By Josh Dawe
For all of Forest Hill’s impressive form this season, it still had a question mark next to its name when taking on fellow Division Four giants.
For many, while a 10-2 record is hard to argue against, the Zebras ability to play their best football against fellow top four teams has been an issue of great debate.They knocked off an in-form Coldstream by 33 points in Round Nine, but their losses to Warrandyte (41 points in Round Four) and an inaccurate Kilsyth (14 points in Round Seven) have raised concerns.
On Saturday, it faced it faced the biggest test of their season, hosting the Bloods for a chance to secure top position. Senior coach Brett Shalders echoed his player’s mentality pre-game. Calm, cool and confident. And both he and his men had every right to be. The team boasted ten different players from their loss back in Round Four, had five wins on the trot and were unbeaten at home. While they were without this year’s best player Jack Crosbie and livewire small Jake Rowe, the Bloods also had their fair share of outs coming off a one point loss against Kilsyth. Arthur Lamaris, James Appelby and last season’s joint league best and fairest Ross Ansaldi, were all absentees, key ones at that considering their influence in their Round Four victory.
As the clock ticked over to 2:10, the rain ceased and their test started. But once again, the Zebras disappointingly failed.
The question marks are now big red circles. The Zebras stayed with the pace for three quarters of footy, trailing by five points at the second and third quarters. But the Warrandyte midfield took the opportunity to make a statement against their fellow premiership contender, making Forest Hill look second rate in a 37 point victory.
They had winners all over the ground. Ashley Froud kicked four goals to continue his stunning year, taking his season tally to 57. Chad Gauci also kicked four and took two incredible goal line hangers when the game was in the balance in the last quarter.
Hamish Hosking and David Hand dominated the ruck battle, winning hitout after hitout, allowing their midfields first use and creating clearances that often led to goals. Thomas Appleby was instrumental in the middle and was the Blood’s best player, with support from Troy Ratcliffe and Trent Skorsis.
But the story was about the home team.
Last time these two met, Warrandyte’s small brigade destroyed a rather tall Forest Hill unit and the challenge was set to twin towers Matthew Carnelley and Ashley Naulty. Carnelley was clean in the wet and important early on with a series of contested grabs, before kicking two goals in the third, while Naulty impacted at every contest around the ground with experience and skill. They were both standouts for the home side.
Scott McPherson kept Luke Dunn goalless, and Tom Denham and Jack Wensley were excellent off half back, but some of the leading possession winners on the ground were in Warrandyte’s backline. Forest Hill’s entries were often ball high and wide, allowing Stephen Harris and Lee Evans to rack up the touches, mopping up and skilfully propelling attacks.
Forest Hill star Kane Maghamez had an interesting day.
Starting in the goal square, he was well guarded and couldn’t win out one on one, and was sub sequentially forced into the midfield to find touches. The three time league B&F kicked a simple goal off the ground, but missed his only set shot for the day shortly after. He then remained unsighted for the entire second half, and was given a yellow card late in the game for a high bump, highlighting his frustration at his team’s capitulation.
The problem for the Zebras was nothing unfamiliar, as their midfield structure melted against a high-calibre opposition. Nicholas Pincott seamed frustrated for the most of the game, as he was without support or assistance in the centre. Given too much space and time both outside and in the stoppages; Skorsis, Appleby and Daniel Large took apart Forest Hill, especially in the last.
Forest Hill got the opening goal of the second term through Dean McGuire and when Naulty snuck out the back to take the lead, it was at least enjoying a productive patch. But goals to Gauci and Appleby put an end to that, the Zebras seemingly unable to shake off their opponents. Warrandyte saved it’s best for last, piling on five unanswered goals to claim victory.
The Bloods have all but locked away a home semi-final and the double chance, and with a relatively easy run home, deserve the premiership favouritism hurled their way. The Zebras now slip to 10-3 and have to take on three of the top five teams in their final five games with Kilsyth and Coldstream just a game behind, breathing down their neck.
Be it over confidence or a lack of preparation, Forest Hill failed on Saturday and are now in danger of losing a top two spot. Make no mistake, this Zebras team will play finals. But in order to improve on last season’s fourth place finish, they will have to find answers to the questions that are week by week creating a gap between them and the rest of Division Four.
