Storm face defining second day

A heavy 43-point loss in their second match of the Landmark Country Football Championships colts competition has dented the Great Southern Storm’s chances of making successive grand finals.

In day one of the championships the Storm started well with a hard-fought 13-point win over Northern Suns before facing Peel Football and Netball League in their second game.

However a composed and more physical Peel side were far too good, as they booted eight goals in the last half to maintain their unbeaten record in the carnival.

Peel kicked the opening goal of the match but big man Hamish McMorran put the Storm in front by converting a tough set shot.

Wesley Steel helped Peel take a slender six point advantage into half time but the second half was not the response Storm coach Phil Gilbert demanded at the break.

Peel piled on the first five goals in the last half to blow the margin out beyond 30 points and there was little the Storm could do to stem the flow.

Despite the class of Central Kimberley addition Cain Shaw, the Storm were dominated around the stoppages and some poor defending only allowed the free-wheeling Peel to add more goals.

The Storm went 14 minutes without scoring and McMorran snapped his second to end their goal drought in the 17th minute but it was only temporary resistance as they went down 10.3 (63) to 3.3 (21).

Shaw was superb off half back and through the midfield and McMorran provided a presence but the size of the loss will hurt the Storm’s percentage going into day two.

The Storm were also without sharpshooter Jake Becroft in game two, after he was helped from the field against Northern Suns after landing awkwardly on his knee and he remains in doubt for the rest of the campaign.

McMorran booted 3.3 and was lively in the Storm’s opening win of the carnival but it was the poise of Shaw from half back which was the standout.

Brandon Woods applied great pressure while midfielders Jayden Scott and Corey Linthorne were also terrific in the 7.7 (49) to 5.6 (36) triumph over Northern Suns.

The Storm led by seven points at half time and lost the lead for a couple of minutes in the second half but they rallied with three of the last four goals to get over the line.

Peel along with South West Football League are both undefeated after day one with Regional Districts and South West opponents for the Storm tomorrow, and two wins a priority after their percentage took a hit this afternoon.