Bloods hold firm in big start to season

SOUTH Bendigo coach Lauren Bowles maintains there is still plenty of growth left in her team, after rounding out a solid first block of games with a six-goal win over Eaglehawk.

The Bloods, who won’t play again until 16 May, moved to 4-1 ahead of a two-week break with a 58-52 victory at the QEO on Anzac Day.

That record has them on top of the ladder, albeit with Kangaroo Flat and Sandhurst below them both undefeated after three and two games respectively.

The Bloods, led by star goal shooter Gabe Richards, overcame a one-goal quarter-time deficit to be in front by two at half-time.

But it was a huge 18-10 third quarter that proved the difference, with the Bloods taking charge of the contest.

With their backs against the wall, the Hawks surged with a 16-10 final quarter, but to no avail, with the Bloods’ earlier excellent work holding them in good stead for a crucial win.

In contrast to last year’s Anzac Day clash, played in pouring rain, Saturday’s game was played in near perfect conditions, heightening the experience for players.

“It made for a great atmosphere,” Bowles said.

“The crowd was huge; it felt like a finals game, so it was a great experience for our girls, playing in front of a nice crowd and in warm conditions.

“And it was obviously a great day for our club.”

On the win, Bowles said it felt like her side was in control for a majority of the contest.

“Being up by 10 goals at three-quarter-time, I was hoping we would push on and extend the gap, and I thought we were playing well enough to be able to do it,” she said.

“But credit to Eaglehawk, a few turnovers from us and they were able to fully capitalise.

 

“They are a very handy team. A bit like us, they are going to take a bit of time to gel.

“We’ve both picked up some handy players and even last year, they matched up well and there wasn’t too much between us.

“It will be an interesting second match-up later in the year, as both teams would have had a good half or season or more to gel that little bit more.”

Bowles was adamant her side still had ‘heaps’ of scope for improvement.

“But it was the first time I sat back and went, ‘OK we’ve come to play’,” she said.

“Our turnover rate is still higher than I would like, but in terms of our ball movement and centre pass conversion, we were better in so many areas.

“Now it’s just little things like execution that will take our game to the next level.”

It was difficult to go past young midcourt playmaker Kyla Byrne as the Bloods’ best following a performance full of confidence.

Richards won accolades for another strong game, albeit with Bowles finding plenty of praise for her opponent on the day, Sienna Hobbs.

“The ability of Gabe to rip balls in, stay balanced and her leadership made is one of the better games I’ve seen from her this season,” she said.

“But Sienna Hobbs played a wonderful game as well.

“She had some really nice patches of play and really stuck to the task well.”

Despite a loss, a proud Eaglehawk coach Jannelle Hobbs said her side could take plenty of confidence from the clash.

The Hawks were left to rue a poor 10-minute patch in the third quarter after matching it with the Bloods for the remainder of the match.

“The girls fought hard, but just a few silly mistakes in the third quarter cost us,” she said.

“Unfortunately, you can’t afford that at this level.”

“We were on a roll at the end … another five minutes would have made it interesting, but it doesn’t happen that way.

“That lapse cost us. Outside of that, it was a pretty evenly matched game, so we need to learn to play four quarters.

“To their credit, the girls kept fighting.

“Their experience in the end held them in good stead. It’s a learning curve for us.”

Hobbs was confident both her team and also their opponents had improved from last year, when they filled fourth and fifth spots on the ladder at season’s end.

For the Hawks, midcourter Ella Flavell shone against her former club, predominantly in centre, while wing defence Morgan Keating and goal keeper Sienna Hobbs, who reeled in eight intercepts for the game, stood firm under pressure.

“I thought our attack end played well too … Chloe (Langley) And Mia (McCrann-Peters) are starting to combine well,” Hobbs said.

“We just need the belief to believe we can go through the full 60 minutes.

“I’m confident we’ll get there.”

With the Hawks slipping to 1-3, Hobbs pinpointed her side’s next match against Strathfieldsaye (0-2) on 9 May as a must-win game.

Remainder of round 4 (Saturday 2 May): Kangaroo Flat v Broadford; Castlemaine v Strathfieldsaye; Sandhurst v Golden Square; Gisborne bye.