Return of two gun backmen boosts Glenorchy to first win of season over unlucky Tigers

One has been playing in the VFL and the other sidelined for more than a year by injury — and Glenorchy’s ‘new’ key defenders were critical in their heart-stopper against the Tigers.

Round 4 TSL match between the Kingborough Tigers and Glenorchy Magpies from Kingston Twin Ovals. Magpie Daniel Joseph is tackled by Tigers’ Bailey Gordon. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

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ONLY one point separated agony and ecstasy for the Tigers and Glenorchy at the Twin Ovals on Saturday, and after an edge-of-the-seat TSL thriller the Magpies dusted off the club song for the first time this season while the Tigers still have their champagne on ice.

Played in perfect spring-like conditions, it was a contest between two evenly-matched teams — both desperate to open their accounts for the coronavirus-shortened State League season.

Tiger Jarryd Dew and Magpie Matthew Joseph compete for the ball. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

It was relief for Glenorchy coach Paul Kennedy and left Tigers coach Trent Baumeler excruciatingly close seeing his team open its account, but in the end, no cigar.

“It was a nailbiter,” Kennedy said.

“We brought back in quite a few players with experience and we needed it.

“Some of them were underdone but that’s the reality of it.

“We knew in the last quarter we were going to have to really dig in and hold.

“We had 67 pressure acts in that final quarter so the effort was certainly there.

“It was good to hang on. When you haven’t won a game it doesn’t matter how you win it.”

The return of tough-as-nails onballer John Geard, and regaining key defenders Daniel Joseph and Tom Cleary, made an enormous difference to the Magpies.

Glenorchy’s chief antagonist Mitch Rainbird was superb in the first half, until his day ended with a groin strain. His long-range goal three minutes into the second quarter gave the Magpies a four-goal lead.

Magpies’ Tom Cleary. Picture: Zak Simmonds

That’s when the Tigers awoke.

Led by prime-mover Kieran Lovell, the Tigers upped their contested possessions and won crucial contests.

Luke Graham gave them the lead for the first time 19 minutes into the third and a minute later Tyler Carter made it a 10-point lead.

Magpie Richard Dilger responded deep into red-time and Jaye Bowden made it a one-point lead with a goal after the three quarter-time siren.

Baumeler asked his side for intensity and commitment to break Glenorchy in the run home but Glenorchy started the term with three unanswered goals.

When hope looked lost, Lovell kicked back-to-back goals, and combined with points to Elijah Reardon, Bailey Gordon, Marcus Gardner and Luke Graham, who hit the post, brought the Tigers within a sniff of their first win.

It was not to be.

“We’ve got the bye next week and had we not won, it’s not a very happy week off,” Kennedy said.