General News
6 May, 2021
Testing period awaits unbeaten Tigers
WOORNDOO Mortlake coach Damien Pemberton is pleased with his side’s progress as it prepares for a bumper month of football.
WOORNDOO Mortlake coach Damien Pemberton is pleased with his side’s progress as it prepares for a bumper month of football.
The Tigers extended its winning start to three matches with a comfortable 26.10 (166) to 12.4 (76) victory over Lismore Derrinallum.
The wins have the Tigers primed for a big six-week period, starting with a clash against the Ararat Eagles this Saturday.
Woorndoo Mortlake will face Hawkesdale Macarthur (May 15), Great Western (May 22) Glenthompson Dunkeld (May 29), Moyston Willaura (June 5) and Penshurst (June 19) over the next six weeks.
Pemberton said his side was “tracking pretty good” ahead of those contests, adding they would give the Tigers an indication of where it sits in the scheme of the ladder.
“Our depth has been a luxury and has allowed us to have blokes sit out when they have a niggle and while it’s good to have that, we’re still trying to get a gauge on opposition sides,” he said.
“We have a tough one this weekend but it’ll give us a gauge of where we sit I think and how we match up with the likes of Ararat and Great Western.
“They’re two sides that are going to be very competitive and we’re keeping an eye on Tatyoon as well.
“The next couple of weeks will definitely give us an indication of where we’re centered for the year.”
Off-season recruit Tyson Hogan was once again named best on ground for the Tigers, while Luke Kensit, Will Templeton, Jesse Horan and James Coghlan-West performed well.
Pemberton said Hogan’s impact on the club had been profound early, but added his side was relying on 21 contributors, not just one to win matches.
“He’s a great player for sure. He has a beautiful kick and seems to find the right spot and space,” he said.
“I know you probably want to focus on him but we have 21 players who can all play good footy.
“The blokes around Hoges are giving him clean use of the footy so it is a team effort but he’s definitely having a great impact on our side already.
“He’s also a great bloke to have around the club but we have 21 on the field that we rely on and that shows in the (spread of) best players.”
For the second successive week, one of the Tigers’ key forwards has kicked a bag of nine, with Richard McCormick following the lead of fellow forward Jordon Buckley.
Buckley kicked nine against SMW Rovers, with McCormick following suit in the Demons clash, while another of the Tigers’ talls Grant Cameron chipped in with five last Saturday.
Pemberton said his side was lucky to have three key targets, while the likes of Hogan, Keilan Bamford and a host of smalls only added to his side’s forward dynamic.
“We’ve definitely got three main forward targets and they can be three pretty potent blokes up forward,” he said.
“Normally you might have one or two key forwards so to have three gun forwards enables us to try and create a mismatch.
“We’re trying to rotate them until one gets a mismatch and creates a better target for us.
“It’s a really well structured forward line but really it’s a luxury situation with three big forwards to rotate around a little bit.”
Pemberton said his side was expecting the Eagles to be competitive this weekend after the club turned around its fortunes.
Ararat failed to win a game in 2019 but had rebounded quickly in 2021, defeating Lismore Derrinallum and coming within a goal of knocking over 2019 premiers Great Western in the first three weeks.
“They pushed Great Western to within a goal and Great Western was the team to beat so I think we’ll get a real gauge on how we match up with them and where we sit no matter the outcome,” Pemberton said.
“It’s a fantastic effort for them to turn it around like they have and we know they have a few handy players so we’ve got to be wary of those blokes.
“I’m confident in our blokes and it’s a credit to them for turning it around but it’ll be an interest game on Saturday.”