The opening term saw just one major score, while the Lions managed four to set the win up.
Padthaway continued to increase its lead each quarter, with five majors in the second term, to Penola’s three.
That left the Eagles with a 35-point deficit at the long break.
But the Lions did not let up after the break and outscored the Eagles by one goal to extend the lead to 41 points at the final change.
From there Penola began to find some run, but despite three final-quarter goals, while holding the Lions to just one, it was too little, too late.
Brad and Adam Merrett were kept uncharacteristically quiet up forward, with three and one goal respectively.
Dylan Walker chipped in for a couple, as did Josh Currie and Simon Berkefeld.
Coach Matt Tilby said there were few positives to take from the game, apart from the fact the Eagles ran the game out.
He said despite a good start, they were caught on the back foot by the Lions and it was all down hill from there.
“We started really well and it was quite positive the first 10 or 15 minutes,” Tilby said.
“Probably our composure let us down – we had a lot of the footy but did not use it that well.
“Then they really got on top of us in the back half of the quarter.”
From there it was all Padthaway until the final term, with few options up forward for the Eagles’ goal kickers to take advantage of.
“We were pretty restricted with our movement up forward and when we did go up there our decision making and skills let us down,” Tilby said.
“It was pretty disappointing really – we got out-played all day.
“We have a lot of work to do now.”
One of the few positives was how well the Eagles ran the game out, but that effort was overshadowed by the final result.
“The boys did not give up which was good,” Tilby said.
“I still believe we have really good fitness, but we have been up for quite a few weeks.
“I thought our form against Kybybolite in the second and third quarters was fairly average,” Matt Tilby said.
“Maybe the writing was on the wall we might not have been going as well as we thought we were.”
The question remains – was the loss a result of complacency by the players?
“I would hope it is not complacency,” Tilby said.
“But at the same time it is human nature, when things go along well, sometimes we do not think we have to work as hard.
“There would be a fair argument to suggest we did not work as hard as we could have.
“Maybe we went there expecting to win rather than thinking about how we were going make ourselves win.”
Regardless, Tilby said he did not “buy in” to idea of needing a loss at any time of the season.
“We go out a week at a time,” he said.
“I like to have the guys in the right frame of mind, but in saying that it is a very good wake up call for the guys to understand you do not just get given wins every week.
“You have to work hard, you have to earn it, make the right decisions with the football in your hand and have that work rate.
“I think it will provide us an opportunity to reset.
“We will have another look at things, which will include personnel.”
The Eagles will now need to focus on Saturday’s game against Naracoorte, which could well be another dangerous encounter.
Tilby said the side had shown good improvement this year and are well coached.
“They will be out there to knock us off,” he said.
“If we rock up in a similar frame of mind we did at Padthaway, we will be in all sorts of trouble.
“But I’m confident the boys will bounce back.
“I have confidence in our ability, our fitness and our drive to be successful.
“It is a matter of seeing how we react this week.”
RESERVES – PENOLA 15.17 (107) d PADTHAWAY 1.5 (11)
WHILE Penola’s A Grade suffered its first loss of the season, the Eagles soared to new heights in their Reserves clash against Padthaway for round nine of Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara football
The hosts were never in the contest as Penola set up a 20-point lead by the first break, before extending that to 57 by half time after a six-goal second quarter.
An inaccurate third term saw the Eagles limited to 1.6, but they controlled the majority of play to leave Padthaway scoreless for the quarter and yet to convert a goal heading into the final stanza.
The Lions finally found the big sticks in the fourth term, but it was too little, too late and with a strong five-goal quarter to finish the game, Penola claimed a solid 96-point triumph.
Tom Clayfield was the target up forward with a game-high six majors, while Allan McIntyre also scored multiples with three.
However, it was Gerard Merrett who stepped up to be named best-on-ground, with Conan Devereux and Clayfield also top performers.
Thomas Gibbs, Simon Zadow and Tom Moore rounded out the Eagles’ best in another dominant performance from the side.
This week a meeting with Naracoorte should go Penola’s way, as it hosts the Demons for round 10 of the season.
JUNIOR COLTS – PENOLA 6.7 (43) d PADTHAWAY LUCINDALE 2.6 (18)
PENOLA’S Junior Colts claimed their fourth win for the year when they hit the road to face Padthaway Lucindale on Saturday.
At the final siren the margin was 25 points and while the margin was closer throughout, the visitors led at every change.
The Eagles won the opening quarter to lead by a slim five points heading into the first change, before taking control in the second.
However, despite five scoring shots to their opponent’s one, Penola converted just one major to hold a 14-point lead at the main break.
A closer third term followed, but the Eagles remained comfortable in front to be up by 19 at the final break.
From there a solid finish saw them extend that to 25 points and cement their place in fourth on the ladder.
Anders McShane was the standout for Penola, banging through three goals and earning the best-on-ground honours, while Lochlan Neale, Thomas Currie, Brock Summerhayes and Cooper Gartner also received mention for their efforts.
Johnny Gosse was another target in the forward line and he converted two goals for the day, while Summerhayes rounded out the major scorers with one.
This week promises a tough game for the young Eagles, as they go up against Naracoorte, which sits above them on the ladder by percentage.
