Sport
20 May, 2024
Maryborough Giants secure first senior football victory with big win over Dunolly
It was history in the making, and the biggest of big, big sounds reverberated around Hedges Oval as the Maryborough Giants were able to finally break through for their first senior football win in their history on Saturday afternoon against Dunolly...
It was history in the making, and the biggest of big, big sounds reverberated around Hedges Oval as the Maryborough Giants were able to finally break through for their first senior football win in their history on Saturday afternoon against Dunolly.
Nine goals to two in the middle two quarters meant the Giants were able to run all over a shellshocked Dunolly, who had come into the game hoping to continue their good start to the season and hold down a top four spot.
But the Giants had other ideas, and a win that has, in all respects, been coming for the club after good performances without success against top eight teams Talbot, Lexton and Harcourt was finally forthcoming.
The Giants were able to get the jump thanks to early goals to Jacob Rollason and Chris Scragg to take a four-point lead going into the first change.
It was all the men in charcoal and orange in the second term as they kicked four goals to one to clear away from the Eagles, with the Giants 23 points in front at the main break.
It was the third quarter that did the trick for the Giants in their clash with Harcourt last week, and that would be the case again on Saturday. Instead of having to come back, however, the Giants were able to seal the game with a five-goal to one run as Hedges Oval was rocking, with the Giants 53 points up at the final change.
While a shellshocked Eagles were able to kick four goals to two to reduce the final margin to 39 points, it was all the Giants, who were able to win 13.8 (86) to 7.5 (47).
An electrifying midfield performance from young dynamo Aiden Carter set the Giants alight, and he was well-supported by hard-running wingman Cody Wright and Kieran Johns. Matt Walker was as workmanlike as ever, as was Zayne Earl, while Rollason was also named in the best for the victors.
An even spread of seven goalkickers contributed to their 13 goals, with Scragg kicking three and Rollason, Mitch Whelan, Cody Bravo and Declan Wagstaff kicking two each.
For Dunolly, Lachlan Tranter was their best, while Oscar Keogh, Jay McDonald, Jake Willcocks — their only multiple goalkicker with two goals, Bailey Goodwin and Corey Bray were also named in their best.
A relieved Maryborough Giants coach Damian Cupido was thrilled to finally score the club’s first senior football win at the helm.
“It was sensational. We’ve been playing some really good footy for the last two or three weeks, and it’s been a build-up,” he said.
“I’m happy for the players, who’ve been working their backsides off at training. I’ve been drumming that into the group that it’s where it starts, and the more we train and play together, the better we were going to get.”
Cupido believes the club has been much better than their record suggests.
“If you take the Maldon game away, we would have been one of the better 0-5 sides going around, losing to Talbot, Lexton and Harcourt by not much,” he said.
“We haven’t had an easy draw, as we’ve played every team in the top eight so far, but we’ve been in good shape. It was great making a bit of history getting the first win for the club, and I’m rapt. The players really deserved it.
“Last week was a bit of a turning point against Harcourt, nearly beating them and having the confidence to play the way we did against a team that’s been unbeaten for two years really gave the team the drive and they believe they are better than the results have shown. Confidence is a massive thing in footy.
“It’s a huge relief, though. I felt we are a much better side than the results have shown. We do have to keep a lid on it. Even though we felt we have played better than 1-5, we are 1-5, and we have some work to do to be where we want to be, come the end of the year.”
The new-found confidence across the board for the Giants, Cupido believes, comes down to a belief in the game-plan and constantly working at training as they find their groove.
“It hasn’t been a fluke. We know the game style we want to play, and we’ve been working really hard on our ball movement and the fundamentals. It’s coming together and we’ve seen some rapid improvement from the group,” he said.
“We have had players play out of their skins when we’ve given them opportunities. It’s always hard with a new team finding their feet and how each other plays. But the guys are starting to believe.
“It’s been hard to wipe the old losing mentality of both clubs early in the year, but we are starting to do that.”
Cupido was complementary of Carter in particular, while also praising co-captain Johns.
“Guys are starting to find their niches in the spots they are playing,” he said.
“Aiden Carter has been outstanding for us as a kid coming in from Carisbrook, and he’s an in-and-under guy that doesn’t know how to quit. He’s a 19-year-old kid leading the midfield brigade, and well-supported by Kieran Johns.
“I said to the players after the game that you’re not going to have 22 perfect games of football, but if players take their moments when their teammates need them to, that’s all that matters, and most of the guys did that.
“That’s all I can ask for as a coach, these guys are fronting up and wanting to improve and get better, and that’s what we want.”
The Giants now face another big test this week in the third-placed Carisbrook this week, but according to Cupido, there should be no fears for the Giants as they look to score their second win in succession.
“It’s another big test against Carisbrook this week at home again, but I’ll get the boys ready,” he said.
“I have a lot of respect for Carisbrook, only losing the grand final by 11 points to Harcourt, we know it’s going to be another tough test for us, but we welcome the challenge.
“I said to the players that the way we have been playing, we shouldn’t fear anyone. We play a brand of footy that has stood up, I believe, and accompanied by good fundamentals, it holds us in good stead.
“That’s what we have focused on at training and what we try and implement in games. I’m rapt to see the guys are getting the reward for believing in the system and now that they believe it actually works, we have no fear and we can see how we go.”