Bloods winning ugly
It wasn’t pretty, but not much was this weekend, Trafalgar doing what they needed to do to secure a two goal win 3-10 (28) to 2-4 (16).
The Panthers had been promising to take the scalp of a top five side for most of this season, their form against the leagues very best impressive but not quite good enough to take the points.
Trafalgar had managed to keep them at arms length in their first encounter, and were focused on doing the same second time round.
Possibly the biggest criticism of Yarragon this year has been that they had continually given a sides a start, before valiantly trying to claw themselves back into the match and steal an unlikely win.
This week however, the Panthers trailed by just the two points at the first break and were not only in the game but looking worthy of matching it with the top of the table Trafalgar.
At half time the Bloods had still not managed to shake of the persistant Panthers and the possibility of an upset was very much alive.
Yarragon being well served by Dean Fitzgerald, Michael Whyte, Devin Pollock, Paul Harvey, Thomas Follett and Brad Wolfe.
It must be said that this match didn’t really reach any great heights, the conditions were never going to let that happen, and all you can do is win.
And the Bloods have done that in 12 of the 13 matches they have played this season.
Trafalgar in some ways might be going through the motions, and it was with no intent of disrespect to the home side.
It was with no planning from coach Clint Eisendel, but you got the feeling that at 12 wins from 13 rounds, this home and away stuff might be boring the Bloods somewhat.
Better players were Jamie Hines, Lochlan Farrell, Tyson Leys, David Van Schajik, Jesse Stone and Jared Croxford, but the fact is this side has even contributors week in and week out. Thorpdale v Mirboo North Mirboo North staked their claim on a top three spot by defeating Thorpdale 7-5 (47) to 4-7 (31).
Five into three just won’t go, so winning this match was absolutely crucial for both the Tigers and the Blues in their quest to secure a double chance at the business end of the year.
Thorpdale have been excelling in the wintery conditions in recent weeks, even in losing, while Mirboo North have been quietly going about their business and building a war chest of players they are sure to unveil in the weeks ahead.
With so much on the line there was never going to be a lot between the two, and that was proven when at half time, both had managed seven scoring shots a piece, with the home side marginally more accurate and holding a five point lead.
It was at this time that Mirboo North needed its better players to stand up, and with the game in the balance, it was the likes of Julian Blackford, Damien Turner, Clancy Bennett, Joe Brooks, Mitchell Wightman and Lloyd Powell that led the way.
The Tigers had managed to secure a lead at the final break but Thorpdales best in Tyde Melbourne, Luke Collie, Daniel Martin, Kane Saliba, Cameron Hillbrick and Daniel Hammond were not going to let this one go without a fight, and fight they did all the way until that final siren sounded.
As we start to close in on the end of the home and away season, being well-placed to make a finals assault is becoming more and more important, and no one knows that better than last years premiers, the Tigers.
What is absolutely certain, Mirboo North won’t be sneaking up on the finals this year, they are there, front and centre. Hill End v Boolarra Hill End grabbed a convincing victory against Boolarra, dominating for most of the day, inaccuracy the only factor that stopped the Demons being totally humiliated.
The Rovers winning 8-24 (72) to 1-3 (9).
This might well have been Boolarra’s last throw at the stumps for a victory this season.
Hill End, down on personnel but not in heart were never going to give this one up without a fight.
Only four points separated the two at quarter time, the home side leading, but not convincingly, keeping the door ajar for Boolarra to step up to the plate and grab the match by the scruff of the neck.
What actually happened however was quite the opposite, with the Rovers dominating in the demanding conditions and peppering the goals for almost all of the second term.
In fact Hill End added eleven behinds whilst keeping Boolarra scoreless, but its inaccuracy meant that the visitors were still less than three goals short and still a silly chance of causing an upset.
With the likes of Isaac Ketchen, Ambu Uliando, Clay Ketchen, Simon Fairbairn, Sven Batten and Matt Moseley leading the way for the Rovers, the match was put to bed with three goals in the third quarter.
The Rovers should be commended for their efforts, they too like their opponents have been doing it tough, but they showed the sort of qualities needed to win matches when the conditions demand old fashioned, hard at it attack on the ball, and the player.
Boolarra have relied on the same names for most of this season, Matt Windsor, Sam Mazou, Matt Buglisi, James Holmes, Simon Buglisi and Justin Emery but it has never been enough. Morwell East v Newborough Newborough got the premiership points in a thriller defeating Morwell East by the narrowest possible margin 4-13 (37) to 4-12 (36).
This game was not about skill, it was about want, the ground that welcomed both sides almost underwater given the downpour just hours before
It’s a season to forget for Morwell East, because they just havn’t got what it takes to climb any further up the MGFL ladder.
Yinnar v Yallourn Yallourn North
Yinnar went one step closer to entrenching themselves in the top three by winning one against the odds 7-4 (46) to 3-10 (28).
With little between third to fifth, grabbing a win against the Bombers was an important stepping stone for Yinnar, especially given their shock loss to Newborough the week prior.
There appears absolutely nothing from any of the top five sides as they currently stand from beating any other on any given day, it will come down to personnel available, conditions and most importantly players turning up and playing like their lives depended on it.
The race to the finals appears as though its going to be a beauty, but the finals themselves are promising to be as good as anything you’ll see in Aussie rules anywhere in the country.