Woodside fall to Heyfield
WOODSIDE'S season hit a speed bump on Saturday, with Heyfield delivering four quarters of relentless pressure to hand the Wildcats a 47-point defeat, 11.15 (81) to 5.4 (34).
The Wildcats never found their trademark run and carry, with Heyfield's disciplined defensive setup choking their ball movement from the first bounce.
It was a tight arm-wrestle early, the Kangaroos clinging to a one-point edge at quarter-time, 1.3 (9) to 1.2 (8). But Heyfield seized control in the second term, booting four goals to two to open an 18-point half-time buffer.
Woodside couldn't manufacture a response after the main break, with Heyfield continuing to dominate the contested ball and cut off any easy transition. By the final change the margin had blown out to 34 points, and the home side cruised home from there.
Adding to Woodside's misery, influential midfielder Josh Morgan was forced from the field early with a head knock and did not return.
Up forward, Heyfield spearhead Mitchell Bennett was the difference-maker, booting five goals, while Kyle Graham chimed in with four in a dominant display. Tyson Birss and Shaun Humphries rounded out the scoring.
For Woodside, Zac Richards and Brody Stainer kicked two goals apiece, with Luke Johnson adding the other.
Standouts were hard to come by for the Wildcats, though Adam Janssen's tireless effort earned him best-on-ground honours, with Ben Johnson and Rowan Missen also among the better performers.
Coach Hudson Holmes conceded his side was outplayed in every department.
"It was certainly a game to forget," Holmes said. "They pressed really well and neutralised our ball movement. We didn't have a counter for that, and they beat us in every facet."
Holmes said the early loss of Morgan compounded the difficult afternoon, calling him "a big player for us."
The coach said the result demanded accountability right through the club.
"Disappointed is an understatement. We need to be better and hold everyone accountable, including me," he said.
With a top-of-the-table showdown against Cowwarr on the horizon, Holmes was blunt in his message to his playing group: "Embrace the challenge. Be ready."
