A FOCUS on playing unselfish football and a better workrate through the middle of the ground allowed the Warrack Eagles to notch a first win since round three on Saturday.
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Two passages of three quick goals proved crucial as the home side ran out 11.13 (79) to 8.13 (61) victors against the Horsham Saints at Anzac Park.
Warrack Eagles coach Ryan McKenzie said the win was massive for his side.
“We needed to win because we’ve had a couple of down weeks,” he said. “We brought in a bit of youth and enthusiasm and that rubbed off on others.”
The Saints had a strong wind at their back to start the game which allowed them to control much of the first quarter. Despite peppering the goals the side could only manage a 3.6 to 1.2 lead at the first break .
The three Saints goals included Gage Wright slotting a set shot home in his first game with one of his opening touches while Jeremy Clayton kicked the home side’s goals against the flow of play.
Warrack Eagles started to turn the match in the second quarter.
After Clayton kicked his side’s second goal and then third his side had grabbed were down by the solitary point the Saints side had added to its quarter time score.
Two more quick goals saw the side steal the lead and allowed it to hold onto an 11-point advantage at the main break.
There was heightened pressure from both team to start the third quarter but the Saints missed a number of good opportunities before closing the margin to two points.
Important goals against the breeze, including one to first-gamer Dane Stewart, allowed the Warrack Eagle to hold onto a 16-point margin at the last break.
It was a long way back for the Saints once the home side kicked the first goal of the fourth.
The game then entered into a lull before the Saints grabbed a couple of consolation goals and the Warrack Eagles side added one more of its own to seal the 18-point win.
The margin seemed from the sidelines and McKenzie said it felt as though his side had played the better footy.
“We missed a few shots that we should have kicked,” he said.
“I’m just really proud of the way we attacked the ball and the game – if we play like that we think we can win most games.”
He said his side had worked hard through the midfield to put itself in a good position.
“Shannon Argall is an elite ruckman and we’ve got Nick Peters back who is elite as well,” he said.
“You add a few more players around and we feel we’re well set.”
Saints coach Luke Fisher was left to rue missed opportunities in the opening stages of the game.
“If we had of kicked 6.3 in the opening quarter it would have really changed things mentally for both sides,” he said.
“We just weren’t at the same level in terms of pressure across four quarters today as we were last week.
“Today the Warrack did that and they didn’t have any passengers or waste the footy going forward, especially against the breeze.”