By Lance Jenkinson
Werribee Centrals is starting to play like one of the big boys of the Geelong and District Football League Smiths Holden Cup.
The Centurions showed no fear in a 32-point win over Bannockburn Tigers on the road at Victorian Park on Saturday.
It was a coming-of-age kind of win for the Centurions, who flexed their muscle on foreign territory and in unfavourable conditions.
Centurions coach Nick Smith said he “couldn’t be prouder” of his team for the incredible effort to bring down Bannockburn.
“Rapt with that win,” he said.
“It’s massive for us.
“We got it done in tough conditions against a tough opponent.
“It was a great win.”
In a highly contested game brought about by atrocious weather conditions, Werribee Centrals needed to be better than the hosts in putting their body on the line and winning the hard ball to come away with a win.
“If there’s one condition you don’t want to play against Bannockburn, that’d be the wet because they’re traditionally strong, physical, contested and we’d much rather play them on a dry day,” Smith said.
“To beat them at their own game was pretty special really.
“Guys really have to earn their money on a day like today.”
Smith applauded the courage of his midfield to set the tone for Werribee Centrals.
Daryl Chesterman, Brad Carlton and new recruit Reece Miles were like bulls going for the hard balls.
Miles was playing his first game for the Centurions since crossing from WRFL side Manor Lakes.
Defensively, Werribee Centrals was miserly, restricting Bannockburn to three goals.
Chad Buck, Brayden Smith, Sam Browne and Aadyn Sleep-Dalton offered little room to the Bannockburn forwards.
Sleep-Dalton’s ability to mix his offensive skills with his defence was a weapon for the Centurions.
“He was just really clean with the ball in difficult conditions,” Smith said.
“I’ve always said with the best players, the conditions don’t really mean much to them.
“He was just one that looked like he was picking up a dry footy under pressure.”
Nick Bauld led the way in attack for Werribee Centrals with three goals.
His goals were crucial in a match where a mere 10 goals were kicked.
Nathan Johnson, a ruck-forward, did a lot of his damage inside forward 50.
Johnson kicked two goals and provided a target, but that was only possible because Josh Sloan held down the ruck position.
“For the majority of the season he’s [Johnson] been our ruckman,” Smith said.
“We put him to full forward to kind of stretch teams and it’s really worked.
“We’ve been using Josh Sloan in the ruck and he’s just an athletic young guy who runs and jumps and gets midfield-type numbers.
“He was fantastic again and that allows us to play Nathan Johnson at full forward.”
Werribee Centrals are sitting in fourth spot.
The Centurions will face a stern test against North Geelong, who beat them earlier in the year, away on Saturday.
