Eastern league: Heathmont holds off South Belgrave to go two games clear in third
Heathmont coach Nick Rutley has lauded his group’s “maturity and growth” after claiming one of Division 2’s top scalps.
Eastern
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Heathmont senior coach Nick Rutley says his club’s 18-point win over South Belgrave on Saturday was a major step forward for his developing side.
The Jets now sit two games clear in third spot on the Eastern league Division 2 ladder with the 11.7 (73) to 8.7 (55) victory over the fellow finals contender.
The hosts turned a one-point half-time deficit into a 25-point three-quarter time buffer, before holding off the Saints’ charge in the final term, with the visitors threatening with most of the play.
The pair last met in Round 2 with the Jets leading by a similar margin at three-quarter time, only to be overran in the final quarter.
It was an all too well-known fact among the Heathmont camp at the final change on Saturday, with Rutley lauding his side’s “maturity and growth” in claiming one of the division’s most sought-after scalps.
“That was what I loved about (Saturday’s) performance … especially after another long lay-off coming out of a lockdown against another good opponent,” Rutley said.
“I was just rapt with the way that we didn’t throw it in and get run over, and even some of the guys said if that was a couple of years ago or the start of the year, we lose that game.
“It was good for us to get the scalp of a good team … I was super proud of the boys, they’re just a ripping group.”
Rutley touted the defensive games of Wade Van Leeuwen and Murphy Ambrose as “huge” to finish in the best two, while Ayhan Bajramov and Fin Brown fired in attack with three goals apiece. The first-year Jets coach also praised the work of John McDonald alongside Ryan Young (two goals) and Joel Burleigh.
But the Jets are likely to be without key name Jake Sheriff for a fortnight after he was met heavily in a contest in the third quarter, suffering concussion.
Meanwhile, former top-flight forward Damian Garner booted four majors for the Saints in the absence of fellow tall target Tim Smith, who left the field midway through the second term with a shoulder injury. Aidan Kidd was named best afield for the Saints.
Rutley also credited his assistants in the victory.
“I thought Andrew Smith was huge this week – he just didn’t miss along with Brett Davidson,” he said.
“They’ve just been a huge benefit and support to me and that was (Saturday) to a tee – I couldn’t be happier with the way the backroom worked.”
But it was about more than just four points at HE Parker Reserve on the weekend, with the club paying tribute to clubman Steve Creighton, who passed away recently.
The club said Creighton was being remembered as “the perfect community person”, also integral to the Heatherdale Cricket Club and the Jets’ junior football club some years ago. Rutley said Heathmont vice-president Justin O’Dwyer spoke glowingly about Creighton to the group prior to the match.
The Jets also raised funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis, in memory of former player Simon ‘Simmo’ Minson who passed away from the illness in 2014 at just 22 years of age.
“It was pretty significant day for the footy club,” Rutley said.
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