Important win for Hawks
Drouin’s A grade team secured a five-goal away win over top three team Leongatha on Saturday.
The Hawks showed they are tough opposition across the day, claiming a one-goal victory in C grade.
A grade: Drouin 52 defeated Leongatha 47
This was an important game, with a win to elevate the Hawks into equal third on the ladder on percentage.
April Bethune showed great leadership for all four quarters, demanding excellence and composure in the big moments from her teammates.
Karina Healy and Chloe Papley were both outstanding in wing attack, with Karina feeding the goalers beautifully and Chloe using her speed and energy to help push the game on.
Defensively, the Hawks grinded the opposition attack end down and were relentless in the one-on-one contests.
Awards: April Bethune and Chloe Papley.
B grade: Drouin 50 lost to Leongatha 60
The Hawks came up against a strong opposition who showed why they have been premiership contenders for the past few years.
A strong first half by the Hawks set up a game that could have gone either way. But, with a few players not at 100 per cent, the Parrots got on top and ran away with it.
Ruby Pritchett continued to show class in the air and was relentless in wing defence. She put in a game that was impressive to watch.
Award: Ruby Pritchett.
C grade: Drouin 40 defeated Leongatha 39
It was a crucial game for the C grade team and the Hawks delivered.
From one end of the court to the other, each player had a roll and they knew that if they executed it - the win would come.
Some fantastic goaling, strong midcourt drives and hard pressure in defence got this win.
In the midcourt, Holly Cheyne delivered, creating turnovers and using her speed to get the ball flying down the court.
Taylah Roberts hasn’t lost a beat, moving the ball into the goals from wing attack, but also being integral in the midcourt pressure.
Awards: Holly Cheyne and Taylah Roberts.
17 and under: Drouin 31 lost to Leongatha 37
Drouin put on a great display of netball and grit against top of the ladder Leongatha.
The Hawks let the Parrots break away in the first half. However, the girls didn’t shy away from the challenge and clawed it back to a six-goal difference in the end.
Tilly Carroll had an amazing game, defending to create turnovers and feeding to the goalers perfectly.
Jamieson Thomas also had a strong game, her drives out of defence were fantastic and she opened up the court beautifully.
It was a great game of netball and one that the Hawks should be proud of.
Awards: Tilly Carroll and Jamieson Thomas.
15 and under: Drouin 17 lost to Leongatha 44
After a slow start, the Hawks didn’t give up and produced some great passages of play.
The defenders were clinical, displaying a work rate that was second to none.
Beth Murray got countless intercepts and worked hard to recover and put the pressure on. Mylie Stoll was also reliable, picking up every loose ball from either team’s errors.
Sophie Cassidy and Amber Hammond slotted right into the attack end, making strong drives and holds against some tall and powerful Leongatha defenders.
Awards: Beth Murray and Mylie Stoll.
13 and under: Drouin 17 lost to Leongatha 38
Coming off the back of a great game against Moe last week, the Hawks were ready to continue the momentum.
Leongatha came out firing and had a strong lead from the first quarter.
The Hawks lifted in the second, with Sophie Cassidy getting plenty of intercepts in centre.
Karli Mapleson worked hard in wing defence to help with the pressure and bring the ball down the court.
However, the Hawks weren’t able to keep up the with Parrots and let them get away.
Awards: Sophie Cassidy and Karli Mapleson.
Leaping into the ruck are Leongatha’s Benjamin Willis and Drouin’s Ryan Taylor.
Photographs by CRAIG JOHNSON.
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Drouin's fourths are into the top five following a rousing win over Leongatha.
Playing away from home and against the team just above them on the ladder, the Hawks played some of their best football for the season in the 7.10 (52) to 5.4 (34) win to leapfrog the Parrots into fifth spot.
The margin could have been even bigger given the three quarter time margin stood at 34, before three late Parrots goals reeled it in somewhat.
Until that point, however, Drouin had kept their opponents to just two goals in three quarters, including a totally scoreless third term.
Co-captain Brodie Atkins stood up for the Hawks, slotting three majors, as Jacob Obernhumer put on one of his strongest performances in the maroon and gold.
The win has Drouin in fifth position on five wins, now four points clear of Leongatha in sixth despite a significantly lower percentage.
Given that seventh is sitting on two wins and fourth on seven, fifth spot will likely go to either the Hawks or Parrots come the end of the season.
It was a tough day for Warragul's fourths side, losing to Bairnsdale 4.7 (31) to 10.18 (78).
The Gulls were behind the pace from the first bounce, conceding nine scoring shots to one in the first term, only being saved by some inaccuracy from the Redlegs.
From there the home side pushed the margin out quarter by quarter, until some late resistance in the final term gave the Gulls some of their best play for the day, winning the last by four points.
Consistent performers Oliver Wilson and Darcy Paul were once again best-on for the Gulls along with Levi Moore as Finn Sheehan kicked two goals.
In other fourths results Wonthaggi defeated Morwell 7.12 (54) to 4.9 (33), Moe overcame Maffra 10.14 (74) to 8.6 (54) and Traralgon obliterated Sale 19.12 (126) to 2.5 (17).
Warragul's thirds side were overrun in a tight finish by Bairnsdale.
The Gulls led the encounter for most of the day, at times even comfortably, but were unable to stop a fast-finishing Redlegs outfit, losing 8.9 (57) to 10.7 (67).
Warragul burst out of the blocks early, pushing themselves out to a 22-point lead at quarter time.
This was in large part thanks to the work of big man Liam Finnegan around the ground, alongside the decisive ball use of Heath Jinks and Alby Phillips.
From there the Redlegs chipped away at the advantage, reducing it to just nine points at the final change of ends.
The dam walls burst from there as the Redlegs kicked four goals to one in the last to totally overwhelm the visitors, pushing them down to fifth on the ladder.
They remain a win inside the top five with a healthy percentage, but won't want to give the sides below them too much of a sniff going forward.
Drouin's thirds were no match for Leongatha in a match with plenty of wayward kicking.
Both sides weren't at their best in front of the big sticks, but Drouin were unable to generate anywhere near as many scoring opportunities as their opponents, losing 2.7 (19) to 5.11 (41).
The Hawks did give themselves chances, and given the accuracy the Parrots were displaying, could have threatened to steal a win.
But with them unable to make their own chances count, a victory was always unlikely.
Fletcher Pallot had his best game for Drouin to this point, while Peyton Saddington and Eli Bracken were also solid.
Elsewhere in the thirds Traralgon thumped Sale 13.14 (92) to 5.9 (39), Maffra defeated Moe 10.12 (72) to 5.8 (38) and Morwell had the bye.
Drouin's reserves were spirited but unable to go with Leongatha.
Coming up against the reigning premiers – a team that has demolished plenty of opponents this season – there was concern this loomed as a massive loss.
And while the Hawks were defeated handily 2.1 (13) to 11.14 (80), it was one of the better defensive performances for the year.
Young Benjamin Brasier kicked both of Drouin's goals, while Regan Hodge and Dan Clebney played well.
Warragul's reserves were undermanned, underdone and overwhelmed in their match against Bairnsdale.
With just 15 available players it was always going to be difficult, the 0.3 (3) to 21.16 (142) being as difficult a watch as fans in red and black could imagine.
The Gulls were helpless to stop the Redlegs, watching as goal after goal soared over their heads, including 10 from veteran John Gooch.
Jack Casson, Jacob Orlicki and Xavier La Frantz were among the better players on a very difficult day for the team.
In other reserves results Wonthaggi won a thriller over Morwell 11.9 (75) to (70), Sale overcame Traralgon 9.7 (61) to 8.5 (53) and Maffra beat Moe 5.6 (36) to 2.10 (22).