ST MARY’S BRINGS THE HEAT
ST MARY’S kept its finals hopes alive, holding South Barwon to just two goals in a 42- point win that proves the Saints could be a threat if they make it.
Needing to continue winning to keep pressure on fifthplaced Bell Park, St Mary’s produced one of its stronger performances of the season to stay just one game behind the Dragons. A fast- starting opening quarter, where they kicked away with four unanswered goals, set up the 8.11 ( 59) to 2.5 ( 17) win at a sodden McDonald Reserve, with St Mary’s never challenged on the scoreboard from then on. “For us, every score, every point and every goal counts, so to get a win like that in the conditions we were pretty happy,” St Mary’s co- coach Travis Robertson said. “I would’ve liked to hit the scoreboard a bit more in the last quarter — I reckon we had a fair bit of footy, but didn’t convert. “But when I arrived and saw the conditions I’m pretty happy with that result.” Doug Bond, Josh Cowan, Brady Pritchard and Tom Lang all kicked truly before quarter- time, holding the Swans scoreless until six minutes into the second quarter when Ryan Dillon kicked truly from a 50m penalty.
Ryley Hall was a dominant presence in defence, blanketing Andrew Boseley, while Ben Moloney, Andrew Banjanin and Hayden McMahon ( two goals) were all important for the winners.
“We asked ‘ Banjo’ ( Banjanin) to play a lone hand in the ruck and he did a great job,” Robertson said.
“Josh Jaska continues to improve, Ben Moloney has been good the last three weeks and we saw Ryley Hall and how good he can play the game of footy.
“They’re a good stoppage team. We’d seen that, so for us to be competitive against them was good.
“When you look at our key numbers, we probably ticked the box for most of them.”
McMahon kicked his second goal after a scuffle between players left the forward 50 open, with South Barwon’s Simon Fragiotta laying on the ground after a tangle with Moloney and Jacob Welsh.
Robertson did not believe there was anything in the incident.
“That’s just footballers being footballers,” he said.
“Ben plays on the edge, and he plays an important role for us playing a physical game and he was really good today.”