MERRIVALE’S latest recruit Kyden Jarvis stole the show and is shaping as a valuable weapon for the Tigers’ after leading them to a one-point win over Kolora-Noorat on Saturday.
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The former South Warrnambool teenager kicked four last-quarter goals as the Tigers fought back from 21 points down in the last quarter at home to become the first team to beat Power in 2016, winning 16.6 (102) to 15.11 (101).
With momentum seemingly going Kolora-Noorat’s way, Jarvis quickly dragged Merrivale back into the contest with two goals in a minute, capitalising on his teammates’ clean clearance of the ball from the centre.
His third goal saw Tigers draw within three points as pressure palpably rose in a frenetic final 15 minutes.
The visitors got one back, moving 10 points clear, before Jarvis again delivered. A free kick in the goal square as Kolora-Noorat players desperately tried to rush a behind gave the Tigers a shot straight in front just a few metres out, and they took the lead.
Merrivale coach Karl Dwyer said he was proud to see how his charges lifted when they were down in the fourth quarter to get the win in Matthew Gleeson’s 250th club game.
“It was good, wasn’t it?” he said.
“We just stuck at it, and even though it got out to that (21 point deficit), we still had our opportunities and I think it was just in the end there that we started to take them and hit the scoreboard.”
Dwyer praised Jarvis’ stunning best-on-ground debut performance, saying he filled a void up forward for the Tigers.
“We probably didn’t have that real bloke who could lead and jump and mark the football,” Dwyer said.
“We’ve lost Jet Dowie and Joe Woonton, so I guess he – as a small – in some ways replaces those guys a bit with what he did there in the last quarter.
“He just gives you another marking target and he’s a pretty accurate kick.”
For Kolora-Noorat, Sam Williams and Martin Wynd did the damage on the scoreboard, kicking four goals apiece, while Jake Richardon put in another strong performance in the ruck.
Power coach Danny said the Tigers’ clean and direct football late in the game proved the difference.
“Whether we ran out of legs as well, I don’t know. Full credit to them: we had our opportunities, but they were too good,” he said.
“We had a chance at the end of the game – I think it bounced through for a point – but then you don’t like to leave it to one thing.
“They hung in and hung in. We thought we controlled most of the day and, to their credit, they got up on the line.”