Outer East league: Narre Warren beats Upwey Tecoma to improve record to 6-1
Narre Warren coach Shane Dwyer explains why there’s a sense of timing about his side’s quest for back-to-back flags in Outer East league Premier division.
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Narre Warren’s best is yet to come.
That’s the message from coach Shane Dwyer after the Magpies accounted for third-placed Upwey Tecoma by 74 points in Outer East league Premier division on Saturday.
In gale force winds, Narre kicked 7.8 to nil in the second quarter to set up the 15.19 (109) to 5.5 (35) victory at Kalora Park.
Small forward Hamish West kicked two goals in his best game of the season, while the Magpies’ power-packed midfield of Kurt Mutimer, Tom Toner, Brad Scalzo and Tom Miller controlled proceedings.
Hayden Dwyer was named Narre’s best player.
“We played four under 19s for the first time this year and they all went okay,’’ Dwyer said.
“It was probably the youngest side we’ve had in for probably two years I reckon.’’
Leading goal kicker Will Howe, after slotting one goal, sat on the bench in the second half with what Dwyer described as a minor injury.
“He had a corky in the calf so we didn’t feel the need to push him any further,” Dwyer said.
Narre Warren is 6-1 and in second spot behind the undefeated Wandin on the ladder.
Since losing to Wandin by 38 points in Round 2, the Magpies have beaten Monbulk (by 70 points), Gembrook Cockatoo (89), Olinda Ferny Creek (145), Mt Evelyn (58) and Upwey Tecoma (74).
Dwyer said Narre Warren was yet to field a full strength side and would regain several key players in the coming weeks.
“We’ve got a few out, so we’ve got a few to come back hopefully in the next couple of weeks,” he said.
“A few guys are getting games who potentially wouldn’t have been if we were at full strength, so it’s been good to play some guys to have a look at them.”
Dwyer said he was happy with Narre Warren’s progress this season as it chases back-to-back flags.
“I am,” he said.
“I’d rather have a better run with injuries, we’ve had a stack of guys out with injuries, injuries at training, and blokes going away, our ruckman was suspended…we haven’t had a real good run at it yet but if it’s going to happen the first half of the year is when you want it to happen.
“Hopefully from next week we start to get a few back and going into the second half of the year, hopefully, we should be nearly cherry ripe.”
Narre Warren travels to Woori Yallock on Saturday for a rematch of last season’s grand final.
“It’s a big game,” Dwyer said.
“They got us up there last year.”
Narre Warren lost a raft of players from its premiership side, including captain Trent Cody, who has joined Devon Meadows in the Mornington Peninsula league.
“We had seven out of our grand final team either leave or retire…it was a pretty big chunk,” Dwyer said.
In other Round 8 games:
Woori Yallock climbed to third spot with a 35-point win over Mt Evelyn, 14.14 (98) to 9.9 (63). Luke Boontjes was best-on-ground, while Bailey Syswerda, Angus Smith and Zach Monkhorst were also influential as the Tigers improved their record to 4-3.
Pakenham captain Jake Barclay was instrumental as the Lions stormed home to beat Gembrook Cockatoo by 19 points, 7.12 (54) to 5.5 (35). Tahj De La Rue, Jordan Stewart, James Harrison and Tom Gamble, with two goals, were also in Pakenham’s best as it kicked 4.5 to nil in the last term.
Olinda Ferny Creeek had 11 individual goal kickers in its thumping 80-point win over Monbulk, 19.12 (126) to 6.8 (44). Bloods captain Lachlan Taylor led from the front with five goals, while Nick Keegan (three), Lachlan Bates and Mathieu Rosier kicked two each. Peter Lucas was named best-afield, with Sam Cuthbert, Tyler Belloni, Francis Seal and ex-AFL Magpie Matthew Scharenberg also in the best.
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