WERRIBEE Centrals forgot to pack the compass to goal, but still
came away with a finals-sealing 87-point win over Corio in the Geelong
and District Football League Smiths Holden Cup on Saturday.
The Centurions’ only blemish on an otherwise flawless afternoon
was the wayward kicking for goal of forwards Tyren Montebruno, who
booted 5.8, and Matthew Taylor, who incredibly went goalless with seven
behinds and two out of bounds on the full.
PICTURE GALLERY: Werribee Centrals v Corio
Centurions player-coach Luke Phipps could see the bright side of their performances.
“There were a lot of scoring shots where we could’ve capitalised
and got a bigger result, but it was the work to get the ball down to the
forwards and the forwards kept presenting which was so pleasing,” he
told the Weekly.
It was a massive day for Werribee Centrals with a finals spot on
the line. The most pleasing aspect for Phipps was not the result but the
turnaround in their performance.
Seven days earlier, they were shocked by second-last Inverleigh, and their place in the finals was put in jeopardy.
Finishing aside, this was the kind of performance Phipps would expect from a team that wants to go deep into the finals.
“We played the way we should’ve been playing over the last few weeks,” he said.
Getting a semblance of your best team on the park helps no end.
Without Michael Cassidy for the previous two games due to a hand
injury, the Centurions lacked a leader in the midfield, a high
possession getter and a good user of the ball, and he made a big
difference on return.
“He’s a real star, gives the guys a lot of confidence through the middle,” Phipps said.
“He’s a leader out there, he directs traffic, he gets a heap of the ball and hits targets.”
Matthew Walson was best on ground for the Centurions.
What the talented teen lacks in size, he makes up for in endeavour.
“He probably weighs about 40 kilograms wringing wet, but the
guy just runs and carries and hits targets,” Phipps said. “For a young
man, he’s got a wise head on his shoulders.”
Brayden Montebruno, who Phipps described as a “jet”, and silky-skilled left-footer Luke Salmond were the other standouts.
The Centurions have been a permanent fixture in the finals in recent years.
They will, however, be hoping to put an end to the week-one finals
losses they have suffered in the past two seasons when they meet
Winchelsea in the elimination final at St Albans Reserve on Sunday.
