Joshua MacDonald tries desperately to get the ball forward for Glen Orden in its 19 point win on Saturday. 79414 Picture: EMILY LANE
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
WITH just three players returning from last season, a new-look Glen Orden Hawks side got their 2012 WRFL campaign off to a promising start after beating Coburg Districts by 19 points at Heathdale Oval on Saturday.
Trailing by four points at quarter time, the Hawks managed to wrest control of the game from quarter time, maintaining their lead all day despite Coburg fighting hard to stay in it.
Glen Orden assistant coach Stuart Daly said the win was vital for the team’s confidence going into the season with an essentially brand new playing group.
“For us having such a new side, that win was huge for the club,” he said.
“The best thing about the win was the fact that we had so many fresh faces, it meant a lot to the club.”
Five goals to Coburg’s two established a 16-point lead for Glen Orden at halftime, and Daly said the windy conditions had an impact on the first half.
“They definitely had a better start than us.
“They used the wind to their advantage,” Daly said.
Glen Orden continued to outscore Coburg in the third quarter, adding another four goals and extending their lead to 24 points by three-quarter time.
“We got about four goals up half way through the third quarter but they just kept coming at us,” Daly said.
“It was a pretty free flowing game and the momentum swung both ways at different stages.
“It was a really tense match all day and to their credit they fought it out to the end.”
The Lions kept themselves in the game throughout the last quarter, scoring one goal more than Glen Orden, however the Hawks held their nerve to earn the win.
Coburg coach Ron Rooney admitted his side was simply beaten by a better team.
“We probably didn’t get value for our effort. I felt we just couldn’t work hard enough to get back into the game,” Rooney said.
“Their bigger bodies were what was probably too good for us in the end.”
Rhys Bucktin scored four goals for the Hawks while teammate Shayne Comensoli got three.
Daly named Ashleigh Peters, Josh MacDonald and Stefan Angelini as Glen Orden’s best players.
The Hawks now host Albanvale, 356-point winners over North Sunshine on Saturday in round two on 14 April.
