By Ken Moore
IN A replay of the 2010 GFL grand final, reigning premiers Maffra crushed Drouin by 45 points. The Hawks started brightly and led by five points at quarter-time, but could not withstand the persistent Eagle forward advances that yielded 10 goals over the next two quarters.
The Hawks’ scoring opportunities dried up and the visitors managed only three behinds across the second and third terms. And when they did get the ball deep into the attacking 50-metre arc, they met an obstacle in the form of burly Eagle fullback, Sam Bristow.
Maffra’s on-ball brigade of Dan O’Brien, Jed Costigan and Kelvin Porter found space all game and used the ball more efficiently than their counterparts while the pace and mobility of Daniel Bedggood (five goals) and Brett Connolly (three goals) continually bothered the visitors defence.
Drouin’s strength, its midfielders, were well down on form and its forwards failed to function. Midfielders Daniel Barrand, Sam Proctor and Ben Edwards bobbed up with some handy possessions, Mitch Cochrane was swung from defence into attack in the second half and took a few nice grabs while Damian Carmody toughed it out in the ruck and around the ground.
Drouin badly missed Andy Soumilas, who was unavailable because of a work commitment.
A MAJOR upset brewed when winless Warragul led the undefeated Sale by 18 points at half-time but the experience of the Magpies came to the fore in the third quarter when Sale produced six goals from 14 scoring shots and held the Gulls scoreless to go into the final change with a 26-point buffer.
Warragul kicked five last-quarter goals but still fell 24 points short. Nevertheless, the competitive effort against a team many have pencilled in as premiership favourites, suggest George Morgan’s young tyros are on the right path and in a year or two will be a genuine force.
Sale can thank plucky ruck-rover Chris Laverty, agile ruckman Toby Leeds and defenders Jamie Sweeney, Joel Wallace and Jordan Dessent, for helping it wriggle out of a tight spot in the second quarter.
Matt Gray and Josh Helliwell (four goals each) menaced the Magpies defence, change ruckman Mark Bradley and rover Tom Fusinato worked well together and generated many centre clearances and Ben Drew kept things tight in the last line of defence.
Another youngster, Tom Carey, appears to have found his niche in defence after holding former St Kilda utility Matt Ferguson to only two goals. This follows a top effort in round two, when he kept former AFL Tiger Royce Vardy goal less.
IT IS time to take notice of league newcomers Bairnsdale after it recorded its third straight victory, a 13-point away win over Morwell. The only criticism of the Redlegs was their inability to put the Tigers away when they led by six-and-half goals midway through the last term.
Half-back Luke Dyer, coach Brent Cowell, Kane Ashwood and Robbie Brick, who was in and under the packs all game, stimulated the Bairnsdale midfield and Shaun Ryan plucked some good marks and kicked five goals to be a top target.
For Morwell, Royce Vardy used his body well in the ruck, Rob Michaelides, Michael “Funky” Duncan and Adam Bailey pulled the strings in the midfield and Daniel Hutchison and Ryan Tatterson each popped through four goals.
TRARALGON had a comfortable 29-point victory over Moe. The Maroons set up victory with a four-goal-to-nil first quarter and thereafter were never troubled.
Jackson Hall, Steve Hazelman and Nathan Freitag orchestrated many attacks, the ever-reliable Sam McCulloch attacked the ball with his usual vigour and Dan McKenna (three goals) was busy across the forward line.
For the Lions, half-back Peter Ainsworth, as ever, showed a good work ethic and had willing partners in Tommy Long, Kane Airdrie and Peter Yates when moved into defence after starting in attack.
Gary Blandford won lots of midfield disposals and Tommy Johnson (three goals) added spark across the forward line.
OVER the Easter weekend Wonthaggi, at home, dispensed with Leongatha by 44 points. With two first-quarter goals by agile Power forward Matt Kremmer and six-pointers to coach Leigh McDonald and Poowong recruit Chris Wylie, the home side opened up a 16-point lead at quarter-time and was never headed over the ensuing three quarters.
The Parrots trailed by only 18 points at the main break but their fate was sealed when the Power produced five unanswered goals in the third term to give the home side an unassailable lead at the last break.
Hard attacks on ball and body by the home side in the opening 15 minutes appeared to intimidate the far younger visitors and set the tone for the game.
In a superb team effort, former coach Paul Brosnan generated many forward advances, change ruckman and Tocumwal recruit Lucas White picked up effective disposals all over the park.
In defence Churchill recruit Dean Jenkins, Tim Gilliland and Cam Jones repelled the best the Parrots could offer and tall ruckman Earl Shaw put his hand up for interleague selection with a fine game and midfielder Kane McCarthy was busy all afternoon.
Good players were hard to find for a disappointing Leongatha outfit. Rhett McLennan read play well off the back flank, Paul Le Page stopped many attacks, wingman Julian Stone showed plenty and Colin Sanbrook made his presence felt.
