A BRILLIANT qualifying final performance has preserved Laurimar’s double chance, as the Power progressed to the second semi-final for a key date with minor premier Fitzroy Stars.
It was a tentative start to affairs at Main Street Recreation Reserve in Thomastown, with both teams taking their time to get their plans sorted.
However, it was Laurimar who got comfortable first. While it yielded four behinds, the dam wall would eventually burst with two quick goals, firstly through Carter McCall, who coolly delivered from a set shot, before Stephen McCallum would set the crowd alight with an elite finish from tight on the boundary line.
Ivanhoe had a response, but it was followed immediately by a goal from Division Three leading goalkicker Patrick Fitzgerald to give Laurimar a 16-point lead at the first break, 23-7.
With light rain falling, Ivanhoe needed a response to get into the game and it got it, but the 11-point margin that followed would be as close as the Hoers got.
Laurimar responded with three of the next four goals. Quick snaps from the ever-present Bailey Macleod and Fitzgerald ensured the Power was still on top, before a big mark and set shot conversion from Joel Lawson gave Laurimar a 21-point lead at the main break, 44-23.
The Power wasn’t far away from breaking the game open, but instead, their first 10 minutes were testy as several kicks floated out of bounds, giving Ivanhoe repeat opportunities.
But while Ivanhoe asked questions, it did not have the answers.
The Power then took advantage. A set shot goal from Noah Mooney settled the nerves, before a neat running goal from Campbell Walker extended the lead. When Fitzgerald took a towering contested mark and converted, it was suddenly a 32-point lead to Laurimar at the final change, 65-33.
Cooper Herbert was one of Laurimar’s key movers through the middle of the ground, and it was fitting that he would deliver the key nail in the coffin for the start of the final term, extending the Power lead to 37 points.
From there, it was simply party time for the Power.
Fitzgerald added goals number four and five, before Kaiden Arthur joined in the party. Jai Langford added another, and the margin ballooned to 59 points.
A magical goal to Lawson finished off the day, with the Power kicking 15.12 (102) to 5.13 (43).
Herbert and Macleod were brilliant across the middle. Both young guns were instrumental in delivering clearances, feeding off one another in the in-and-under stuff to give the Power first use.
Ethan Bateman controlled the airwaves down back, while Fitzgerald’s five goals took him to 84 for the season. Jacob Lawson and Aidan Clarke completed the list of best players for the Power, which realistically could have been a cast of thousands, such was their dominance in the second half.
Coach Jimmy Atkins was thrilled with the way Laurimar responded in the second half.
“The first half, we played pretty well, but we didn’t execute, and we turned the footy over a little bit. That’s credit to Ivanhoe, its pressure was good, but after half time, our pressure lifted, and we got our hands on the footy a bit more,” he said.
“Our ground balls in the first half were horrible. The way we switched it at half time and were able to get our head over the ball, get the handball and get it to Fitzgerald as quickly as we can was excellent.”
Atkins was particularly happy with the form of Macleod through the middle after a consistent season.
“We rate Bailey very highly. He’s a sensational player, he’s had an unbelievable month, an unbelievable year. He’s fit and doing really well,” he said.
Atkins immediately turned his attention to Fitzroy Stars but also had one eye on his team’s positive record at Thomastown as a factor in believing Laurimar could go all the way.
“Fitzroy Stars are a class outfit. They haven’t lost a game, and they’ll bring really good players back. When you concentrate on a side too much, you forget to worry about how good you are,” he said.
“Both times we’ve played them, we have let ourselves down with one quarter, and that’s credit to them, because they put so much pressure on us. If we give a good four-quarter effort, we’ll give ourselves every chance.
“We love this ground. We’ve played here twice, and we haven’t lost. We came here with a great attitude, and it suits us well.”
