Torquay set up preliminary final victory with eight-goal second term barrage
Twelve months after missing out on last year’s BFNL premiership because of a knee injury, one of Torquay’s most popular players has a shot at redemption.
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Torquay’s quest for back-to-back BFNL flags remains on track after a stunning eight-goal second term set up a 32-point victory over Drysdale in a preliminary final on Saturday.
In echoes of last September’s decider, the Tigers would kick clear in the final term to win by the same margin as last year, getting home 12.21 (93) to 8.13 (61) at Leopold.
It avoided back-to-back losses for the first time since July, 2019.
However, the missing ingredient was arguably the league’s best player, Ben Fennell, who was named on Friday night but was a late omission for the Hawks.
The club confirmed that Fennell had been bedridden with the flu and couldn’t play in a massive hit to the Hawks’ chances.
Fennell has been in Drysdale’s best every game since returning from injury in Round 15.
And the Hawks missed his dynamic play in the middle as their key forwards were blanketed.
Meanwhile, crucially, the Tigers established themselves a firm base by half time after restricting Drysdale to just three majors in the opening term as the Hawks kicked with the aid of a stiff breeze, while creating scoring opportunities themselves.
One kick out from Drysdale defender Jack Jenkins almost reached the middle of the ground, such was the gale favouring the Bellarine Highway end.
In fact just two goals were produced up the other end for the entire game as effective scoring because next to impossible.
One Jake Hargreaves boundary-side roost had so much air on it, the ball actually went backwards.
Drysdale young gun Chris Tainton also launched a bomb just before quarter time from inside the centre square to give the Hawks a 10-point lead.
However, Torquay would blast 8.4 to 1.5 in the second term to create an all-important 31-point buffer at half time.
Chase Loftus would kick two incredible snaps – one from beyond the half forward flank – while best on ground Matt Boag slotted the first of two stunning shots on the run.
The former Eagle would have the better of a great tussle with Mitch McGuire, and with just six-points separating the teams at the final break, Boag would produce a handful of telling touches to drive his team forward.
Four-time Les Ash medallist James Darke, who missed last year’s premiership due to a knee injury, was everywhere before half time.
It was perhaps no surprise Darke was icing his problematic left hand – the one he broke earlier in the season – after the game, having handled so much of the leather.
Routinely, Darke would find a teammate in heavy traffic.
Meanwhile, apart from early goals to Jake Hargreaves, who looked dangerous after returning from a one-week suspension, the Hawks’ forward line was completely nullified.
The likes of captain Ben McNamara – who was elite at times by foot exiting defensive 50 – Oscar Lewis, Weylin Doyle and Tom Hooper were hard to get past — the latter was sent to the backline to guard Cam Delaney from the opening bounce.
Delaney and Joel Watson, who combined for nine goals last Sunday against Modewarre, were kept goalless on Saturday.
It was a fierce contest but there was healthy respect between the two teams.
Bailey Sykes, who enjoyed a strong second term, put a smile on Charlie Ham’s face after a cheeky comment in his ear following a brilliant tackle on the wing.
But the Hawks were ultimately punished for failing to kill the ball deep in their defensive 50 as Jesse Dawson gave the Tigers back the lead which they would never relinquish.
Torquay were desperate down back and often smothered Drysdale kicks in dangerous territory.
And with Max Hurley dominant in the second, Watson was sent back to quell him in a further win for Tigers coach Dom Gleeson.
The Hawks would produce four consecutive goals to cut the lead to a straight kick at the final break – Tainton’s mark and goal the best of the bunch – but it was always going to be an uphill battle for Drysdale to stay in the fight considering the conditions.
A Charlie Ham goal, after peppering the sticks for much of the game in a superb display, put the Tigers up by 22 points and the game was over.
Tigers captain gets shot at grand final redemption
Twelve months on after missing a BFNL premiership due to a knee injury, beloved Tigers captain James Darke has a shot at redemption.
However, the four-time Les Ash medallist is not thinking any further than the opening bounce next Saturday against Anglesea.
Icing his left hand in the Leopold changerooms after a 32-point defeat of Drysdale in a preliminary final, which he broke earlier in the season, Darke isn’t even considering the thought of putting a tough 2023 behind him with back-to-back flags at McCartney Oval.
“To be honest I’m trying not to think about it,” Darke said.
“I just want to focus on the game ... I’m pretty locked in with that.
“I’m pretty lucky to be at such a great club that plays finals so often, you realise how precious it is when you’re not playing, it’s definitely a massive win to be back.
“We feel like we’ve got a really good culture, we look after one another.
“There’s definitely still a blend of young and old, a core group of 23, 24-year-olds, a few older crew as well.”
The skipper admitted it had been hard getting back on the bike against Anglesea last Saturday in a qualifying final after a month on the sidelines.
“Coming back was pretty tough,” Darke said.
“Just the pace of it ... it feels like you’re doing extra running.
“All of a sudden after five minutes your legs are cooked, I didn’t have any gears to go through.
“I definitely made sure I loaded up on the hydralyte and sports drinks, I was cramping really badly last week.”
Darke said Anglesea was the better side on the day last Saturday in a qualifying final, but the Tigers were far from their best.
“They were good and we were a bit disappointed how we reacted with some of the things they threw at us,” he said.
“It will be a ripper game (next Saturday).”
Meanwhile, Darke said he heard that Drysdale star Ben Fennell was an out through illness around half time of the reserves game.
“Super disappointing for him, you feel for him, you want to play the best,” he said.
“Obviously it helps us.
“He’s been in some red-hot form as well.”
Darke was red-hot himself in the opening half, using creative handball to bust through Drysdale’s midfield pressure.
“I feel like that’s my strength, I’ve just got to be able to find the ball do be able to do that,” he said.
“I didn’t really last week, it was good to get my hands on it.”
He also praised the defensive game of Tom Hooper, who had been playing up forward but was sent back to guard in-form forward Cam Delaney.
“He probably kept him to two or three touches,” he said.
“He’s such a monster as well, he can play on the bigs ... we knew what we were going to get from him.”
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