Sunraysia football: Merbein’s Ash Rowe, Imperials’ Riley Croft, South Mildura’s Deklan Loveridge

It was a dangerous weekend to be a star key forward as some defenders stood tall against big names.

Merbein's Ash Rowe was a standout performer in the Magpies' win over Mildura. Picture: Michael DiFabrizio

Some impressive key forward recruits were kept honest in Round 2 of Sunraysia football, putting a pair of defenders among the league’s top performers.

Meanwhile, a midfield gun shined as Merbein secured their second win from as many starts, emerging as surprise ladder leaders.

Let’s take a look around the league at the standout individual performances of the round.

Ash Rowe (Merbein)

Merbein captain Ash Rowe was doing a bit of everything in his side’s convincing 31-point win against Mildura.

Active winning the footy in the midfield, Rowe also got forward for two goals.

It helped lift the Magpies to top spot on the SFNL ladder and made them the only 2-0 side thus far, with Imperials yet to play their second match.

Rowe won a McLeod Medal for league best-and-fairest in 2016 alongside future AFL player Derek Eggmolesse-Smith at Wentworth and Nathan Hamence at Irymple.

He remains one of the Magpies’ key players.

Merbein co-coach Pat Irwin said Rowe was consistent again over four quarters against the Demons.

“Ash sets really high standards and expectations for himself and the beauty of that is, around the group, it becomes contagious,” Irwin said.

“Young guys learn from him, older players learn from him, he’s a great leader, he’s a fairly quietly spoken guy, but everything he speaks about is just of high value.

“I thought his leadership in the way he played and the way he spoke and instructed … that’s what leaders and captains do.”

The Pies got on top of the contest early, leading by 44 points and keeping Mildura to one goal by half time.

Irwin said a positive from the team’s two wins was that they came from two different styles, grinding it out last week against Robinvale Euston and then a strong start in round 2.

But he insisted the Pies wouldn’t be getting ahead of themselves.

“We really are just focusing internally on guys trying to be better every week,” he said.

Riley Croft (Imperials)

In a belated 2019 grand final rematch, Imperials returning player Riley Croft was given one of the key Irymple match-ups.

He was to man another player returning to the league, goalkicking big man Jason Eagle.

Croft, back after a coaching stint at Meringur in the Millewa league, was up to the task.

Eagle – who booted 117 goals for the Swallows in 2015 – was held to just one goal, which came late.

Imps co-coach Brad Hards said Croft spent some time training at the club last year’s COVID-19 break and enjoyed it enough to sign on for this season.

Hards said Croft had done a “mountain of work” with his fitness, boosting his aerobic capacity and adding to his pace.

Coaching had also helped Croft with how he sees the game.

Hards was impressed with how he handled the one-on-one battle.

“There wouldn’t be too many times in (Eagle’s) career where he’s only kicked one,” Hards said.

Imperials defeated the credentialed Irymple, the 2019 premiers, by 29 points away from home.

Hards said the win came off the back of strong pressure around the ground, something that would be an emphasis for his side this year.

Deklan Loveridge (South Mildura)

In Red Cliffs, another key defender was set a difficult task.

South Mildura sent Deklan Loveridge to former Brisbane Lions AFL player Jordon Bourke, who the Tigers have recruited from Queensland.

Loveridge kept Bourke to two majors as the Bulldogs led at each change to secure a 33-point win.

South Mildura co-coach Ben Dalton said Bourke was a player who could kick four to give goals most games, so to keep him contained was a good effort.

The win gave the Bulldogs their first points of the 2021 season after losing to Irymple in round 1.

Dalton praised the fitness of his side, an emphasis over a pre-season that started back in November.

“That was probably the biggest point to get us over the line,” he said.

Ryan Middlebrook (Robinvale Euston)

Classy midfielder Ryan Middlebrook was named the best player for Robinvale Euston in their 20-point win at home against Wentworth.

It put the Eagles on the board for 2021 after falling to Merbein in round 1, while it was a setback for the Roos following their first-up win against Red Cliffs.

The Eagles, finalists in 2019, will take confidence from the result as they continue to welcome players back from long-term injuries.

Reece McNally (Imperials)

Another player back in green and white this season after a stint away, Reece McNally didn’t disappoint against Irymple.

McNally had been playing further south at the Southern Mallee Giants in the Wimmera league.

Hards said since being away, McNally had added more to his “big man game” to complement his follow-up work.

“He was massive for us in the ruck for giving us first opportunity, and his follow-up work around the ground,” Hards said.

Michael Harradine (Merbein)

Michael Harradine lines up a shot for Merbein in the match against Mildura. Picture: Michael DiFabrizio

While some of the league’s defenders put in strong performances across the weekend, two players did manage to walk off the ground with five goals next to their name.

Merbein’s Michael Harradine did so against Mildura.

Irwin said Harradine was rotating positions a bit this season, including playing up the ground more.

Matthew Min (South Mildura)

A recruit from across the South Australian border in the Riverland league, Matthew Min bagged a five-goal haul for South Mildura against Red Cliffs.

Dalton described Min as a “dangerous” and “clever” medium-sized forward.

After kicking a single goal in round 1, he announced himself to the competition in round 2.

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