Messenger Shield: Unbeaten rivals Sacred Heart, Rostrevor looking forward to facing off
Rostrevor and Sacred Heart remain college football’s only unbeaten teams after three rounds this season. The fierce rivals will face off this Saturday but both are expected to be without key players.
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Rostrevor and Sacred Heart remain college football’s only unbeaten teams after three rounds of this Messenger Shield season – and they are preparing to face off this Saturday. In other results, Prince Alfred is now 2-1 after beating Immanuel and Westminster is coming off a solid away victory against Trinity.
Here is our wrap of round three:
ROSTREVOR 27.13 (175) SCOTCH 4.9 (33)
Rostrevor tuned up for its game against fierce rival Sacred Heart with a 142-point trouncing of Scotch away on Saturday.
The 27.13 (175) to 4.9 (33) result ensured Rossies remained unbeaten, just like Hearts.
Rostrevor coach Ron Fuller expected a tough contest against Sacred Heart on the road this Saturday, although both teams were likely to be without several of their best players due to state junior commitments.
Rossies will not have Norwood league player Cameron Taheny, Anzac Lochowiak, Xavier Tranfa, Ned Carey or Matt Dnistrianski.
Carey, Taheny and Dnistrianski also missed Rostrevor’s win against Scotch on Saturday.
“The (Sacred Heart) match will tell us something but more likely the complete picture will be the intercol later in the year when everyone’s at full strength,” Fuller said.
Small forward Hugh Jackson booted seven goals against Scotch to be Rostrevor’s best, while Tranfa, Leonard Ferreira, Stefan Lanzoni and soccer convert Christian Leddicoat (five majors) also impressed.
“We were expecting a pretty tough contest (against Scotch) but our blokes played as good as we’ve played,” Fuller said.
“They didn’t take the foot off the pedal.
“We were just stronger than them all over the ground.”
Scotch coach Nathan Eagleton said his side was outclassed.
Seb Steel, Sam Fuss and Ned Walter were Scotch’s best.
SACRED HEART 17.9 (111) PEMBROKE 3.4 (22)
Sacred Heart coach Jon Symonds expects a close battle with Rostrevor this Saturday because of the absence of state junior players.
Will Day and Zac Dumesny are among the Hearts players in the SA underage program.
“As much as it would be great to have those guys playing, it’ll be the same for both sides,” Symonds said.
“The beauty of that is it will be a pretty even contest … and both sides’ depth will be tested.
“I know our guys are looking forward to it.
“We feel we’re as prepared as we can be and time will tell if we’re good enough.”
Hearts go into the game off the back of a 17.9 (111) to 3.4 (22) thumping of Pembroke at home this past weekend.
Lachie Stoddard (eight goals), Louis Bonutto (four goals), Cooper Hayes and Tom Pearce were best for Sacred Heart on Saturday.
Symonds said his side produced a consistent effort across the four quarters as it outscored Pembroke nine goals to two in the first half then kicked on during the second.
“Our lads were very good at maintaining a very high workrate this week,” he said.
“Credit to Pembroke, their defensive pressure was excellent, which meant we had to work hard to get through it and score.”
Symonds said Stoddard had been a strong focal point for his team, having booted 19 goals for the season.
The loss leaves Pembroke with a 1-2 record for the year after losing to Immanuel in round one then beating Trinity a last match.
PAC 15.13 (103) IMMANUEL 6.5 (41)
Prince Alfred’s captain and the son of a Port Adelaide premiership skipper were PAC’s best in its 62-point home win over Immanuel on Saturday.
Karl Finlay impressed at centre half-back, while James Borlase kicked three goals in attack during the 15.13 (103) to 6.5 (41) triumph – Princes’ second successive win.
North Adelaide defender Finlay is a draft prospect this year, while the Crows have priority access to Sturt key-position player Borlase, the son of Port 1998 premiership captain Darryl Borlase, next season through its Next Generation Academy because he is Egypt-born.
Small forward Henry Kleinig was next best with three majors.
“James Borlase was our best player at centre half-forward and was a real conduit to goal,” PAC coach Marty McKinnon said.
“He wasn’t (kicking) that straight – I think he kicked at least one out on the full and a couple of points, so he could’ve had five or six quite easily.
“But he just provided an excellent target across there with I think double figure marks.
“Karl Finlay was excellent at centre half-back, while Henry Kleinig applied a lot of pressure and got himself a reward.”
PAC started the season with a two-point loss to Sacred Heart before bouncing back with a 10-goal victory over rivals St Peter’s last week.
McKinnon said his team played a pretty good brand for four quarters against Immanuel.
Immanuel coach Troy Clements was pleased with his side’s pressure and competitiveness, saying his side did not have to win to have a good day.
“We tried to slow the game down and make it a bit more of a fight and that certainly helped us,” Clements said.
“I told our boys to take PAC quarter by quarter, and we didn’t allow PAC to kick numerous goals in short periods – they had to fight for their goals.
“We had a game plan as to how we were going to attack them and the boys executed that really well.
“We were beaten by a better side … but we played good, strong, honest Immanuel football.”
Captain Sam Wormald, Chris Bawden and Toby Mackereth were Immanuel’s best.
Immanuel faces Scotch this Saturday, while Princes take on Westminster.
WESTMINSTER 11.9 (75) TRINITY 6.7 (43)
Trinity coach Scott Charlton reckons his players lost focus after an injury to key player Mani Liddy in its 32-point home loss to Westminster on Saturday.
Liddy injured his ankle early in the 11.9 (75) to 6.7 (43) defeat and Charlton believed it “messed with our structures a bit”.
“We probably lost a bit of discipline in terms of what we were trying to do and couldn’t score,” Charlton said.
“We were chasing tail all day and it was a bit disappointing.
“We’re hoping to be competitive every week and did feel like we were competitive, we just probably weren’t where we wanted to be for that round.”
Mason Graetz and Luigi Mondello were best for Trinity.
“They both got their hands on the footy a fair bit and used it pretty well,” Charlton said.
* St Peter’s and St Michael’s had the bye in the Shield competition. St Peter’s played the state under-16s, losing by four points. Henry Nelligan, Malachy Carruthers and Will Montgomery were Saints’ best.
ROUND FOUR
Saturday, May 25
■ Sacred Heart v Rostrevor
■ Immanuel v Scotch
■ Pembroke v St Michael’s
■ St Peter’s v Trinity
■ Westminster v Prince Alfred
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