Jack Walker was among the best players for the Western Jets on Saturday. 86177_11 Picture: MATHEW LYNN
By LIAM TWOMEY
THE Western Jets finished the TAC Cup season on a high note after defeating the Calder Cannons by 58 points on Saturday.
Nothing could separate the two sides throughout the first three quarters of the match with both enjoying time in front.
However, a final quarter blitz from the Jets turned the match on its head.
Holding a 12-point lead at the final break, Western kicked a staggering nine goals in the last quarter and restricted Calder to just one to secure the 18.11 (119) to 8.13 (61) win.
Jets coach Steve Kretiuk said it was his club’s best win of the season.
“Ever since I’ve been there and that’s five years, I don’t think that we have beaten Calder with their full side in,” he said.
“I think we have beaten them a couple of times during the school terms where they have quite a few players out, but they had pretty much a full team yesterday coming into finals. It was a fantastic effort.
“The way we did it too, especially in that last quarter, it shows that we are probably the most improved team in the competition in the second half of the year.
“If we did make the finals, I think we certainly would have given it a pretty big shake.
Potential draft prospect Lachlan Hunter was outstanding for the Jets, kicking three goals in a best on ground performance.
He was well supported on the forward line by Spencer White, who also finished the match with three goals, and captain Ashlin Brown, who booted two.
Kretiuk said he encouraged his players to play with a sense of freedom going into the final quarter.
“What I highlighted to the players, especially mainly the top age guys, was that this was probably the last chance for them to play with that freedom and to really express themselves,” he said.
“Hopefully, some guys will go off to the AFL and a lot of them will go to the VFL. It is really regimented the way you go about playing your footy up there.
“This is probably the last chance to really let their hair down I suppose and have that sense of freedom and just go about playing and enjoying the game.
“They certainly did it in the last quarter, kicking nine goals. Our efforts through the middle and winning those clearances, there was a real sense of confidence to take the opposition on and to finish off the year the way we did.”
