A sluggish first half proved costly as the Bendigo Pioneers suffered a 24-point loss to the Northern Knights at the QEO on Saturday.
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The Pioneers, who had 15 bottom age players, went into the clash with high hopes of defeating a Knights team which was below them on the ladder.
However, it was the Knights who took control of the game from early on.
The Knights kicked 3.5 to 1.0 in the first quarter against a Pioneers side which lacked intensity.
The home side’s pressure improved in the second quarter, but they only made marginal ground on the scoreboard and went into half-time 22-points down.
The third quarter was the Pioneers’ best. Their back line, led by Keelin Betson, Isaac Miller and Caleb Sheahan, strangled the Knights’ forward line and the midfield group won more of the ball.
The midfield dominance allowed highly-rated key forward Jarrod Brander to have an influence on the game.
Playing his first TAC Cup game, the Wentworth-raised Geelong Grammar student kicked two goals for the game and showed flashes of the form that has him touted as a potential first-round draft pick in 2017.
The Pioneers trailed by three points at the final change, but couldn’t maintain that momentum in the last quarter.
The Knights kicked five goals to two to win 11.15 (81) to 8.9 (57).
