Lavington’s superior finishing skills highlighted the massive gulf between the top five and the rest on Saturday.
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The Panthers racked up the season’s first three-figure win with a 21.9 (135) to 4.6 (30) result against Corowa-Rutherglen.
The Roos dominated possession and territiory for a 15-minute period in the second quarter, but managed just one goal.
The Panthers replied with three in as many minutes.
The Roos were gritty but, like a number of the bottom teams, simply don’t have the class to ram home any advantage.
“In the second quarter, particularly, we held the ball in our front half, but we didn’t have many forwards to be able to score,” Roos’ coach Marc Almond said.
The visitors, meantime, have an array of attacking options.
In his first game since finals, Adam Prior kicked a career-equalling six goals in the final term, while Luke Garland, Adam Flagg and Brant Dickson landed three apiece.
Prior, Dickson and former interleague player Andrew Dess are all more than 187cms.
“I think the three talls will work, as long as they can get one-on-one,” captain Luke Garland said.
“Then we need the mixture of high half-forwards and a couple of smalls at their feet.”
I think the three talls will work, as long as they can get one-on-one. Then we need the mixture of high half-forwards and a couple of smalls at their feet.
- Luke Garland
The Panthers now have a three-one record, but those wins have been against non-finalists from last year.
The next two games against Wodonga Raiders and North Albury respectively should give a stronger gauge of how damaging that forward line is.
What’s not in doubt though is Garland’s class.
He racked up 40 disposals, including eight in the first 11 minutes.
Like most clubs under the points system, the Roos are stacked with youngsters and the more experienced Panthers were not only too classy, but too powerful.
Teenager Tyler Spencer has a suspected broken collarbone after one of the biggest hits of the first month.
The lightly-built midfielder was smashed, legally, by the nuggety Nick Holman when reaching for a mark, leaving him exposed.
He was forced off and while he returned just five minutes later, the damage was done.
Adam Flagg impressed in a floating role, booting two goals in a minute in the second term.
The consistent Tom Hargreave played well in his 100th game, while coach Simon Curtis showed his class.
Gun defender Nick Meredith had a scare when he landed awkwardly but quickly recovered to shine.
