Sport
14 September, 2023
Gallant Storm fall short to Roos
Jeparit Rainbow may not have won last Saturday’s Horsham District Grand Final at Quantong against Harrow Balmoral but the team came out of the game with its achievement over the 2023 season undiminished. Apart from two ten minute spells, one at...
Jeparit Rainbow may not have won last Saturday’s Horsham District Grand Final at Quantong against Harrow Balmoral but the team came out of the game with its achievement over the 2023 season undiminished.
Apart from two ten minute spells, one at the end of the first quarter and the other just after half time, they matched their undefeated opponent.
There was one change to the team that had won the previous week’s preliminary final with Brad Stokes coming in for dean Perkins. This meant the team played with its maximum permissible player points. A large group of Jeparit Rainbow supporters cheered their team onto the ground.
Braxton Ah Mat took the first bounce against Harrow Balmorals Anthony Close. Expecting a physical challenge from the opposition it soon arrived as Peter Weir received a heavy knock in his first marking contest, while he was off the ground receiving attention Harrow Balmoral kicked two goals before Nick Yarran kicked Jeparit Rainbow’s first goal at the eight minute mark. This was soon followed by a Harrow Balmoral goal before the game settled into a hard slog with neither team getting on top. Two late goals then gave Harrow Balmoral a four goal lead at quarter time.
Jeparit Rainbow stepped up the pressure in the second quarter as they started to run the ball at the Harrow Balmoral defence. A long goal to Trent Burgoyne at the six minute mark was followed by a reply from Harrow Balmoral three minutes later. Will Hutchinson then received a heavy knock at a centre bounce which forced him off the ground for the rest of the game, this was huge blow to the team. Jeparit Rainbow lifted even more as goals to Tom Clarke and Xavier Oakley in the second half of the quarter saw Harrow Balmorals lead reduced to nine points at half time.
At the beginning of the third quarter, we saw the decisive period of the game as Harrow Balmoral kicked three goals in the first eight minutes, they seemed unable to miss as goals went through from impossible angles.
The Jeparit Rainbow players now showed great character as they refused to be overrun with strong marking by Weir as he worked up the ground set up two classy goals to Yarran who was causing Harrow Balmoral problems as their coach Jai Thompson moved onto him. With misty rain falling the rest of the was a real struggle in conditions that favoured Harrow Balmoral, two goals in the last half of the quarter saw them lead by twenty eight point sat three quarter time.
There was a steely resolve from the Jeparit Rainbow players at the break that they were going to the fight the game out to the very end. Things then took a dramatic turn as Lucas Edelsten showed great courage to get in front a leading Michael Close who marked but left Edelsten prostrate on the ground with a back injury. Luckily an ambulance was at the ground because of the injury to Hutchinson but it still took nearly fifteen minutes for the game to resume. When the game resumed the last quarter was reduced to fifteen minutes.
Bard Stokes was also off the ground with an ankle injury so for the last fifteen minutes Jeparit Rainbow played with no players on the bench. That did not stop them from mounting a real challenge as Yarran kicked his fourth goal, along with twenty odd possessions he had played an outstanding game. Conditions were now very slippery but Jeparit Rainbow fought the game out to the end as they stood up to their physical opponents. No team had got as close to Harrow Balmoral all year.
It was a devastating loss after waiting twenty six years to play in a grand final. But all the players can hold their heads up high for the way they approached the game. Apart from Yarran there were several standout performances. Tom Long played his heart out attacking the ball with great determination, being always willing to fly the flag for his team mates. Tom Schumann and Simon Clugston were strong defenders with Clugston keeping James Staude goalless. Ash Clugston did not kick a goal but he worked hard up forward keeping great pressure on the defence as did Weir. It was not a game for key forwards as only Simon Close hit the scoreboard with two goals. Will Batson played on both Close brothers and did his best to restrict them.
Xavier Oakley again threw his body into every contest while his hard running also stood out. Matt Synoradski ran hard on his wing; Tom Clarke did some useful things and Braxton Ah Mat battled hard in the ruck despite finishing with a serious corked leg.
With so many travelling players it is a credit to the joint coaches Scott Driscoll and Matt Everitt that the team jelled so well and that their game plan got the team to the grand final.