by Nicholas Duck
One step forward, two steps back.
Warragul were brought crashing down to earth at Western Park on Saturday courtesy of a lacklustre 52-point defeat to Morwell.
Hopes were high around the Gulls following their thrilling round one win over Wonthaggi, but the spark of determination that led them to victory over the 2024 finalists was nowhere to be found this time around.
Warragul were well off the pace early and made to pay for it, conceding the first seven goals of the day en route to a disappointing 8.9 (57) to 17.7 (109) defeat.
Making it all the more frustrating for the club was that due to the VFL bye they were able to field a near full strength side, complete with two VFL players in Will Hayes and Koby Grass.
Hayes (29 disposals) proved to be a strong inclusion at least, showing every bit of the class that saw him feature at AFL level for Western Bulldogs and Carlton to be Warragul's best on a dirty day.
Fellow recruit James Harrison also gave a good account of himself while backmen Sean Masterson and Patrick Mulqueen gave their best efforts under great duress and with, especially early, little help from their teammates further up the field.
Morwell had plenty of winners around the ground, chief among them Cohen Campbell, who remained a serious threat both through the middle of the ground and up forward where he booted two goals.
Anthony Rosato linked up well for the Tigers all day, as did tough in and under midfielder Tyler Hillier. Zachary Anderson and Joshua Galea cut the Gulls to ribbons at times, while Charlie Burr impressed aerially.
The third term is traditionally known as the premiership quarter in footy, but this is one of those times where it was the first that decided the game.
At the first bounce Morwell were ready to play. Warragul? Not so much.
Their highly talented midfield were left in the dust by a much harder working Tigers side, who seemed to always have a spare available to them when they needed it.
Too often they were allowed to do as they pleased out of the middle and at stoppages, honouring short leads to cut through Warragul's structures like a hot knife through butter.
Alarm bells were ringing early after Hillier ran straight through a stoppage in the Tiger's forward line to waltz in the Tigers' first, and they would have been blaring when halfway through the quarter the Gulls had only been inside 50 a handful of times to no effect.
Morwell continued to put on the pressure and were loving their work, celebrating loudly at the quarter time siren after Brandon McDonald put through their fifth heading into the break.
Had they been tidier in front of goal early and the 34-point margin could have been a lot more.
It was a rough quarter to be a Gulls defender. Warragul's backline didn't do a tonne wrong in terms of manning up, but with the ball coming in as often as it was and with not a lot of pressure on it there's only so much they could do.
Gulls coach Jed Lamb cut a furious figure at the first break, immediately bringing his group in and letting them know his thoughts in no uncertain terms, demanding better from his side.
His mood wouldn't have gotten much better when a holding the ball free kick resulted in Campbell extended the visitors' lead. It certainly wouldn't have after McDonald did the same from a mark.
The Gulls finally got on the board 10 minutes into the second term when Will Hayes handballed at the paint of 50 metres to a running Isaac Wallace, who nailed the long-distance shot.
The effort from Warragul was much better from that point on as the likes of Brayden Fowler and Lamb himself found the big sticks, though not enough to truly eat into Morwell's lead.
There was a sense of inevitability past half time. Barring a miracle comeback the Tigers had the win in the bag, the Gulls left playing mostly for pride.
It's hard to shake the feeling Warragul missed a real chance to send a message to the competition. They've promised much at times over the last couple of years but are yet to truly deliver and become a quality team week in week out.
Which Warragul is the real Warragul? The one that gritted their teeth and knocked off a great side in Wonthaggi? Or the one that didn't show up against Morwell?
Their next match in two weeks' time against a winless Sale might help answer that.