PORT Fairy is celebrating one of its biggest wins in years.
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The Seagulls recorded a massive boilover against Hampden league flag fancy Portland at Gardens Oval on Saturday.
Their three-point win came in the wake of their round-one capitulation to Koroit.
Port Fairy coach Sam Rudolph said the 10.19 (79) to 11.10 (76) victory was a “massive confidence boost”.
Rudolph said the Seagulls’ discipline and teamwork — their bugbear in their opening-round loss — were integral in the win.
“This week was big because it’s early in the season whereas last year we were waiting for that win,” he said.
The ground clock stopped working in the final quarter as the game went down to the wire.
“It was intense. The runner came out and called red time and I think we were down by four or five at that stage,” Rudolph said.
“We should have beaten them by a lot more and were lucky to get away with a win in the end. I thought we dominated play well and the game.”
The key defender praised the Seagulls’ midfield for blanketing the Tigers’ much- trumpeted onball brigade and paid credit to full-forward recruit Gary Robinson who kicked four goals.
Rudolph said Isaac Martin covered Magarey medallist Luke Crane, while Dylan Gunning and Sam Anson had a good tussle with Myles.
“Everyone knows they have a quality midfield and there was not much talk about our midfield. I hold our midfield high in the league so we had a point to prove,” he said.
Portland coach Jake Myles said the Tigers would take lessons from the shock loss.
“Last week we had 21 really good contributors and this week we had six or seven who really contributed,” he said.
“Ben Malcolm was impressive in the ruck and gave the onballers first use but us onballers let him down.
“But Jake Dignan tried hard out of the middle.”
The first-year Tigers coach lamented his side’s poor decision-making and basic skill errors.
“There are no easy games in the Hampden league and if you come with the wrong attitude that’s what’s going to happen,” he said.
A season-ending injury to Xavier McCartney soured the Seagulls’ win. McCartney fractured both bones in his leg in the third term and had surgery yesterday.