JUNIORS SUFFER DEFEATS

Little did anyone know that when the Under 16s ran onto the Drouin ground in very windy and decidedly chilly conditions just before 9 o’clock on Saturday morning that they’d play in by far the best conditions of the day.

The ground was firm and dry, something that didn’t confront players in the other three games, and there were plenty of good passages of fast, open football.

But the improved Hawks’ fourths weren’t able to pull off their first win, Maffra getting the better of the second half to score 6-2 to 35.

Drouin was best served by Logan Corbet, Xavier Lafrantz, Jack Smith, Sam Dennis, Jack Fraser and Kaleb Hermansen. Hermansen, Thomas Evans and Lachlan Jagoe kicked the goals.

The Hawks 3rds were again short of a full complement with several players doubling up after the fourths.

Maffra was much stronger kicking 13-15 to 2-4.

The rain began at half time during the game and by the end of it the surface started to chop up and become slippery and muddy.

Drouin’s goals were kicked by Ryan Taylor and Trent Kearney and the better players were Regan Hodge, Kearney and Xavier Lafrantz.