The euphoria of last’s week’s big win came to a halt yesterday with the Tigers taking on second placed Springwood Pumas at Lowe Oval.
The Tigers held on for a very good win last week against the Hinterland Blues but once again suffered some critical losses to personnel with big man Jamie Ivers ruled out during the week along with Hayden Fry. Tom Fry was called up to Lions duties taking a very handy threesome out of the senior group on top of several of the Tiger’s best in recent weeks.
Once again the Reserves stepped up to the challenge with some of their best holding down critical spots including youngster Gus Shaw who stepped into the ruck. He has been superb in the Reserves all year and thoroughly deserved his opportunity in his first senior finals game. He started very well winning the first ruck, sharking his own ball and kicking the Tigers forward. He battled manfully all day against a very experienced Pumas midfield group.
The Tigers dominated possession and field position in the first term but their impressive accuracy from last week miraculously deserted them as they kicked only two goals from eight scoring shots. The Pumas on the other hand kicked three straight from almost the same number of forward entries to have the two teams level at the first break.
Lowe Oval has never been a happy hunting ground for the Tigers over the last twenty years while the Pumas dominate the small and unusually shaped ground as their fortress. So it was in the second term when the Pumas kicked with the freshening northerly which sprang up during the first break. The Tigers could not get the ball past half way while the Pumas attacked relentlessly. Dean Hartley was once again courageous as has been over more than ten years backing back into packs, spoiling and marking to deny the Pumas on numerous occasions. He was well supported by his young disciple James Stolz whoas his fair share of courage under fire as well.It was a big day for the Tig is rogwin stature every week. Stolz provides plenty of run off the half back and also hers backline as thg ine day went on with the Pumas growing in confidence while the Tigers went back into their shell.
Once again Callum Ferguson delivered plenty of spoiling and marking to the Tigers defence until he was moved forward in an attempt to spark something up front. The Tigers defence were under a mountain of pressure with Jeremy Duck also ever reliable under duress.
The Pumas veteran Rowan Page was everywhere as he accumulated possessions to get them up and going while former Mayne Tiger Jake Warren was impressive in the middle with his execution of delivery and reading of play.
The Tigers midfield relied once again on multiple club champion Jack Collings to get plenty of the ball while Jack Coghlan was very busy trying to get the Tigers moving. Club Captain Zac McLean led his team out in his 150th game hoping for a better result and while he did all he could to make it a successful day, it just wasn’t to be.
Young gun Haydn Petersen was the best forward for the Tigers in an otherwise disappointing day.
In the end the Pumas ran out very worthy winners by a solid margin having made the most of their advantage in experience, skill and speed.
The Tigers will need to regroup quickly this week at they now take on Caloundra who dispensed with the Hinterland Blues in the Elimination Final.
This will be a home final for the Tigers and the club hope to see a big contingent of supporters come along to the Den to support the team in a now do or die affair.
The game will commence at 2pm on Saturday 19th August 2023.
Scores: Springwood 19.12.126 d Mayne 3.13.31 Goals: J Coghlan 2, J Westerberg 1. Best: D Hartley, J Collings, J Stolz, J Coghlan, J Duck, H Petersen.
