There’s kicking 11 goals in a game. And then there’s Marc Geppert’s effort at Gumly Oval on Saturday.
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The East Wagga-Kooringal forward kicked 11 straight in their big win against Coleambally to bring up 101 goals for the home-and-away season.
It was almost out of the question before the game that – against a top three side and quality opponent – the leading goalkicker could kick 10 goals to crack the ton for a second straight season.
But the Hawks’ spearhead proved unstoppable once he got going, even after a heavy collision when sandwiched between Carl Pound and the goalpost before his second.
“I nearly went off at three-quarter-time with a cork so, to get the boys to kick it somewhere in my vicinity was nice,” Geppert said.
“To win by that amount (98 points) and to kick the hundred, it’s really good.”
Geppert kicked four in the last 13 minutes, bringing up number 100 after a brilliant mark above the pack.
“Normally I get a bit nervous and start spraying them but luckily the one to bring up the hundred was in front.”
Many others weren’t, though, in a sublime display.
“That was one of the best games he’s probably played for us in three years,” EWK coach Gavin McMahon said.
“The manner in which he got most of those goals – they were all different – he worked hard.
“Sometimes he obviously gets quite a few when we have bigger wins but you can’t fault him on every single one of those today.”
Geppert’s kicked 31 goals in the last three games. His second 11-goal haul in as many weeks confirmed his radar is right on heading into finals.
“It’s been good lately. We’ve still got important games to go though so hopefully it can stay on for a couple of weeks,” he said.
“But it was a good team performance today.”
Geppert said that was the most important thing as they embark on another finals campaign.
“It was a good game, I thought it was a pretty physical contest – Coly are always physical and to come away with a comfortable win in the last round, you’ll take that.”
Geppert was the only goalkicker in the first quarter with three set shots after strong marks – two in close and one from 40 metres out on an angle.
He then started the avalanche early in the second, kicking truly from a narrow angle after a diving mark in the pocket, and had kicked a fifth in less than 30 minutes of football.
Two third quarter goals, one drilled from 40 metres out on the run, had the century within touching distance. But the stage appeared set for disappointment when he was harshly judged to have pushed his opponent in the goal square, robbing him of another.
Thirteen minutes into the final quarter, three short of the target, it still seemed unlikely but teammates were starting to find the star forward… First Sam Armstrong and then Chris Gordon reached Geppert on the end of a long lead into the right pocket where he could guide it straight through off his favoured left, despite the narrow angle.
At the 20-minute mark, Geppert was still stuck on 99 after a Ben Absolum bullet didn't quite get to him and then Coleambally’s Wes Kiley got a hand to a second kick headed for the Hawks number 24.
After tearing from one side of the 50 to the other and back, Geppert launched himself for a spectacular mark right in front that set the crowd alight. The straight kick that followed sent teammates into a frenzy.
A milestone sealed for a second consecutive season, Geppert added one more for good measure in the dying minutes, to close out a memorable day.