Storm finally snaps Gisborne’s Graveyard hoodoo: 2013

Strathfieldsaye’s memories of their horror string of losses at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve were finally over by the end of July a decade back.

So a great milestone was marked that winter’s day in 2013.

The Storm recorded a victory at the Graveyard for the very first time since they’d joined the league.

And they dominated play after quarter time and smothered Gisborne’s inaccurate forward line.

The home side could muster just six goals while at the other end Storm goal-sneaks drilled 13 majors.

Lachlan Sharp booted four majors on the day while the Storm’s other key forward, Tom Bartholomew nailed three.

The rival coaches had a bit to say in the days leading up to the big game. On Thursday and Friday, especially.

Bulldogs’ coach Kevin Fitzgerald knew the pressure was on his side as the Rd. 14 loss to the Hurst had sent Gisborne tumbling from third spot on the ladder to an unwanted berth outside the Top Five.

Gisborne was sixth going into the match against the Storm.

“We know that this game against the Storm will be a massive game for us. And this was even before we got beaten last week,” Fitzgerald said on the Friday night leading into the big game.

“It’s been a fairly long week out on the track, as you’d expect, but we can only do what we can do tomorrow (Saturday),” Fitzgerald said.

“And hopefully that’ll be good enough.”

Storm coach Darryl Wilson was pleased he’d be taking the club’s strongest team of the season down to the Gardiner Reserve.

But he was completely aware that “paper teams” meant absolutely nothing.

“All they mean is that we think we’ve got a good team which we’ll put out there, so now it’s up to the 22 blokes we’ve picked to go out onto the Graveyard and perform,” the coach said.

Storm’s four important additions included Sam Mildren, Tom Bartholomew, Vinnie Flood and Ben Lester.

Gisborne’s ‘revolving selection door’ continued to roll with ace forward Luke ‘Rolls Royce’ Saunders (knee), Eamon McKenna (ankle) along with Ethan Minns and Mark Maric all out.

In came key forward Matthew Knox, Ben Sullivan, Jarryd Vernon and Ben Grech.

Coach Fitzgerald said it had been a problem all season in 2013 with the constant team changes caused by injuries and unavailability.

“We’ve had four, five up to six changes at different stages this season which has made it really difficult for blokes to play together --- and more importantly to work for each other.

“When they’re constantly in and out that’s been one of the most frustrating parts of the season.”

The Graveyard coach said only a season earlier, in 2012, Gisborne was able to get a side onto the park each week with just one or two changes.

Leading into the big game Storm’s Wilson put the acid on his midfielders to lift.

“We need our midfield to pick up their act.

“That’s probably where we’ve been disappointed as a group and we are not shying away from that.

“We don’t think the ball’s been going our way often enough from the stoppages,” Wilson said.

“And there’s no doubt accountability will be a key and Gisborne does that very well.”

And so, onto the actual game.

The Graveyard Dogs could not find a marking target inside their forward 50 the whole afternoon, whereas Storm had Mildren, Bartholomew, Lachlan Sharp and Kris Lea as targets,

Plus Strathfieldsaye’s mids in Wayne Schultz (the ex-Maine Michelsen Medal on-baller), Shaun Everington, Flood and the super-reliable Shannon Geary responded to Wilson’s end-of-week pleas and really stepped up.

They were fed match-long by key big man Michael Pilcher.

And free-flowing defender Tom Dowd set up numerous attacks into the forward zone with his penetrating runs from half-back.

As I’ve noted, Sharp ended the Graveyard game with four snag rolls, Bartholomew added three while evergreen Shannon Geary --- he’s still going around as a 36-year-old --- booted two.

Goal-sneak Darren Farrugia was the only effective home side player inside 50 and he ended the day with three majors.

Accuracy wasn’t part of Gisborne’s kicking a decade back.

They had 2.10 on the scoreboard at the main break and trailed by 19 points. And then by the last break the Storm had rocketed out to a 33-point advantage: 9.8 to 3.11.

Sharp shot through two of his four goals in the final term after the Bulldogs had mounted a mini-challenge.

But then Strathfieldsaye’s Lachlan Bonney was rewarded for a great tackle and he drilled the decider in the time-on period.

Final sores split round 15: S’saye 13.9 (97) def. Gisborne 6.12 (48) and Sandhurst 22.16 (148) def. Kang. Flat 4.8 (32).

Advertiser Footballer of the Year standings: Mark Lloyd (GS) 25 votes; Mitch Hough (KF) 24; Simon Rosa (GS) 21; Kain Robins (Eh) 20 and Jarryd Graham (C’maine) 19.

A grade netball results: S’hurst 62 def. K. Flat 48 and Gisborne 72 def. S’saye 32.

To complete 2013’s split round 15: Eaglehawk (1st) vs. G Square (4th), South Bendigo (5th) vs. M’borough (7th) and Kyneton vs. Castlemaine: only in the Reserves. Kyneton seniors were in a one-season recess a decade back.

Plus, 10 years ago, Maryborough and Castlemaine had no under-18 sides so the Kyneton Threes were to enjoy an extra bye.