Steel flies high as premiers hold off Mines Rovers
Railways coach Rhett Pettit's use of Jack Steel as a valuable swingman this year in the Goldfields Football League is set to continue, after his five goals on Saturday led a 14-point win against Mines Rovers, 12.8 (80) to 10.6 (66).
In a result at Digger Daws Oval that put a dampener on Mines Rovers captain Jordan Delbridge's 200th game, Steel was the game's leading forward who could easily have finished with eight or nine goals.
Steel, who three years ago tied with Delbridge for the Mitchell Medal, put on a clinic of high-marking and athletic prowess that turned the game in the Panthers' favour after they conceded the opening four goals.
But Pettit said he would resist overtures to limit his trump card to permanent forward duties — based on a skill set that enables him to impact games in key roles at both ends of the ground and through the midfield.
'He is an athletic freak and actually reminds me a lot of (Boulder's) Scott Worthington, when he first came back from Subiaco and was easily the best player in the competition,' Pettit said of Steel's importance to the group.
'When those players extend for the footy, no-one can go with them (and) they can take a game away from you, in a quarter really.
'We're blessed to have him and in terms of where he plays, we get (full-forward) Chris (Yarran) back this weekend, and we still want him (Steel) to play through the midfield at times.
'That was the aim at the start of the year and we know he can play down back, and there will be opportunities for him at times to do that.
'But up forward is obviously where he plays his best footy, so a lot of those decisions will be based on game situations.
'Moving him around keeps him fresh, instead of having opponents hanging off him 16 games in a row.'
Mines Rovers' dynamic start was underpinned by goals to Ethan Redcliffe, Nick Reghenzani, Charlie Scafidi, and Darcy Stevens, but Railways counter-punched with 4.2 to carry a one-point lead into quarter-time.
Steel's influence included two second-quarter goals, when the reigning premiers outscored the Diorites four goals to one.
Railways' opening three forward entries after half-time each sailed out on the full while the Diorites stifled their efforts with some shoddy disposal.
But they maintained the fight and goals to Redcliffe and Reghenzani cut the margin by the final change to nine points.
The Diorites pressed early in the last quarter, but a turnover at half-back gifted a six-pointer to Gerald Ugle and Steel produced an outside-of-the-boot snap that bounced through a vacant goal square.
With the blue-and-whites' bench already compromised following an ankle injury to Delbridge, Kodee Lowe was yellow-carded as Railways' lead blew out to a game-high 35 points — the result of another defensive turnover.
They added three late goals, but had left their run too late and coach Marc Johnstone lamented the skill errors that were punished by opposition goals at crucial times.
'Exiting our backline, there were three times when we came through the middle and kicked it directly to a Railways player who put it right back over our heads for a goal,' Johnstone said.
'In a close game, it's those errors that are costly, and it was all over the ground.
'It was hard to watch, but we still competed hard until the final siren, so it was pleasing in that way.'
Johnstone said Delbridge would miss games, although the full extent wasn't known on Sunday.
'Jordy did his ankle right in front of me in that third quarter,' Johnstone said.
'We got him off and went to get it strapped up and hopefully get him back on.
'But it had blown-up so much we couldn't even get his boot back on.'
Sam Turner was another injury in the Diorites' camp and young winger Hayden Dowson was a late withdrawal because of illness.
Saturday's result left Boulder, Mines Rovers and Railways each with 3-1 win-loss records.
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