A first-rate game from captain Emmanuel Collard and a game-saving tackle from Brendan Tingey helped Baldivis get over the line in a top-two thriller against Rockingham on Saturday afternoon.
Collard was remarkable across the four quarters, sparking a performance that kept his side’s unbeaten start to the season alive despite a huge challenge from the Rams, as the Brumbies ran out 12.13 (85) to 12.8 (80) winners in a last-gasp showdown.
A topsy-turvy fourth quarter provided a number of crucial moments, but perhaps none more important than Tingey’s efforts in the dying stages.
The Rams had booted two straight goals to cut the lead to just five points with less than two minutes on the clock, and looked primed for another when they dashed away from the centre bounce.
But Tingey lunged at the ball carrier, earning a free kick for holding the ball and letting his side breathe a sigh of relief.
The Brumbies would go on to take the ball down their end and run the clock out for a nail-biting victory.
But they were forced to earn their fifth straight win, after Rockingham shell-shocked the home side in the first quarter.
Mitchel Curnow was impressive all day, ending the match with a tonne of disposals after finding plenty early to spark a run of three straight Rams goals after Baldivis booted the first through Aaron Bowers.
Luke Dowling, Tyler Sutton and Lucas Humphreys were all the beneficiary of a dominant Rams midfield early, paving Rockingham’s path to a 13 point lead at the first change.
The Rams threatened to run away with the game five minutes into the second with goals to Chris Oliver and Curnow, but Brumbies forward Brieghton Shea went on a run of his own with three consecutive majors lifting his side back into the contest.
Daniel Griffin and Collard would convert the hosts’ fourth and fifth on the trot to give Baldivis an eight-point lead at half time.
Collard’s spectacular work in the clearances continued in the third, but both sides struggled to hit the scoreboard the way they had in the first half.
A goalless 10 minutes was broken when Eddy Dann found the middle of the sticks, but Dowling responded immediately to keep his side within reach.
Michael Coy’s major brought Rockingham within a goal at the final change, setting up a huge finish.
The Rams took the lead early in the fourth on the back of Oliver’s second major, but Bowers buoyed his side back to the lead before a Brendan Copeland goal had the Brumbies sitting pretty with a 12-point lead.
The game looked over when Zak Quigg pushed the Brumbies to an 18-point advantage, their biggest of the match, but an injury to Collard opened the door for Rockingham to come storming back.
Their midfielders took advantage of the Baldivis captain’s absence, cutting the lead to five points.
The game was in the balance before Tingey’s tackle helped the Brumbies escape with their unbeaten record in tact.
The Rams will look to bounce back against Waroona next week, while Baldivis now enter a much easier stretch on their schedule without having suffered a loss.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
