By Jonty Ralphsmith
Tooradin key-position player Jehi Esler played an excellent key defender’s game for the Gippsland Power on Sunday in his second match back from a hamstring injury.
Matching up on strong contested marking Bendigo forward James Barrat, who averaged 6.5 shots on goal per game entering the day, Esler matched him for aggression and took him out of his comfort zone.
A highly-regarded Vic Country forward, Barrat was unable to impose himself on the contest; despite finishing with three goals, one was via a 50-metre penalty, and another came on the final siren once the result was sealed.
A 19-year-old who played senior footy for the Seagulls aged just 16, Esler finished last season strongly in defence for Gippy and spent time training with Box Hill in preseason.
“His ability to kill the contest and run away a couple of times and make sure that James Barrat was accountable the other way was really good,” said coach Rhett McLennan.
“He provides great leadership for us and is a good cultural connector as a 19-year-old.
“He’s doing an excellent job at our club.”
Gippsland held off a fast-finishing Bendigo to win 11.10 76 to 11.6 72.
The Power fell behind by 11 points at quarter time in a high-pressure start to the game, before kicking seven goals to three across the middle two quarters to take a 16-point lead into the last break.
Bendigo, however, kicked three goals in the first four minutes of the last quarter, before Gippy stabilised, holding a two-kick lead through the late stages before a Pioneers goal on the siren.
Esler’s Tooradin teammate Jesse Craven was influential in Gippsland’s win, finishing with 31 disposals and seven tackles.
A move from the wing to inside midfielder in recent weeks has shown different aspects of his skillset.
“He’s been super,” McLennan said.
“He’s that classic first magnet on the board for a footy team.
“He gives everything to the contest and you can put him anywhere and he’ll be useful.
“His stuff as an inside mid and leadership at the moment, especially with (Tom Hanily drafted and AFL Academy player Xavier Lindsay absent), is super important and he showed how useful he is on the weekend.
“He’s got a great attitude and whatever footy club he goes to, they’re going to be rapt they’ve got him.”
Berwick local Harry Canning was also significant, particularly early.
He halved a series of aerial contests, among numerous defensive acts in the backline which helped keep the Pioneers at bay.
Having spent the majority of his local career up forward, the 189cm player showed glimpses in his fifth Coates Talent League game this season.
“(Sunday) was probably his best game for us,” McLennan said.
“His ability to hit the contest at pace – he’s always been quick and powerful as he showed as a forward as a bottom-ager for us and he has had promising signs as a defender.
“He seemed to put it together yesterday and we see some real promise with him.”
Drouin’s Brodie Atkins continued to establish himself as a player to watch with a noteworthy 18-disposal, five tackle performance in the midfield.
Meanwhile, east Gippslanders Noah Christy and Max Stobie were eyecatching, Christy finishing with 4.1 in a breakout performance as he showed a bit of everything inside 50, while Stobie’s running capacity and clearance work were important in the midfield battle.
