PICTURE GALLERY: Calder Cannons v North Ballarat Rebels
For those who saw the first 15 minutes of the Calder Cannons and North Ballarat Rebels TAC Cup qualifying final couldn’t have predicted what was going to happen next.
The Rebels came out firing in the opening quarter at Visy Park and quickly established a 29-point lead, largely due to four goals to Jesse Palmer.
The Cannons were struggling to get the ball and when they did it was under pressure and was wasted.
As quickly as the lead was established, it was gone.
After quarter time, the Cannons sent an ominous warning to the rest of a competition as they kept the Rebels to three goals while kicking 23 of their own to win by 99 points, 25.10 (160) to 9.7 (61).
The Cannons ran in numbers, while working for each other and making sure they were doing the one per centers until the final siren.
Cannons coach Andrew Jago was thrilled with the win.
“I have said it a couple of times recently they [the Rebels] have the best intensity in the TAC Cup and I warned the boys to be prepared that they would come and they did.
“We had to make some adjustments at quarter time in attitude and effort and in decision making.”
He said it was the lack of composure in the midfield and forwards had put extra pressure on the defenders early.
“It wasn’t so much our backs fault. We had to shut down more in the midfield once we started shutting down and getting our hands on it we started to wrestle back.
“One of things we made a big focus on. [at quarter time] was our forward pressure and forward pressure through the midfield.”
Damien Cavka was best on ground with five goals, while Jayden Foster kicked six goals.
