Tara Murray
Werribee added another win to the tally as it continues to seek four quarter performances in the Victorian Football League.
Having won six of its past seven games, Werribee has shown patches of what it can do when it plays well.
Facing Coburg, another of the VFL’s standalone sides, on Saturday, Werribee again showed patches of good football in the 15.21 (111)-7.7 (49) win.
Werribee coach Michael Barlow was happy with the start of the match, but after that thought they didn’t reach their potential.
“Against standalone clubs you always want to play well and Coburg had a good record this year,” he said.
“We had a good start and from there, we were just okay. The last three quarters we were going at 50 per cent.
“We gave ourselves an opportunity to get away with that. To play in front was something we had challenged them on, which meant that we could afford to have a few lapses and it did not cost us.”
Barlow said while happy with the start, the frustrations with the goal kicking continued.
Werribee kicked 6.5 in the first, meaning it could have been a much bigger lead at the first break.
“It’s probably our main frustration,” he said. “On a couple of occasions it has cost us results through inaccuracy.
“We don’t know how to perfect that. On one hand it is still pleasing that we are getting opportunities in front of the goal.”
While happy to finally come away with a strong start, Barlow said they needed to play that way throughout the whole four quarters.
He said they had challenged the group to find some more consistency.
“Our eyes are wide open on that,” he said.
“I don’t think we’ve had a game where we have won every quarter.
“We’ve had good results, but there has been the opportunity to be emphatic and we haven’t done that.
“But it’s glass half full that we have been in position to get results which is good.”
The win came despite a number of late changes, with three players ruled out with COVID and Ollie Hanrahan missing a second straight game with the flu.
Barlow said it the leaders that led from the front.
“Tom Gribble continued to win a fair bit of the footy,” he said. “He was tough around the clearances where we were beaten. He had double figure clearances, so the challenge is for the other guys to share the load.
“Dom Brew has gone back to his best, while Nick Coughlan continues to look after the back line.”
Among those to benefit from the late outs was Darcy Cassar, who made his VFL debut having previously been on Footscray’s list.
Barlow said he handled it really well and performed well.
Lucas Rocci was another one to come into the side, playing his first game since round seven. Since then he has dominated for Aberfeldie in the Essendon District Football League premier division, having kicked 25 goals in seven games.
“He came in and played a lock down defender role,” Barlow said. “He can play a number of roles for us and its important to have more than one way into the side.
“He’s a team first player and happy to give him the opportunity when it comes. He really shone for us.”
The win moves Werribee up to sixth on the ladder.
Werribee this week faces the Box Hill Hawks on Saturday, before a bye the week after.
Barlow said they would look to pick their side later in the week to get a better idea how those who missed with illness pulled up.
