TIM Inkster’s Jeparit-Rainbow team sneaked over the line when it took on Gareth Hose’s Noradjuha-Quantong.
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Only three points separated the two teams on the final siren, Storm won 10.7 (67) to 9.10 (64).
Inkster said thanks to a strong second quarter, kicking into the breeze, his team managed a big enough gap on the scoreboard which the Bombers could not reach.
“I think we were four goals up and three quarter time and they got the only four clearances in the fourth quarter and kicked four goals,” he said.
“It was a fight for the last 10 minutes.”
The Storm players were only able to score one point in the final quarter, where the Bombers managed four goals and four points.
“In the last 10 minutes they scored a couple of points and that was it,” he said.
“It was an arm wrestle, they had us on the ropes but we were lucky enough to hold on.”
Inkster said he was disappointed in how his team played as a whole in the final quarter.
“We pushed a few people back in the last quarter to try and block it up a bit, with the breeze.” he said.
Inkster said he thought the Storm could have taken advantage of the strong wind.
“Like every team against us the Bombers kept hanging in, got momentum and nearly got over the top. They probably should have really,” he said.
Inkster said it was a credit to Hose’s men.
“They wanted the footy more and won all the clearances, and our defence wasn’t great in the last quarter,” he said. “Nothing was going right really.”
Inkster said Luke Murphy had a standout game off half back and in centre.
“He was good with his run off half back, he created a bit with his handball. That stood out. In the last quarter he got the middle half way through and made it an arm wrestle,” he said.
“Luke sort of got us over the line.”
Hose said his team had help from the strong breeze in the final quarter.
“At half time, I knew if we could stay within five goals in the third quarter I was confident – with the breeze – we could have the run and come home and give it a shake,” he said.
Hose said the second quarter cost his team the game.
“We had the breeze and they just got on top in midfield, and got their hands on the footy first,” he said.
“Reflecting on the game it was the second quarter that let us down. Our other three quarters were really good.”
Hose was impressed with his players pressure.
“It was almost a four quarter effort, we took a lot of positives that when we’re playing our best footy we really aren’t that far away from the top teams,” he said.
“I’m really happy with how we are playing.”
Hose said it was difficult to choose best players after the game because he thought a large majority of his team played their best game of the season.
“Jordan Huff played his best game so far this year. Remy Cross was up forward this week and almost played his best game for the year,” he said.
“We had guys who haven’t been up there with the best players who I think were performing really well. Then we had the usual suspects in Dusty Cross, Jack Vague, Shane Oakley and Cam Bruce who played well.”