BANNOCKBURN WINS BATTLE

AN injection of fresh legs into the midfield proved the difference as Bannockburn recovered from a halftime deficit to beat Bell Post Hill by 46 points on Saturday.

Struggling in a slog at Myers Reserve in the first half and down by 12 points at the main break, Tigers coach Peter Riccardi swung the magnets around, throwing Jai Robinson and Jack Brauman onto the ball alongside Matt Tyquin, which changed the game.

“We were a lot better after halftime,” Riccardi said.

“The boys won it at the contest and we spread (better). Because it was so boggy, we thought it was going to be like that.

“We tried to put some fresh boys through the middle of the ground because it was so boggy.

“He (Robinson) would have had at least eight clearances.

“Obviously being a left footer, it was something different. He won his own ball and got it going for us.

“Today was a (territory) game. After halftime we won that battle.”

While the Tigers continue to work on executing their outside game, Riccardi said Saturday’s 11.12 (78) to 5.2 (32) win was all about moving the ball forward.

“It was a bit muddy in the middle and it wasn’t a day to be cute,” he said.

“Jai was actually running it out of stoppages, which was good. Matty was just that grunt player we needed in there in conditions like today.”

Tyquin was named the Tigers’ best, while Jake Myles led the scorers with four majors in limited game time as he manages his return to footy.

“Tom Gillies (two goals) just worked tirelessly up the ground, worked back, was very good also,” Riccardi said.

The Tigers have 10 wins for the season and sit a game behind second-placed Inverleigh with another game to the Centurions ahead of this weekend’s clash with in-form side East Geelong.

GDFL great Cam Addie kicked a stunning 11 goals as Geelong West accounted for Corio easily, winning 18.23 (131) to 6.3 (39) to remain in the finals mix.

The Bell Post Hill premiership hero produced his best game in the orange and charcoal, with the haul taking his season tally to 27.

Blake Hutchinson was clearly Corio’s best player, but Devils young gun Liam Duffy also produced another strong effort.

North Geelong remains in touching distance of the top five after prevailing over Belmont Lions, 11.10 (76) to 9.10 (64).

Mitch Habib kicked five goals for the Magpies, who opened up a 14-point lead in the third term before holding onto for a two-goal victory. Habib has now kicked 48 goals for the season.

North Geelong sits in eighth spot, a game and percentage behind fifth-placed Winchelsea.

Jack Baker was Belmont’s best, with the Lions showing strong competitiveness in recent weeks.

East Geelong claimed yet another scalp, overcoming Winchelsea 13.13 (91) to 9.11 (65) to draw level on points with the fifth-placed Blues as the finals race heats up. Trailing by 21 points at quartertime, Jeremy Power’s men hit back with four unanswered majors in the second term to gain the lead, before sealing the win in the final term.

Michael Condon kicked three goals and Tim McLennan was judged East’s best.

Inverleigh coach Adam Donohue bagged a matchwinning four goals, helping his side to a tough 17-point win over Anakie on Saturday.

But those naming the best players at the Hawks are hard to please, with Donohue not named among his team’s most influential players.

Instead that went to Scott Condy with Daniel Grozdanovski, Billy Cations and Robbie Logue.

The Kangaroos looked like causing a boilover in the first quarter, leading Inverleigh by 20 points at quarter-time, but the Hawks were able to gain control with the scoring end in the second quarter and then kept Anakie at arm’s length.

Tom Karacsay, Luke Wilson, Daniel Green and Daniel Weigl were Anakie’s best.