WYNDHAMVALE snapped out of its mini-slump at the most opportune time with a steely 21-point win over local rivals Glenorden in the Wyndham derby at Heathdale Oval on Saturday.
The game marked the rekindling of a rivalry that could yet have a few more chapters written before the end of this intriguing Western Region Football League division 2 season.
The Falcons were in a win-at-all-costs mood after stumbling in their opening two games and it showed, as they were the side with a clearer focus on what needed to be done to win the game and a willingness to accept the physical toll that invariably comes in a fierce derby game.
Click on the image below for our picture gallery from the big game.
Falcons coach Luke Dennerley was relieved to come away with a win for the first time this season and praised his players for finding the spark that was missing in the previous two matches.
“There were no jungle drums beating for us,” he told the Weekly. “I’m a big believer that two weeks doesn’t shape a season.
“We just wanted to have the hunger back and hopefully they’ve captured that and it can kick-start our season.”
You could tell right from the outset that the Falcons were switched on. They had the misfortune of kicking into a stiff breeze but refused to let it affect their opening 30 minutes.
In fact, they seemed to thrive on the chance to apply defensive pressure, holding the Hawks to just four behinds in the first quarter, while kicking a goal against the run of play that gave them a two-point quarter-time lead.
The game itself never reached great heights. The first half, in particular, was a dour struggle with the wind causing havoc.
The Falcons went to the main break with a pep in their step, leading by 10 points and appearing slightly more at ease in the conditions.
To that point, the Hawks had one goal, but it turned around after half-time when they took control with a five goals-to-nil third term.
Dennerley admitted his side was a tad shellshocked, staring a 17-point three-quarter-time deficit in the face.
The Falcons refused to go quietly and mounted a stunning fightback in the final quarter to give the Hawks their first defeat since their demotion from division 1. “We let the boys run the ball a bit more later in the game,” Dennerley said.
“They were really disciplined at listening to instructions, we had 25 tackles to eight in the last quarter, we didn’t give away silly free kicks.”
Ferocious onballer Devan Ellis showed courage in contested situations, as the in-form Aaron Fleming played a similar role.
Tight-checking Josh Van Der Munnik stuck to his task all day at full-back and Luke Klein-Breteler was selfless in shutting down Hawks danger man Chris Scudamore.
The most interesting move from the Falcons was the use of developing youngster Daal Mashak, cousin of North Melbourne star Majak Daw, as the No.1 ruckman.
Mashak formed a dangerous big-man tandem with Nathan Reschke, the ruckman in the competition’s team of the year last season.
“We backed the kid in as first ruck today and that’s a big call because we’ve also got the ruckman of the comp from last year in Nathan Reschke,” Dennerley said.
“He was fantastic, he got us first use of the ball, he was terrific below his feet and was able to lay five tackles.”
Corey MacKey put the game beyond doubt with three goals – all at important times.
