By Michael Scalzo

Rupanyup enters the 2022 finals series at the leading edge of a three-way battle for premiership favouritism. 

The Panthers finished the interrupted 2021 season second to Noradjuha-Quantong, a remarkable improvement since their finals-missed pre-COVID-19 season of 2019. 

Gathering players and improving their list has paid off and the side appears settled heading into its first finals series in some time.

But the Panthers were not always in this position, especially during the first third of the season.

While they were dismissive of less-competitive opposition and did what was needed to seal the four points against the bottom third of the ladder, their early form was mixed against the district’s better sides. 

A loss against hard-nosed Kalkee, the trailing edge of the league’s top-three premiership charges, in round three, and scraping two- and 11-point wins against Jeparit-Rainbow in round one and Swifts in round four, were proof of the Panthers’ good, but perhaps underwhelming form. 

That is not the case on the eve of this Saturday. 

The Panthers, now minor premiers and a game clear of the Kees and Harrow-Balmoral, have been on-song since they romped past Pimpinio, Taylors Lake and Kaniva-Leeor United from rounds five to seven. 

Wins against early ladder leaders Harrow-Balmoral stand out among their best. 

The first, a six-goal defeat of the admittedly injury-hit Southern Roos in round nine, as well as a closer, but still successful, two-goal victory against the white and blue in round 14. 

Some straight kicking that Saturday would have made the final margin more absolute, the Panthers kicking a lowly 12 goals, 15 behinds compared with Southern Roos’ 12 goal, three behind accuracy. Powerful midfielder Jack Kreuzberg has led Rupanyup consistently through the guts this season and Minyip-Murtoa recruit and co-playing-coach Brayden Ison has stabilised the Panthers with his experience.

Jack Musgrove has been a force in front of the sticks, putting away 71 majors, including three hauls of seven, one of nine and another of 11. 

Sides hoping to knock the Panthers off their perch early in this series will need to limit his damage or better yet, limit his opportunities with pressure at the source. 

Ison spoke to The Weekly Advertiser before round one and emphasised his midfield would be one of the league’s best in 2022, and it was a solid projection as it turns out.

He said: “Our midfield is really strong and that matches our strength at the ends of the ground. We want to be attacking this year and not die wondering.”

Having come across from Minyip-Murtoa at the end of last season, the reigning Wimmera Football Netball League leading goalkicker and Burras premiership player was a handy pick-up for the Panthers, whose leadership must have known they were on the verge of something special. 

Can Ison go from premiership player to premiership coach? He said because the Panthers got themselves in a position to challenge for a preliminary final last season, they would know how important a top-two finish was for any team to make a proper finals challenge

Well, the Panthers did finish top two and are now minor premiers to boot. 

Ison had said his motivation was to lead the best ‘team-football’ side in the league, and added ‘no individuals, no grandstanding’.  As good advice as any – but we will know the real result in a few weeks. A Panthers premiership would make fair reward for a brilliant season. 

 

Players to watch

Blake Turner

The young forward continues to impress in the district league and has found consistency in 2022. He has held his own against older and solid defenders and has kicked 26 goals for the year, including a bag of five against rival premiership fancies Harrow-Balmoral. 

 

Mitch Gleeson

The strong midfielder has been a linchpin of the Panthers’ onballer class this year along with compatriots Andy Phelan, Jack Kreuzberger. The former Charlton ruckman and North Central Football League Feeny medallist has become important to the red and blue since the Panthers lured him west for the 2020 season. He now forms part of an impressive midfield brigade hoping to hit up big men forward of the ball. 

 

Elliot Kelly

Kelly is another of the Panthers’ solid midfield group. He is good in contest and does his work around the stoppages before feeding it out to the quicks. He is a rounded midfield mover and can hit the scoreboard, too. He came up with four goals against Jeparit-Rainbow in round 12, along with a variety of singles in games across the year. 

 

Jack Musgrove

Musgrove, coaching the squad alongside Ison in 2022, has led the Panthers’ forward line all season. Kicking bags of goals in almost every game, including games of 12, 11, 9 and a collection above five, Musgrove has been the league’s premier forward this season. His 83-goal season speaks volumes about his impact in the forward 50 this year.

Rupanyup’s road to the finals

Coaches: Brayden Ison
and Jack Musgrove

 

Round 1: W. 9.6 (60) d Jeparit-Rainbow 8.10 (58). Away.** 

Round 2: W. 18.13 (121) d Laharum 7.3 (45). Home. 

Round 3: L. 9.12 (66) to Kalkee 13.11 (89). Away.

Round 4: W. 12.11 (83) d Swifts 10.12 (72). Home. 

Round 5: W. 24.21 (165) d Pimpinio 8.9 (57). Home. 

Round 6: W. 27.22 (184) d Taylors Lake 3.3 (21). Away.

Round 7: W. 30.20 (200) d Kaniva-Leeor 3.6 (24). Away.*  

Round 8: W. 10.11 (71) d Noradjuha-Quantong 4.6 (30) Home. 

Round 9: W. 17.9 (111) d Harrow-Balmoral 11.12 (78). Away.

Round 10: W. 16.10 (106) d Natimuk United 7.11 (53). Home.

Round 11: W. 17.12 (114) d Edenhope-Apsley 7.12 (54). Away. 

Round 12: W. 11.15 (81) d Jeparit-Rainbow 8.5 (53). Home. 

Round 13: W 20.19 (139) d Laharum 4.2 (26). Away. 

Round 14: W. 12.15 (87) d Harrow-Balmoral 12.3 (75).

Round 15: W. 21.19 (145) d Kaniva-Leeor United 2.2 (14). Home.

Round 16: W. 16.19 (115) d Swifts 5.7 (37) Away.

* Highest score. ** Lowest score.

 

Total: Won 15. Lost 1. For 1848. Against 786. Points 60. Percentage 235.11.

 

Leading goal-kickers 

 

Jack Musgrove 86, Blake Turner 31.

The entire August 17, 2022 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!