Football debutants who took different paths shine in hard-fought victory

Teenager Des O'Keefe kicked three goals as a small forward and Billy Keane slotted into the ruck as the Saints shrugged off a persistent Portland 12.14 (86) to 8.1 (49) at Victoria Park on Saturday, May 11.

Saints coach Chris McLaren said O'Keefe, who played in the Saints' under 16 premiership in 2023, looked adept at the level.

"He's got proper x-factor Dessy, he's a little ripper," he said.

Keane was a Koroit junior before spending time away at Warrnambool and District league club Old Collegians.

"He came back last year with a few mates to play in the reserves and this summer was like 'I wouldn't mind trying to play seniors'," McLaren said.

"He is probably six-foot-four. He really knuckled down in the pre-season.

"It allowed us to play Jake McCosh down back on big Jakey Wilson and it was the first time he'd ever played in defence. He kept Jake to one goal and halved a lot of one-on-one (contests)."

Portland - chasing its first win of the season - was a point up at the final break.

But Koroit rallied, kicking six unanswered goals in the fourth quarter.

McLaren felt the Saints, now with a 3-2 win-loss record, controlled most of the first half.

"Our third quarter, especially the back half of it, was poor," he said.

"Portland really got after us and hunted us really well. We didn't handle it well.

"It was a quarter where you'd like a time-out."

McLaren, who without experienced duo Jayden Whitehead (hamstring) and Paddy O'Sullivan (unavailable), was pleased with the players' response in the final term.

It came after Connor Byrne "took an absolute hanger on the three-quarter-time siren".

Portland coach Lochie Huppatz described the performance, without key ruckman Ben Malcolm (shoulder), as the Tigers' most promising of the season.

"Our goal was to be in the game at every break and put ourselves in a position where we felt we were in games of footy because this season we've been out of games by quarter-time," he said.

"It was good to see we were able to sustain effort for three quarters."

Ruckman Toby Oakley impressed as did midfielder Toby Jennings who kicked three goals.

The Tigers' teenagers - Noah Nicholls, Kostya Vallance and Charlie Piergrosse - and are also adapting to the rigours of senior football.

Huppatz, who made a surprise return from a knee injury on Anzac Day, is managing the pain.

"I am very, very sore but that is what will happen when you try and get back a lot quicker than the body can heal," he said.

"I am just on modified duties throughout the week and getting up for the games."