Cobden overcomes Port Fairy to end Seagulls' 2023 finals aspirations

Bombers co-coach Dan Casey said the side's form spike in the second half of the season could be put down to its ability to call on footballers to step up each week.

Ruckman Matt Clarke, utility Harrison Herschell, Louis Darcy and Josh Hickey impressed as Cobden ended Port Fairy's finals aspirations with a 11.8 (74) to 6.12 (48) win on Saturday.

"I was really proud of the guys who have been battling to get into our senior side," he said.

"Harrison has played majority of the season in the reserves and I am really proud of how he's come up and took his opportunity on the wing and then he had to go down back today because Tarj Anderson broke his finger.

"Josh and Louis have been in the reserves most of the year and they have taken on the advice we've been giving them and they've been among our better players the past few weeks and big Matty Clarke came into the ruck and it was a good battle with Jake Bartlett.

"Matty is going to be a 200-game ruckman for Cobden, it just takes time to develop these young guys.

"He's six-foot-seven or eight. They all just played their roles."

The experienced Dan Watson also stood tall, running with Port Fairy game-winner Kaine Mercovich, while Sam Thow nullified dangerous forward Jason Rowan, limiting him to two goals.

"They went head-to-head and I thought Dan did an amazing job," Casey said.

The coach said it was a challenging game which is what the Bombers, who sit fourth just two points behind third, needed.

"It was like a finals game for the first three quarters - Port Fairy threw everything at us," he said.

"We were able to hold. In the third quarter they did have their opportunities to kick some goals and they missed them and in the last five minutes of the third quarter we were able to get on top.

"In the last we had the whole play."

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