WERRIBEE continued its push towards the finals with a hard-fought, gritty win over Geelong, producing its best four-quarter effort for the year.
A large number of past players assembled in the marquee on the hill and cheered the current players who were determined to make amends for the 53-point loss they received at the hands of the Cats earlier in the year.
From the beginning it was clear it was going to be as scrap. Geelong was holding a comfortable lead over the Tigers until late goals cut the margin back to a solitary point.
The Geelong contingent of the impressive crowd were vocal, cheering, chanting and waving flags as they scored goals. Most were saved for the exciting beast of a man Tom Hawkins, who despite nine marks was off target, kicking 1.4.
Down the opposite end Leigh Brown was making his presence felt, but he too was inaccurate returning just three goals from nine shots.
The second quarter saw the Tigers fight harder, and their run-and-carry style was beginning to present itself through the three Kangaroos midfielders – Jess Sinclair, Ben Ross and Ben Davies, who had 90 touches between the three of them. Jarrod Young was doing his job on ball magnet Brent Prismall.
Taking a six-point lead into the half-time break there was still an air of uncertainty,.
The Tigers went further ahead in an ugly third term, with the score barely changing for most of the quarter, and a few late goals again giving Werribee the ascendancy. They restricted the Cats run, not allowing them to play the hard-and-fast football their AFL side plays.
The final quarter was one of Werribee’s most impressive of the season. They booted 5.6 to Geelong’s 4.2, and survived minor comebacks from the Cats.
The Tigers were simply too good.
Captain James Podsiadly came to life in a barnstorming final term, booting three of his four goals to seal victory. Dom Gleeson also had a superb final term getting plenty of the ball booting a telling goal, and Levi Greenwood and Matthew Quigley were productive.
Now sitting sixth on the ladder, with a positive win-loss record, the Tigers shape as a late season challenger. Upcoming games against Frankston, Casey and Williamstown, will prove telling. But one sensed after the game that something is building, and the Dolphins had best be watching their backs this Saturday