Favorites come home in cold conditions
Winter threw all its elements on Satrday’s round with all the favourites coming home but with reduced scores due to the wintery conditions.
As predicted there is a widening gap between top five and bottom five with the average winning margin being 68 points, the closest being a 41 point win to Morwell East.
East continue charge
While conditions were much calmer the first quarter produced seven goals as players used the drier ball with ease and it was goal for goal with the East holding a slender seven point lead by the first break.
Morwell East started to do damage in the second term on the way to winning 11-10 (76) to 5-5 (35).
Brayden Darby-Lock and Andrew Brown combined well for the East giving their smaller players Brandon Francis and Lockie White chances at the ball.
The East were chipping the now slippery ball around finding their players in front, Shaun Barnes was a focal up forward and Yarragon’s full back Jake Cropley had his hands full controlling the volatile forward.
The East added a further four goals to one to go to a comfortable half time lead.
The heavens opened after the break and good football was nigh impossible with a real slog for both teams, frequent stoppages was a constant frustration to the players.
Morwell East manage to goal once more out of good luck than good play while keeping the Panthers to only one minor score.
Yarragon’s Tim Milner coming into the side late proved his worth for another impressive display but too few of his team mates were consistent, coming in and out of the play.
Visibility was getting poorer as the match progressed but the East had their target set for a good but not brilliant win.
Shaun Barnes was top scorer on the day with four goals and six other players contributed to the team tally.
Magpies dominate
Yinnar continued their dominance over Hill End winning their seventh in succession over the Hillmen, 12-15 (87) to 2-6 (18).
In terrible wet conditions it was Yinnar who moved the ball around better but it took time for them to settle down to a rhythm.
Hill End had no answer to the way Yinnar moved the ball, their forward lie broke down and with Yinnar winning across half back the Hillmen couldn’t buy a score.
Yinnar had more players around the goals and there were plenty of takers with eight players sharing the spoils.
Hill End came alive in the third term to outscore the Magpies (only by two points) as conditions worsened, goals to Luke Ravenhorst and Dylan Briggs brought a cheer to the faithful but their joy was short lived as they scored no more for the rest of the match.
Yinnar settled in and used the conditions to run out winners.
Jacob Mowat, Daniel Webster and Daniel Schneider were best for the Pies. While Isaac Ketchen didn’t score goals for Hill End he was perhaps one of their better players, well supported by Luke Ravenhorst and John Warren.
Bulldogs big winners
Newborough were the biggest winners of the round defeating Trafalgar by 92 points, 15-16 (106) to 2-1 (13) to remain on top position.
Again the weather gods made play difficult for both sides but Newborough were able to adjust better with their stronger players showing good wet weather skills.
The Doggies limped at the first break to be ahead by nine points in a poor effort.
However after being given a rev they transformed in the second to add 5-3 for a better term.
Trafalgar’s Harrison Malady kicked his second goal for the match. Unknowingly it was going to be the Bloods last score for the game and for the next 65 minutes they remained scoreless.
Newborough finished off better to record a big win.
Josh Pearce scored four goals for Newborough with nine players all chipping in to the tally.
Both teams were glad to finish as the rain got heavier and fog started to drift in.
Matt Slattery and Anthony Rosato were good for Newborough while Jamie Hines and Daniel Puglia played well for the Bloods.
Bombers celebrate
Yallourn-Yallourn North had a big reason to celebrate after their 81 point win over Thorpdale, 18-12 (120) to 6-3 (39).
After a sluggish start the Bombers came to life, Thorpdale had matched them goal for goal in the first term but as the weather worsened Yallourn-Yallourn North got better.
After half time the Bombers aimed for Dean McDonald up forward and he didn’t let his side down banging through five at the finish.
It was almost a feast of opportunity for Yallourn-Yallourn North as they rattled home to win.
Ten Bombers got on the scoreline while for Thorpdale it was an almost picket fence except for Jack Kennedy who scored a double.
For Yallourn-Yallourn North, coach Adam Bailey revelled in the heavy conditions and he received good backing from smalls Tyler Brown and Josh Keyhoe.
Thorpdale were best served by Mitch Gorman and the reliable Rory Gilliate.
Tigers bring the heat
In cold conditions Mirboo North provided the only heat to run out comfortable winners over neighbours Boolarra by 60 points, 14-16 (100) to 64 (40).
Football was never going to be brilliant as the wet conditions saw players miskick, drop marks and force stoppages.
The Tigers jumped away early against Boolarra with 10 shots to one but Mirboo North were misguided to finish with only 4-6 for the term.
Former Boolarra player Jesse Giardina came in for some verbal encouragement from his ex Boolarra team mates every time he went near the ball.
By half time both teams could have walked off and stayed off as conditions got a lot wetter and colder, but it was Boolarra who showed some spark in the third with a determined effort.
Matt Sheridan got into the game on the flank and the backline tightened with James Holmes starting to outdo his opponent.
Troy Tobin score a couple and Boolarra swung back into the game, although they only scored 3-2 for the term to Mirboo North’s wasteful 0-6 they were still too far behind to make any headway.
Mirboo North had advantage of the breeze in the last term and made full use adding ix goals to one to run out winners.
Top goalkickers were centre forward Zack Kilgower with four for the Tigers and Troy Tobin three for Boolarra.