Trevor Jackson
ROBE 24.18 (162) d KONGORONG 6.7 (43)
IT appeared everyone who put their hand up in the forward line had the chance to kick a goal as Robe made short work of Kongorong in Round 6 of Mid South East football on Saturday.
In fact, 15 individual goal kickers contributed to the 162-point scoreline, with the biggest contributor Joel Bryant with just four majors.
However, after the opening term the Hawks may well have considered themselves a chance, leading the Roosters by three points at the first break.
However, Robe turned on after the break and never let up from there.
By the long break the margin was 37 points and continued in the third quarter, as the Roosters banged on six majors and the Hawks four.
It was a welcome quarter for the Hawks after being held to just one behind in the second term, but did not last long, as Robe held Kongorong scoreless in the final stanza, while adding a further 10 majors to the coffers.
Hamish Smith contributed three goals for the victors, with the remainder coming in twos and singles as the spoils were shared around.
It showed why the Roosters currently occupy top spot on the ladder and will be tough to dislodge.
For coach Nathan Brown it was a good result after a slow start.
“There was a fair breeze at Robe and we were going into it in the first quarter,” he said.
“We had a slow start and it was really even first quarter.
“They got a good start and it was pretty contested, but I didn’t stress too much about it.
“I told the guys we needed to increase our defensive work, but other than that, there wasn’t much talk.”
Brown put much of the result down to the fitness of his side.
That showed with the final-quarter blitz which yielded 10 major scores.
“We haven’t really done that all year, so it was good to see the guys run it out strong,” Brown said.
“I think our fitness was probably what got the better of them in that last quarter.
“We kept running which was pleasing.”
Brown also put the fitness down to one major factor – training.
“We have Henry Lawrie on board from Kingston who is right into fitness,” he said.
“He looked after our pre-season running, but it is all well and good to have a good program, you have to have the guys to do it.
“We have had good numbers on the track since November, so our fitness is one of our strong points with the way we can run our games.
“It is all on the back of the effort everyone has put in.”
The effort paid off in opportunities at goal, with plenty of players putting their hand up for a shot.
Brown said his game plan was to push up the ground hard and look for opportunities from there.
The shots came and the result took care of itself.
“It was good to see such an even spread and no one kicked 10 goals,” Brown said.
“The goals also came from guys finishing off their hard work.
“A couple of guys only had one shot on goal and made the most of it.”
The Roosters remain top of the ladder, four points clear of Port MacDonnell, with a bye this weekend to recover, before a big game against Mount Burr in Round 8.
