GREAT Flinders’ greater experience and a lift in their work rate in the third quarter helped deliver them a 23-point win over Port Lincoln at Ravendale on Saturday.
The first half was all about the next level: 100 per cent intensity and pressure with a persistent presence, and a complete disregard of fear and total commitment by all players.
Port Lincoln were off to a good start with Haydn Parker claiming the first clearance in the ruck duel between Lincoln’s Scott Charman and Great Flinders’ Brian Coad.
Port Lincoln’s Johan Wagner was first to get the flags waving after three points were scored, but in what was to be the norm for the game, Great Flinders answered the challenge when Prime was given a free to kick the first of his six for the day.
From this point on it was kick for kick, and the tempo of the game was in full flight with hard and punishing tackling by both teams.
Another goal by Wagner and one by Charman had Lincoln up by 14 points.
Lincoln captain Mathew Goodwin led from the front and Rory Hunt was finding plenty of the ball in the middle, while Ky Miller was in the game, and was brilliant when he pushed forward to put his team’s fourth goal on the board.
Flinders lifted again for their second challenge, and it was with quick delivery into the forward lines saw Lincoln’s lead reduced to one goal at the end of an entertaining first quarter.
The Maroons’ Sam Read was in the game early with strong marks and Jim Holman pulled off the tackle of the game for a turnover, to help subdue Lincoln’s early momentum.
With a cross wind from the western flank favouring both forward pockets and considering the wet ball, the skills were top shelf and the Ravendale surface seemed to be holding up well after the rain.The second term saw Flinders’ Craig Curtis put the metal to the floor, and with Jordan Telfer, Jim Holman, Nigel James and Paul Jefferson stepping up a gear or two, they started to share and run the ball in open play and it was only a tigerish effort by Lincoln’s back half that stopped an avalanche of goals.
Goals were not for sale and both teams had to dig deep in to their pockets to earn every chance to get the two flags waving.
Sam Read marked unattended in space to kick two and Fitzgerald kicked the first of his three.
Lincoln’s Ross Campbell, with a hanger over the pack, was the only goal kicker in this term for the first of his three for the day.
Trailing by eight points at the long break, Lincoln coach Steve Whillas would have been impressed by his team’s commitment, while Flinders coach Darren Smith would have been pleased with his team’s accountability.
Great Flinders proved why they are a champion team and the benchmark on the EP in the third quarter.
With more impact at the clearances, their work rate lifted and they shared the ball and hit the targets to kick four goals, which could have been more with some easy shots on goal missed.
Port Lincoln replied with three goals straight and a never-say-die attitude. In seasons of late Lincoln could have been overrun, but the new young guns refused to surrender as they proved in the last quarter.
The Flinders lead of 20 points at the last change was the biggest lead of the game and it proved to be significant and hard to peg back.
To Lincoln’s credit they didn’t shut the shop, kept it open and again found the commitment and energy to challenge Flinders again and again.
Lincoln did close the gap to 16 points when Levi Smith, from a free and 50-metre penalty, kicked Lincoln’s 11th goal but Great Flinders lifted again to run out winners.
Prime was the crowd favourite and did not disappoint with his six goals out of his team’s 14 and the spirit that he plays with.
Well-played Great Flinders and with any luck Port Lincoln will be trying their hearts out, and may well be playing you again in the last game on Mortlock Monday.
To Port Lincoln, you did the league proud, and you have laid the foundation to have a good, if not great, Mortlock, and that is what football is all about on EP.
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