WONTHAGGI Power have unearthed their recruit of the season in the past few weeks.
And as much as they are delighted with the contribution by pacey former Collingwood flanker, Isaac Chugg, their best addition this season has come from a little closer to home.
Six weeks into his first senior season, after coming back to footy from an ACL knee injury, Brodie Mabilia, is on a steep improvement curve.
And on Saturday at Bairnsdale, with his fitness on the rise, he played his best game yet, kicking four goals in a complete performance, front to back, that had it all.
Whether it was breaking the ball clear at the centre bounce, linking up with marks around the flanks or providing a lead-up option on the forward line, his one-touch ball handling, kicking to position, pressure and ability to find space is verging on the elite.
When combined with the class of Kyle Reid across half back, the likes of Toma Huther, coach Jarryd Blair, Ryan Sparkes and Aiden Lindsay on the ball, Chugg and a liberal sprinkling of other talent around the ground; he’s having a real influence.
While Mabilia constantly bobbed up in general play on Saturday, he featured in a couple of eye-catching goals as Wonthaggi broke clear of their worthy opposition Bairnsdale after half time, one when he played ‘kick to kick’ with the coach before goaling and another where he side-stepped a tangle of Redlegs at half forward to kick truly at the other end.
In the warm East Gippsland sunshine, the game was entertaining throughout, Bairnsdale starting strongly with five goals to two in the first quarter, as they often do at home, but with Wonthaggi wearing them down with superior fitness and pressure the further the game went.
Cooper McInnes, Brodie Mabilia and Tom Davey were the important first quarter goal scorers, but the Power came on strong in the second quarter, kicking five goals to two to assume control by half time.
Bairnsdale started the second quarter best with a long, low shot for goal by their coach Logan Austin, which bounced through. The former Port Adelaide and St Kilda player showing his class all day, especially coming out of the Power forward line, in an effort that definitely cut Wonthaggi’s scoring potential.
But Wonthaggi was pressing up and Jakeb Thomas lead up for the reply.
Both teams were tackling fiercely, with plenty of pressure on the ball carrier from both sides; Harry Dawson earning a free kick for a tackle on Brett Waddell and Zack Smith returning the favour on Hunter Tiziani.
Fine play by Jarryd Blair, who was really leading the way again, included Mabilia and McInnes and really should have been rewarded with a goal. Ryan Sparkes hit the post from the angle but despite the young Bairnsdale supporters heckling him from behind the goals, Cooper McInnes kicked a beauty from the boundary.
Wonthaggi had their game going now and good defence by Tiziani went coast-to-coast to Mabilia where Thomas accepted a fine pass only to kick a point.
But soon after that Isaac Chugg ran through, collected the ball and snapped for goal with the outside of his boot to close the gap.
It wasn’t until near half time when Jarryd Blair and Troy Harley both kicked goals that Wonthaggi finally got clear of Bairnsdale and they maintained control in the second half to go on to a 74-point win.
Blair told his players at three quarter time, but with only two players left on the bench after some injuries, they adopted a strategy for resting players in defence which really didn’t affect their output, kicking six goals to nil to complete an excellent result.
Wonthaggi Power are in touch with the leading division on the ladder, only a game behind Moe and Traralgon, in fourth.