Dusties' disappointing day

by Nicholas Duck
Warragul Industrials won't be a happy bunch this week following a shockingly poor 82-point shellacking from Inverloch-Kongwak.
The Dusties failed to kick a goal across the second and third quarters, allowing the visitors to pile on 10 straight and consign them to a 6.6 (42) to 18.16 (124) defeat – their second in as many weeks.
The third quarter was particularly grim reading for the home side, who didn't score at all while the Sea Eagles booted 6.4 in that same time.
While the Dusties are missing plenty of their A grade talent – Goy Lok, Kuiy Jiath and Boadie Motton were among the names not featuring – the way they consistently turned the ball over going forward would have some alarm bells ringing.
Missed kicks and handballs continually killed any chance they had at building momentum and the Sea Eagles were more than happy to punish them for it.
Inverloch-Kongwak set themselves up well behind the footy all day, refusing to give the Dusties the easy out or the run and carry they love.
The frustration from the fans at Western Park was palpable the longer the game wore on, with every wayward kick met by a collective groan on the sidelines.
Sea Eagles key forwards Jaxon Williams (six goals) and Jack Ginnane (four) were lethal in what proved to be a dominant day for the visitors.
Among the Warragul Industrials' best were Jeremy Monckton and Matt Herbert, who tried desperately all day to generate any sort of run through the middle of the field.
Talls Lachlan Bambridge and Tim Hancock competed hard aerially all day while debutant Alex Ingham did well to find space and use the ball well when he had it and Todd Beck was solid as usual.
For the Sea Eagles you could pick any number of winners for the best, but chief among them was big man Lachlan Gale, who had plenty of say in the air.
Williams of course dragged down plenty of marks inside 50, as Dylan Clark, Zak Box, Ethan Park and William Turner were all excellent.
Early signs were good for the home side when skipper Michael Debenham snapped the first goal of the day just 30 seconds in.
Inverloch-Kongwak would immediately return serve, finding Ginnane on the lead and from there the back-and-forth tone of the opening quarter was set.
Two late Sea Eagles majors gave them the advantage headed into the first break but few would have predicted what was to come.
Warragul Industrials simply could not score after quarter time, falling down by their own hand time and time again while Inverloch-Kongwak racked up goal after goal.
The Dusties' struggles were perhaps best summarised when coach Bob McCallum went up to mark a high ball uncontested, only for the ball to slip to ground.
He wasn't alone as his charges' skills deserted them for most of the middle of the game.
It wasn't until early in the last when Debenham finally broke the Sea Eagles' run, but by then it was far too late.
Inverloch-Kongwak continue to be a surprise packet this season and now sit atop the ladder after six games.
Now 5-2, the Dusties have been badly exposed in their last two games and will have plenty to work on heading into this week's bye before hosting Dalyston the following week.