Eastland’s In and Under column returns this week, Media Manager Ryan Long gives you his key takeaways from the latest weekend of local footy.
Sharks in the hunt for Double Chance
Park Orchards kept their double chance alive in Division One Senior Women’s competition this weekend with an impressive 17-point win over former ladder leaders Donvale.
Both sides entered the Deakin University Match of the Round with key personnel out. A tight first quarter saw both sides come away with two goals each, both having stages of dominance.
The real difference between the two sides was a dominant second quarter from the Sharks that saw them kick four goals to none, two of those goals coming from Elly Hartnett who pushed forward. Park Orchards used Donvale Reserve to their advantage, having an abundance of run on the outside.
Some of the best contributors included Jade Hutchinson and Kristen Bertoldi, both possession plenty of run and accumulating a lot of the football.
Donvale worked their way back into the contest through the likes of Monica Latino who kicked two goals and won many one-on-one contests across the ground. They weren’t able to make up the difference on the scoreboard, coming 17 points short of the Sharks.
The loss to the Magpies moves them to second position on the Division One ladder, behind North Ringwood on percentage. Park Orchards were the big winners as they move one game behind the top two with their final three games of the season coming against the three teams below them.
An exciting finals series awaits with four high-quality sides set to fight it out for the Division One flag.
Blues Third-Quarter blitz
Leading by just eight points at Half Time, Croydon’s six-goal to zero third quarter caught the Dockers off guard as they moved back into second position on the Division Two ladder.
The third quarter saw Matthew McKenzie and Jake Christie get off the hook with 18 disposals and two goals between them. The likes of Ficorilli, Dodd and Costantino hit the scoreboard and the margin blew out past seven goals in the blink of an eye.
Beau Mitchener was dominant in the ruck battle with 61 hit outs and 32 disposals. It led to the Dockers owning the clearances 53 to 34 and centre clearances 14 to four. However, it had little impact on the game, Templestowe going by 58% kicking efficiency to Croydon’s 72%.
Behind the ball, the likes of skipper Fraser Smith and Jai Mortimer picked off plenty of the footy, setting up the Blues attack off the half-back.
The win means more than just four points, Croydon are now one step closer to securing a double chance at the end of the Home and Away season. The only side to defeat reigning premiers Boronia, the Blues are at this stage entering September as the number one contender.
For Templestowe, the loss is costly as they drop to sixth on the ladder with both Ringwood and Mulgrave winning in the split round. The loss of Fogarty through the midfield was noticeable when Croydon got on top on Saturday. Two big games against Heathmont and Waverley Blues will be season-defining for the club.
Golden Opportunity blown
A golden opportunity to maintain touch with the Division One Senior Men’s top-five was blown by Mooroolbark as they fell one point short of Bayswater on Saturday Afternoon.
The two sides have had a great rivalry in recent times. Including this contest, the sides have played off in four games decided by ten points or less, three of those by less than a kick.
The Mustangs will be kicking themselves, knowing this was a must-win game to have a shot at finals due to their poor percentage in comparison to the other top-five sides. Their stars were all firing again, Smith, Noonan and Peacock all in the top four leading disposal getters on the ground.
As close as the game was, Bayswater may have had chances to put the game to bed early with an inaccurate first term, having an extra eight scoring shots at the first break. Experienced star Ben Searle was exceptional with his 23 disposals and 8 Rebound 50 for Bayswater. Paul Haasbroek was also influential from his 16 disposals and a goal in a low-scoring tight contest.
The loss for Mooroolbark means the top five is just about set, Beaconsfield look safe in fourth after their impressive five-goal win over Montrose. It’s the second time the Eagles have defeated the Demons this year, this time without some influential players that missed the first outing at Montrose Rec Reserve.
The Dees will relish the Mustangs’ loss, giving them an extra bit of breathing room in fifth place. Their last four games of the season are all against sides below them so the double chance isn’t out of the question yet, but they’ll now be relying on both Beaconsfield and Mitcham on slipping up while winning their last four.
With some key outs including spearhead Ryan Garthwaite, Montrose will look to restrengthen with a bye week.
