Queenscliff take top five scalps during mid-season run
After a season to forget last year, which ended with its senior coach departing prematurely, a young Bellarine outfit is tracking towards its best season since 2018.
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Queenscliff might have claimed two scalps in successive weeks and put a largely forgettable 2023 in the rearview, but the young Coutas are far from satisfied with their work.
Under new coach Heath Jamieson, the Coutas from the outside looking in appear to have bettered last year’s 7-11 season already, where they finished in seventh position with former mentor Rory Nicol stepping down before the final round.
While Queenscliff are seventh again this year, it’s already banked five wins, with three coming over the past five games, accounting for Portarlington, Modewarre and its biggest scalp of 2024, Anglesea on Saturday.
They have an improved percentage, with a 60-point loss to Drysdale its only hefty defeat so far.
Speaking to this masthead on Wednesday, Jamieson said the Coutas had got some reward for a lot of effort in recent weeks, with an even spread of contributors, and a 1-12 Newcomb to come this Saturday.
“On the weekend our leading possession getter was 29 (from Jake Lindrea) but I think everyone was involved throughout the day which is what you want to beat the better sides,” Jamieson said.
“We’ve been competitive in most games this year ... we’ve been in most games, week in and week out.
“To have a percentage of high 90s probably shows that.
“Our improvement’s come from just 22 players cracking in, week in week out.
“The even spread’s important, everyone’s really clear with their role on game day, we don’t change things too often, we just let them go about their work.”
That being said, Jamieson says the Coutas have let a few games slip: taking too long to adjust to Ocean Grove’s style while kicking 4.9 after half time to go down by three points in Round 11.
Against Geelong Amateur the previous weekend, Queenscliff shot itself in the foot with 2.10 in the third quarter.
Bank those wins and the Coutas would be a finals fancy.
However, the Coutas have managed to flip the script since then, kicking 8.6 to just three points in a final term demolition of Modewarre in Round 12 which gave Jamieson’s charges some important validation.
“That was probably the best quarter we’ve played all year ... everything we worked on came together,” he said.
“To back it up against a good side like Anglesea the following week, just shows the boys are confident at the moment.”
Confident, but far from content, Jamieson says.
“We’re always realistic about where we’re at, we’re 5-8 and we’re not happy that we’re 5-8,” he said.
“There are games that we’ve let go this year that we’ve not happy with.”
Just two wins off the Hawks in sixth, Queenscliff are poised to produce its best season since an 11-7 campaign six years ago.
Central to a strong five-game run of form has been league-leading ball magnets Che Durran, Max Scott and Lachie Kidd.
Scott, a former Coutas junior, returned to the club this year from Ballarat while Kidd momentarily moved to Bannockburn during the off-season before coming back weeks later.
Over the past five games, Durran is averaging 28 touches, 16 contested and 133 ranking points, while Kidd (30, 13.8 and 123.2) and Scott (30.5, 17 and 137.7) have also been influential.
Kidd had 37 touches with 20 contested in a win over Portarlington to start the five-game block while Scott enjoyed 26 and 18 against Anglesea and then 34 and 20 against the Warriors.
Meanwhile, Durran feasted on 39 possessions with 23 contested and 169 ranking points in a losing cause against Ocean Grove, then 32 touches with 19 contested and 178 ranking points against Modewarre.
He has been named in his team’s best on seven occasions.
Jamieson was also keen to throw Luke Ford into that mix, praising his defensive capabilities, plus talls Michael Randone – who missed two months of footy with hamstring issues – and Joseph Cincotta.
“Che and Lachie have been great players in the BFNL for a couple of years now and getting better each week,” he said.
“They’ve got the ability to push forward and score and get back and help out.
“That midfield mix is really strong and can probably compete week in week out with any team.”
Durran, Scott and Kidd are also tracking strongly at a league level.
This year, Durran is the BFNL’s top 10 for midfield tackles, ground ball gets and inside 50s.
Similarly, Kidd is in the league’s elite for possessions, throw in and centre clearances, clearances and ground ball gets while Scott is in the top bracket for ground ball gets, tackles, throw in clearances and midfield tackles.
Captain Caleb Whitley is elite for one per centers and spoils and has been named in his team’s best on eight occasions.
The Coutas have also turned things around in terms of scoring from turnover, after conceding large differentials against Modewarre, Anglesea and Drysdale – the Hawks won the battle 28-85 – over the first seven rounds.
All things considered Jamieson has an eye on next season, suggesting the brains trust will focus on some experienced players to complement its young squad.
Will it target a key forward?
“We don’t need to bring a lot in, but we’ll bring a few guys in over the pre-season,” he said.
“You’ve got to look to bring talent in, if you don’t bring it in someone else is going to.
“But we’re not going to go overboard.
“The best part about the Queenscliff footy club is that we’ve always played a lot of Queenscliff locals, they play for the jumper, so we’re not going to go silly.
“But we’re also realistic, to get in the top part of the ladder, we need some more experienced players who can show the way on and off the field.”
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