UNDER cloudy conditions Ararat Rats put on a very well-drilled display on Good Friday as they took back the Perc Bushby cup against Stawell Warriors.
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It was the first time fans got to see their teams in full action for the 2022 season, as the round one wraps up for the Wimmera Football Netball League.
With the annual Good Friday clash a highlight, the contest is always a highly anticipated game near the start of the season for the two rivals and 2022 did not disappoint.
It was a perfect start for the Rats at North Park, Stawell as they took control of the game from the first bounce.
Rats found themselves nine points up at the first break 23-14.
Rats' Coach Matt Walder said the more experienced players were able to help guide the younger players when the game got a little tight.
"The experience of some of the older players really helps guide the younger ones through," he said.
"It's good to watch them win their critical possessions in one-on-ones and at the end of the day the young blokes feed off that and it's not left all to them to do.
"It's a balancing act where the experienced players guide the youth and then the youth take it away from there."
Walder said the start of the game was something that really impressed him.
"Even though we didn't have a big start - and had a good lead at half time," he said.
"The pressure on them from the start meant they had to come from behind. The difference on the scoreboard meant a lot had to go right for them.
"We made the play early and I was really impressed with that."
It was the second quarter when the Rats really put on a clinic. Booting 5.4 to Stawell's 1.1 - the game heading into half time looked as if it could have been a blowout. Warriors coach Tom Eckel had his work cut out for him as the half time score read Warriors 3.3.21 to Ararat 8.9.57.
To Stawell's credit, in the third quarter, the troops rallied and there was certainly a momentum switch. The Rats fought back late in the quarter and were able to shut down scoring opportunities.
A 5.2 to 5.3 quarter which took handed Ararat a 37 point lead going into the last would be a hard task for any team.
Walder's message at three-quarter time to his players was to keep going and not leave the door ajar.
"They put some pressure on us in the third," he said.
"I asked the players to not get complacent and get back to the football we played in the first half.
"It was about finishing off the game and get the job done."
OTHER NEWS:
Inaccurate kicking in the last with sore legs didn't help the Warriors put the pressure right back on Ararat. Missed opportunities in the last with eight scoring shots to five made no real impact on the scoreboard.
Final score; Ararat 18.12.120 to Stawell 10.11.71.
Warriors' football department's Blair Hart said he was disappointed with the game.
"To give them 30 scoring shots is not how we play football," he said.
"We like to defend and have a defensive mindset and to leak 30 scoring shots...
"The Rats were really good - full credit to them. They spread the ball really well and their rev levels were up higher than ours all day."
Hart said he was happy with the recruits the club had picked up over the offseason.
"We did have a few injuries during the game which hurt us," he said.
"Once they settle in I think they are only going to get better."
Walder said he was pretty pleased with how the players conducted themselves and got the job done in the end.
"It was a strong win in the end. To come out of the game with a nine-goal win I couldn't be more happier," he said.
"You're always a little unsure going into round one how things will unfold - so we'll definitely take that."
Walder said reflecting on last year, which was under totally different circumstances, he believed Saturday's round one game was a perfect "season starter" for his troupes.
"This year the expectations have been raised and we met them in round one and Saturday's game gives us a really good launching pad for round two and beyond," he said.
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