@BT Sub Sport Gaz:CRANBOURNE v DOVETON
CRANBOURNE recovered from a slow start to defeat Doveton by 53 points at Casey Fields.
With the aid of a strong breeze, Doveton kicked six goals to four in the opening term to hold a 13-point lead at the first change.
Cranbourne took control with a seven-goal second term, depriving Doveton use of the ball and forward penetration.
Doveton outscored Cranbourne in the third quarter, but conceded too many goals to remain in the game by the final change.
The Eagles’ six-goal final term emphatically stamped an exclamation on the impressive win.
“Our blokes finished the game off pretty well, but it was an even contest early,” Cranbourne coach Doug Koop said.
“I don’t know what (my players) were waiting for, but I think we lacked a little bit of intensity at times. It wasn’t as good a performance as the week before, but that’s footy. If we can play games not up to our standard and win, that’s good.”
Doveton is showing signs of taking the next step.
“They’re actually pretty experienced,” Koop said. “We counted 10 players out there from their (2009) grand final side. They’ve got some experience back, but it’s just going to take a while for the young kids to come on.”
Cranbourne was led by Glenn Osborne, Troy Tharle Adams in the air, Matthew Rus and Leigh Holt around the ground, big man Michael Boland and ace forward Matthew Fletcher (six goals).
Doveton coach Mark Ladgrove was pleased with the effort of his team.
“Overall, the guys had a go – we couldn’t question that,” Ladgrove said. “We just had to question their decision-making with the ball. Being early in the year, there are some positive signs we can move on from.
“We started the first quarter alright, but didn’t play the right sort of footy in the second quarter. We put the ball in bad spots and Cranbourne took advantage and kicked seven goals, which left us down at half-time.”
But Ladgrove was less than impressed with Casey Fields.
“I haven’t been there when it’s not windy,” he said. “They spent $30 million on a sporting complex in the City of Casey and forget to realise it’s a wind tunnel.”
The Doves were served by Pakenham recruit John Atwell, Adam Dean in the ruck, Ryan Hendy (six goals), and the experienced trio Simon Black, Aaron Henwood and Brad Downe.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:DEVON MEADOWS v HAMPTON PARK
HAMPTON Park shook off a ragged Devon Meadows to record a 17-point win at E. G. Allen Oval.
From the opening bounce, it was evident a tough slog was on the cards.
Margins of just five, 15 and 11 points separated the teams at the changes.
Devon Meadows held the lead at every change, and it took some individual brilliance to spark the Redbacks.
Kerem Baskaya, who returned to Hampton Park in the off-season, kicked three goals in the final term to play a significant role in the win.
“We were pretty much down all day,” Hampton Park coach Clint Evans said. “We were 11 points down at three quarter-time, but just ran over the top of them. For the first three quarters, we didn’t play good footy, but their tackling pressure was really good and we just couldn’t get the ball in our hands. They split us open through the middle and kicked a few easy goals.”
From the opening bounce, Devon Meadows played the match on its terms.
“We kicked the first two goals and we were flicking the ball around and looking really good, but then we just stopped,” Evans said. “We couldn’t get our game plan going. There wasn’t any run and we were trying to take them on and not give the first option. We would have had 10 holding the balls against us because we were just trying to take them on and playing selfish football.”
Despite all that, Evans was pleased with the character his players displayed.
“It just shows that we’ve had a really good pre-season and we’ve got the fitness there,” he said. “Maybe last year or the years before we might have just capitulated and given up the ghost, so that was the pleasing thing that we can play good football when we put it together. There’s a lot of new blokes in the side, so it’s going to take a while, but we can still improve.”
Baskaya finished with six goals, while Linten Fredericks’ class shone through.
Veterans Sean Winsall, Luke Nunan and Craig Lombard were key contributors.
For the vanquished, Adam Brander continued his excellent start to the year.
Brandon Wapshott, Josh Low, big man Adam Jago and Adrian Burns played well.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:NARRE WARREN v BERWICK
YOU know it’s a big game when by 10.30am – quarter-time of the under-18s – it’s impossible to find a car park within view of Kalora Park.
With Brendan Fevola making his highly-anticipated, widely-publicised Narre Warren debut – and the Magpies unfurling three premiership flags – Saturday’s match was always going to be a big event.
But with all the attention focused on Narre Warren, Berwick was able to concentrate on the game and play a sensational brand of football to win by four goals.
After retired Magpies coach Matt Shinners unfurled the premiership flag, hostilities began, and across the ground, there were plenty of exciting match-ups.
Fevola was quickly into the action with a long shot, but it was Berwick that goaled first and then hastily added a further two.
Narre Warren kicked its first goal after Michael Collins found Brett Evans, who beat two defenders to take a strong mark.
Berwick’s Nathan Waite kicked his second goal after winning a free kick.
A Nick Scanlon and Collins combination led to Fevola’s first goal, and moments later, his second goal placed the Magpies 10 points in arrears.
Berwick was clearly ready for the encounter and its intensity at the contest resulted in an early lead.
Fevola added his third goal early in the second term, but Berwick countered with the next two goals.
After a tame first quarter, the match lifted in the second with plenty of solid collisions and a noticeable increase in tempo.
Berwick peppered the goals, but missed several chances, which they lamented as Narre Warren worked back into the contest.
Michael Collins steadied the Magpies with a long goal from an errant kick-in and Scanlon’s finger-tipper mark and goal reduced Narre Warren’s deficit to four points at half time.
The wind picked up in the third term and Berwick was able to use it profitably.
The Wickers goaled first via Waite, who was becoming a real factor in the contest. He added another two for the quarter as Berwick kicked five goals to three to lead by 14 points.
Early goals to new recruit Vergin Faik and Waite – as a brawl erupted – ensured Berwick would win the match.
Berwick added four goals in the final term to cap off an impressive performance to an eventful day.
“We didn’t really go in with any great expectations,” Berwick coach Dean Rice said. “We’ve got a brand that we play by, and if we play by that brand, then the results tend to take care of themselves.”
Berwick’s talented youngsters led the way.
“We’ve got a good core group, they’re all at a very similar age – 19,” he said. “They all know each other, they’re all good friends and sometimes when you coach, that’s half the battle, getting them to play as a unit. We were challenged a few times and the guys showed maturity beyond their age and just seemed to steady at the right time, which is a good sign going forward.”
Waite starred with six goals and numerous contested marks.
“’Waitie’ was at the club last year and probably didn’t get the opportunity to play in the position he’d liked to,” Rice said. “We gave him the opportunity and he grabbed it.”
Another winner was captain Jason Kelly, who stood Fevola.
“(Kelly) has been great for the group with his leadership and obviously he’s a good player,” he said. “We didn’t have any special game plan to stop (Fevola), we knew Jason would compete very well. As long as we put pressure on the midfield, it was always going to be a hard day for Fevola.”
Ruckman Steve Finlayson was superb, taking big marks and gathering plenty of possessions. The Zijai brothers, recruit Daniel Stokie and emerging midfielder Luke Sheppard, who is rapidly developing into one of the league’s premier midfielders, played well.
Narre Warren coach Chris Toner was blunt in his assessment of the match.
“We were outplayed,” he said. “It didn’t reflect our performances over the pre-season and it was disappointing to play the way that we did. Perhaps our players went in with the wrong attitude.”
Despite being down on form, the Magpies were always in the game.
“We had every chance to win it,” Toner said. “We came back in the third quarter and there were only a couple of points in it. I thought we controlled play in that period of time, but they just took it up their end three times in a row and kicked goals. We lost the same game to them last year. We’re going to lose games of footy, it’s an even competition.”
Fevola kicked four goals.
