• Berwick Gazette
• Pakenham Gazette

- Brad Kingsbury

10th June 2009 02:00:38 AM

Left: Warragul young gun Josh Helliwell gets a handball away under pressure from Sharks skipper and Berwick star Nathan Page.

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MORNINGTON Peninsula Nepean Football League Sharks under-18 players rallied after a lack-lustre first half to storm home and defeat the West Gippsland Latrobe side by 31 points in Saturday’s interleague curtain raiser at Pakenham.

The WGLFL opened the game well booting four goals to three in the first term and then extending that lead to 10 points after the Sharks butchered the ball in front of goal in the second quarter, booting 1.9 for the term.

Coach Mark Douglas moved Ricky Plummer from attack to an on-ball role and the Mt Eliza youngster took control, winning some important possessions to help the Sharks back into the contest in the third term.

Brad McDonald (six goals) took some strong marks at full-forward and the WGLFL had no answer for his strength as the game wore on, while late call-up Doveton ruckman Vergim Faik was outstanding in the air.

He gave his on-ballers first use of the ball and making his physical presence felt at the stoppages.

The WGLFL was noticeably slower and far less intense at the ball in the final term, with the Sharks making the play and dominating their tiring opposition to record a stunning victory.

Sharks’ coach Mark Douglas from Narre Warren was thrilled with his team’s effort and praised his players’ composure after they were put under pressure early.

“We probably just wanted the boys to run and carry the ball, that was the basic instruction,” he said.

“We weren’t very clean with our hands early and fumbled the ball a bit and fell to the ground a lot, but we made them aware that at this level they had to stay on their feet and they picked it up and played pretty well in the end.

“We didn’t know anything about (the WGLFL) but I thought as long as we ran and protected the ball carrier, which is something we are very strong with at Narre Warren, we’d be right and that was the way it happened.

“We only trained three times, but we came here to win and we did and I thought the boys were fantastic.”

The Sharks better performers were Nathan Gillis (best on ground), Brad McDonald, Dean Scanlon, Vergim Faik, Ricky Plummer and captain Nathan Page, while the WGLFL was well served by Dean McDonald, Guy Sinclair, Calum Shiels and Tom Marriott.

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