SOUTH Warrnambool is champing at the bit to test itself against competition benchmark Warrnambool next weekend after a thrilling two-point win over Cobden on Saturday.
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Roosters coach Mathew Buck said his players could take confidence out of how they stood up to pressure in a nail-biting final term to get the points against a determined Bombers, winning 11.10 (76) to 10.14 (74).
“They’ll be feeling fantastic (heading into the Warrnambool game) – nothing better than to put yourself up against the best team and see how good you are,” he said.
“Everyone will be expecting Warrnambool to win, that’ll be no secret, so we can just go for it.”
The Roosters have won three of four games to start the season, but none have been as tight as Saturday’s.
Held to just two behinds in the opening term, South Warrnambool fought its way back in the second, taking a one-point lead into half-time thanks to a behind Jake O’Sullivan kicked after the siren.
The Roosters took their momentum into the start of the third quarter, pulling away to lead by 13 points before Cobden piled on four unanswered goals.
But another O’Sullivan shot at goal after the siren – a goal this time – saw the home side down by just seven points at three-quarter-time.
The lead changed three times in the final term, but a downfield free kick late in the quarter sealed the two-point win for South Warrnambool.
“We were probably a little bit disappointed that in that first half we weren’t quite going for it as much as we should,” Buck said.
“We came out in the third quarter going into the wind and we started to play our way. That was pleasing and that probably got us going.”
Cobden was left ruing missed shots in front of goal in the final term, including a Levi Dare shot from just 10 metres out that was touched, while a desperate Sam Uwland snap rolled into the post.
The Bombers were also counting the costs on an injury front, down a rotation early after Jono Benallack suffered a corkie, while Nick Kemp hurt his wrist.
But Cobden could be pleased with the continued emergence of its next generation, including the likes of Jesse Williamson, Joel Moriarty and Jack Hutt.
“When we freed (Wiliamson) up a little bit after half time he came really into it on the wing,” Cobden co-coach Wayne Robertson said.