Flying high: Barooga's Logan Hollister leaps for the ball against Echuca United. Photo: Jackie Vogel
Heading into the bye a fortnight ago, Barooga coach Luke Jarjoura said his side would “hit Echuca United with all we have got”.
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Two weeks later, the Hawks did exactly that as they earned an impressive 58-point win over the Eagles at Barooga Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
Riley Gow continued his impressive streak, having kicked a goal in every game for Barooga this season, slotting home five majors as the Hawks prevailed 18.12 (120) to 9.8 (62).
After a tough run to start the year that saw the Hawks play top-six sides in four of their first five games, Jarjoura said the win against United was a good way to start off an important stretch of games.
“It was a tight arm wrestle early with a lot of contested footy. Echuca United really came to play, they are a well-drilled outfit,” Jarjoura said.
“Once the game opened up and we were able to play to our structures, we were able to score quite well. I was very pleased that our structures held up and our boys were committed to it for four quarters.
“The draw has opened up after a torrid start. Not only did we want to win the game, we want to make a statement that we have arrived as a club and we have changed our DNA over summer.
“It was important to win and to win well in front of our home fans.”
On the run: James Hooper tries to break free from a tackle. Photo: Jackie Vogel
Barooga kicked four goals in each of the first two quarters, taking a 17-point lead into half time.
When play resumed in the second half, the Hawks were able to kick away and put the result to bed.
Six goals to two in the third term saw Barooga’s advantage grow, with another four majors in the final stanza sealing the 10-goal victory.
“From a coaching perspective, I was really pleased that we stuck to our coaching structures and we were very disciplined. We didn’t stray away from any of the structures and game plan,” Jarjoura said.
“Even when the game opened up late, we didn’t have any weak links in the chain. Everyone contributed — we had 22 blokes that were really committed to the cause, that is probably the most pleasing thing.
“Jack Short was phenomenal early on when the game was in the balance, as was Jordan Pidgeon. Then when the game opened up, Riley Gow was really classy for us around goals and across half forward.”
After a see-sawing start to the season, Barooga (three wins, three losses) will now be out to claim back-to-back wins for the first time in 2023 when the side faces off against Deniliquin (two wins, five defeats).
That meeting will be followed by clashes against Tongala (3-4), Nathalia (3-4) and Cobram (4-3) — games that will go a long way to shaping the storyline around Barooga’s season.
“In terms of celebrating after Echuca United, it was an acknowledgement that we are where we need to be now,” Jarjoura said.
“We need to train hard again this week to really be consistent and sustain that over the next couple of months with all these winnable games in front of us against sides that are really fighting for that top six.
“We are getting better each week. We had a high turnover of players and the more that these recruits are playing together with our local guys, the better we are getting. It is getting better and better all the time.”
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