After a sixth straight win, and knocking off an unbeaten team for the second week in a row, it’s the right time to ask Josh Hamilton how he’s enjoying coaching at Coleambally.
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“It’s the best, mate, the best,” Hamilton said after the Blues’ stirring comeback victory over the competition’s (previously) hottest team, East Wagga-Kooringal.
In contrast to last week’s win over The Rock-Yerong Creek when they led for most of the game Coleambally did this one the hard way, fighting back from 22 points down in the third quarter to win 7.12 (54) to 6.9 (45).
It was a six-goal run that sealed the deal with Jackson Painting kick-starting the revival midway through the third term after Coleambally had kicked just one goal in two-and-a-half quarters.
Eleven minutes into the fourth quarter, Simon Mackie put the home side in front with his second goal, before Nathan Jones and Graham O’Connell iced the game.
Hamilton said it was a genuine team effort but in front of an excited crowd, two old Coleambally names – Carl Pound and Jackson Painting – had big games.
“It wasn’t great to watch in the first half but when the game was on the line the crowd got fairly well into it at the end there,” Hamilton said.
“They’re a good side and they move the ball well but we put a lot of pressure on them in the second half.
“Carl Pound did a really good job on Geppert, who’s always dangerous, but we also put pressure on their ball carriers coming in.”
Geppert kicked four of his team’s six goals and the absence of in-form centre-half-forward, Billy Mearns, didn’t help the Hawks’ cause.
The Blues almost paid the price for missed opportunities early. They’d kicked eight behinds before finding their second goal.
“We had a fair few missed shots that’s for sure and they got on top (early) in the third quarter,” Hamilton said.
“That’s when I thought we were in trouble.”
Coleambally remain third on the ladder – two points behind EWK and TRYC, who play each other next week – but have franked their status as genuine contenders.
As well as Carl Pound and Painting, Wes Kiley and Hamilton had big games.
While Nathan Jones showed there’s life in the old legs yet, kicking a goal and just missing a screamer in his 252nd game.
“He got the ride of his life, but he just didn’t quite hang on to it,” Hamilton said.
“It would’ve been mark of the year for sure, it was an absolute ripper.”
Trent Garner stood tall for EWK while Nick Hull, Chris Gordon and Geppert were also among the best.
