By Matt Fotia
Vermont held off a spirited Blackburn outfit to win its sixth game for the season in a scrappy, and sometimes sloppy, 2019 Grand Final re-match.
The Eagles hung on by just three points, 9.8(62) to 8.11(59), in a game which saw both sides finish with two players on the bench.
The most notable injury was to Vermont skipper and early Chandler Medal contender Lachlan Johns who left the field with an ankle complaint, whilst young Blackburn star Mackenzie Doriean left the field in the first quarter and would play no further part due to concussion. Vermont’s Josiah Duncan was also ruled out after suffering a head-knock during the second quarter and Jack Roughsedge made it two Blackburn concussions for the day during the third quarter.
Blackburn threatened to steal the win late, especially when winger Samuel Harte launched one through the middle to bring the margin with a goal with ample time remaining, but ultimately the Eagles defence was able to soak up enough Blackburn pressure to hold their rivals at bay, a description of the days play overall.
The usually well kept Eagles nest was worse for wear, despite the two week lay off, with an increase in traffic giving the centre corridor and grandstand wing a mud first, grass second look, and was a key factor in the quality of the fixture, with players struggling to keep their feet and inject real pace into the game.
Blackburn dominated early, winning majority of the stoppages in the opening moments, but weren’t able to translate their possession dominance onto the scoreboard, finding the goals just once, through the boot of lively forward Matthew Day, who finished the day with three goals – the most on the ground.
The Vermont big men showed inklings of the massive impact they would have on the game in the opening term, with Robert Ross and Liam Wale-Buxton using their strength and guile to work Lachlan Harry overtime in the middle of the ground, and give the Burners undersized defence headaches when in the forward 50, both figuratively and literally, with Wale-Buxton standing on a few heads to take a Mark of the Year contender in the first quarter.
Once again Day opened the scoring in the second term, hitting the pack at speed, roving and finishing with aplomb, before the Burners repeated the first quarter performance, laying tackles, dominating the ball and the territory, but failing to hit the scoreboard enough to put some distance between them and Vermont.
Vermont eventually hit the front once again, by four points, thanks to a long range effort from Ryan Fitzpatrick that bounced through on the siren after a textbook clearance from the top of the table Eagles.
Vermont of recent years have been known for their attacking prowess, but this new – Adam Parker led – side is built off of defensive solidity.
Joe Fisher showed his class all day as one of few players confident when leaping for – and kicking – the sherrin. Liam Wale-Buxton doesn’t just sit in the hole, he encompasses it, causing Blackburn to halt all momentum when bursting forward, almost frightened by his presence and Robbie Ross seemed ageless taking marks at both ends of the field.
But it was the younger Ross who had the biggest say on the game, all but shutting out Jake Hammond.
The Blackburn star was forced to push further and further up the ground to get his hands on the ball and struggled to get dangerous close to goal, such was Ross’s performance, wearing the Blackburn number 13 like a glove.
The ex-Eastern Ranges captain looks every bit a future star of the Division, if he chooses to limit himself to suburban football.
Vermont kicked away slightly in the third quarter, with one goal thanks to Hammond’s movement up the ground. The Team of the Year forward earned himself a free kick on the defensive side of the centre circles and looked to play on, unaware of the Vermont tackler nearby who forced the ball free.
Alex Greenwood, who stood up in the absence of his captain, gathered the loose ball, dummied past one tackler, found Matt Willcocks on a lead, followed up to get the next handball and linked up with James Fisher who converted a free kick from the far pocket, pushing the margin out to double figures at the final break.
Ryan Bathie kicked the opening goal of the last quarter from the first centre clearance to breathe life into Blackburn, before Ben Daniher slotted home soon after, collecting the ball from ruckman Lachlan Harry’s tap and snapping home without breaking stride.
But just as Blackburn thought they were set to overrun the Eagles, the reigning premiers found an answer with Thomas Maas converting from a Pat Contin turnover. The Burners rose once again, with Matthew Bartlett showing poise to set up Jason Read, before another ineffective kick-in resulted in a Vermont goal.
When Harte converted, this time thanks to some good vision from Xavier Murphy, the comeback was on once again.
But ultimately, as they had all day, Vermont’s defence stood tall and absorbed consistent Blackburn entries to hang on, not just to the victory, but to top spot on the ladder.