After a challenging week in the media spotlight, Queenscliff has let its football do the talking by putting a dent in the double-chance hopes of Modewarre with a 15-point win at The Couta Bowl.
The Coutas found themselves under scrutiny after Ocean Grove raised issues with the physicality shown by their rivals in the previous week’s game.
“It’s been a tough week,” coach Heath Jamieson said. “We weren’t happy with too many things that were written about us, but we wanted to move on.
“And the best way to move on is coming out and winning footy games.
“We’re a young group, but today, I think they grew a leg … they matured overnight.”
Trailing by four points at half-time, the Coutas played their best quarter of the year in the third term, slamming on eight goals while keeping the Warriors to just two behinds to open up a 50-point lead.
The visitors rallied in the last quarter, but Queenscliff held on for a 15.15 (105) to 14.6 (90) victory.
Jamieson said the message to his players at the main break was simple.
“The message at half-time was, ‘We’ve been in this position a hell of a lot this year’, which we have been,” he said.
“We’ve been close at half-time in the majority of the games, if not in all of them.
“I said, ‘Enough from me. It’s over to you guys now’. I put it back on the players, and to their credit, they grabbed it by the scruff of the neck.”
“It was clinical. It was high-scoring, it was quick, skilful. It was everything we wanted to see and everything we’ve been working pretty hard on.”
Che Durran and Joe Cincotta impressed for the Coutas, but Jamieson reserved special praise for the performance of Max Scott.
“He’s been super this year,” Jamieson said. “He was a talented junior at the footy club, and he came back this year from North Ballarat in the Ballarat League.
“He’s just been growing every week, and he’s a great kid from a great Queenscliff family.
“His dad coaches our under-16s despite not having a kid involved.
“It’s a good story to watch him go to work every week.”
Sol Bowtell finished with three goals for Queenscliff, while Durran, Tom Bakker and Will Baker each kicked two.
Connor Joseph (four goals) and Tom Hornsey (three) were best in front of goal for the Warriors.
Elsewhere,
Anglesea outlasted Drysdale at Ellimatta Reserve to claim a 16-point win, 11.12 (78) to 9.8 (62).
With scores tied during the final term after Bailey Sykes kicked a goal from a tight angle for the Hawks, the Roos kicked the last two majors of the contest through Courtney Wedderburn and Lewis Beers.
Tom Couch, Liam Holland and Lachie Smith each kicked two goals for Anglesea.
First-gamer Nick Aringo made the most of his call-up for Drysdale, finishing with three goals.
Torquay took another step towards securing the minor premiership after overcoming a plucky Ocean Grove by 49 points at Ray Menzies Oval.
Debutant Luke Wittman was among the four Tigers to kick two goals in the 12.14 (86) to 5.7 (37) result.
The Grubbers, who were best served by Max Sutton and Brady Pritchard, had five individual goalkickers.
Geelong Amateur maintained its one-game break in third spot with a 74-point win over Portarlington at Ron Evans Oval.
The margin was 31 points at three-quarter time before the visitors slammed on seven goals to none in the final term to secure a 19.12 (126) to 7.10 (52) victory.
Jai Sheahan stood out with six goals for Ammos, with Jordan Toll contributing three.
Teia Miles and captain Mitch Turnbull kicked two goals apiece for the Demons.
Barwon Heads overcame a slow start at Grinter Reserve to defeat Newcomb by 55 points.
Trailing by eight points at quarter-time, the Seagulls kicked 14 goals to four for the remainder of the contest to claim a 15.10 (100) to 6.9 (45) result.
Jye Bartley’s four goals were best for Barwon Heads. League-leading goalkicker Jack Duke and Andrew Steele each kicked two for the Power.
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