An important coaching decision helps Romsey upset Macedon

Romsey jumps into the RDFL top-five after a critical win over Macedon, inspired by a key decision to shift a Team of the Year gun.

Jack Jedwab in action for Romsey. Picture: Andy Brownbill

A dominant performance from big man Nathan Hoy guided Romsey to an impressive 12-point win over Macedon on Saturday.

Staring down the barrel of another close loss, Redbacks coach Paul Kennedy moved his star ruckman forward and it paid immediate dividends.

Hoy took a series of critical marks and kicked two last-quarter goals to inspire his team past the Cats, 12.10 (82) to 10.10 (70) at Romsey Park.

The victory even more important as it lifts Romsey past Macedon into fifth on the RDFL ladder in what looms as an intense battle for finals.

Kennedy heaped praise on his Bowen Medal runner-up and Team of the Year gun.

Romsey coach Paul Kennedy talks to his players. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“We moved Nathan Hoy forward for the last quarter from the ruck and he took some towering marks and kicked a couple of goals,” he said.

“He’d played well in the ruck all day and was the dominant player on the ground, I spoke to Al (Meldrum) after the game and he said your ruckman destroyed us.”

Romsey failed to take advantage of a strong breeze in the third quarter and Kennedy feared his team had missed another opportunity.

Kennedy had a simple message for his players at three-quarter-time … run.

“It’s been one of those years, I feel like I’ve put 15 years on, beaten by a goal, beaten by a point and then Saturday,” he said.

“They played a terrific third quarter into the breeze and so at three-quarter-time we were looking down the barrel with them kicking with probably a four-goal breeze.

“We had to make some changes at three-quarter-time, we had to lower the eyes a little bit, and we knew we had to run hard into the breeze.

“We had nothing to lose, I said ‘we’re in a tough position here’ and it came off in the end. It was a fantastic game.”

Macedon’s Daniel Trajanovski and Romsey’s Aaron Paterson. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Romsey captain Nathan Blair continued his outstanding start to the season with another strong performance in midfield.

Hoy finished with three goals, while Matt Burkett (two goals), Michael Tinkler and Aaron Paterson also impressed for the home side.

Kennedy said the win would give his team belief that it could compete with the competition’s best.

“It gives the players great belief because there’s going to be plenty of times you’re going to go into three-quarter-time behind,” he said.

“You’ve got to have that belief and with our young group, they’ve seen that now, you’re never out of the contest, keep chipping away and things will turn.”

However, the win did come at a cost with Nathan Rayment sidelined by a shoulder injury.

Kennedy said the Redbacks’ goalsquare was developing a curse.

“There’s been a bit of a curse playing full-forward at the moment,” he said.

“Ben Way played his first game against Diggers, was fantastic, took a screamer and hurt his ankle.

“We threw Nathan in there this week and he got injured, so no one wants to play there at the moment.”

Macedon defender Jae Wilton was the Cats’ best in defeat after an enthralling battle with Romsey spearhead Jack Jedwab, keeping him to two goals.

Jarrod Bulluss, Matt Dick and Josh Blake were also solid.

The defeat heaps more pressure on Macedon, a pre-season premiership fancy, as they drop to sixth with a 1-4 record and face a much-improved Woodend-Hesket at Tony Clarke Reserve on Saturday.

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Romsey will travel to Melton to take on Melton Centrals.

“Going in we were 1-3 and we could have easily been 3-1, so it was really important to get that win,” Kennedy said.

“We move ahead of Macedon now and hopefully we can string a few games together but we’ve got another tough game this week against Centrals down in Melton.”

In other results, Wallan (206) had a day out against Western Rams (32), Riddell (165) was too strong for Lancefield (45) and Diggers Rest (61) pipped Woodend-Hesket (56).