Round 8 EDFA action - Gibson versus Esperance and Ports versus Newtown

It was a footy match that telling on a number of fronts. It provided one team with gathering momentum towards the final stretch home and another with the reality check it surely needed. Another hard fought battle between the Esperance Football Club and the Gibson Tigers.

Both Esperance and Gibson had little reference points leading into the game after the two-week bye had stalled any form made from either side throughout the year. This became obvious after an unassuming start made by both sides, with Gibson kicking the first scores of the game before the Dog’s lost a defender to concussion after a desperate lunging tackle went awry in Esperance’s defending fifty. Play was halted for over five minutes as a stretcher was called.

From that moment, forward the men in red and white controlled the match, with their determined scrap and grit around the ball providing plenty clean forward entries. Brendon White feasted on the opportunity, consistently troubling the Gibson defenders in the air and on the ground. He kicked seven goals in a dominant display, and was Esperance’s best.

The Wood brothers were incredibly tough around the ball, tirelessly getting first hand on the ball in the packs and the Bulldog’s outside class was evident through the likes of Bourne and Reynolds. Their defence were rock solid also, setting up early to take advantage of the constant Gibson turnovers offered from the Dog’s midfield pressure. The return of Cisco in the ruck was also critical, his presence around the ball was valuable.

Gibson’s captain Patch Jannings was relentless in his attack on the pill and was one of the few shining lights for the Tigers. Ben Liddelow’s constant in the ruck shone, he played his best game of the year and expertly covered the ground.

The biggest concerns for the reigning premiers comes with the injury to their captain Roger Parsons at the beginning of the fourth quarter to his knee, and the possibility of losing big utility Reece Griffiths after he was given a red card for an errant high hit on Jannings. The fourth quarter blow to the Gibson Captain’s head initiated a skirmish with almost every player from both teams entering the fracas. No other cards were given.

Griffiths will learn his fate tonight (Tuesday 17 August) at the EDFA tribunal hearing.

In other local footy results, Newtown-Condi continued their recent domination of Ports with a tough 19-point win at Ports Oval despite the presence of Eagles midfielder and former Ports player Brayden Ainsworth.

A powerful five-goal haul to Trocinski propelled the Lions, while De Beer caused headaches with two majors himself.

For Ports, Wkykes three-goal effort was not enough to drag the home side across the line.