Mornington Peninsula league: Frankston YCW prepares for finals in Division 1
A heavy training block hasn’t stopped the Stonecats’ incredible winning streak in MPNFL Division 1, but former AFL man Dylan Roberton has been sidelined. Find out why.
Local Footy
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Frankston YCW had the luxury of resting several key players against Sorrento on Saturday.
Champion defender Byron Barry, former AFL player Dylan Roberton and ruckman Bailey Schmidt sat out as the Stonecats produced a six-goal-to-one last quarter to win by 34 points, 12.16 (88) to 7.12 (54), at John Coburn Oval.
It was Frankston YCW’s 15th consecutive victory.
And, with second-placed Mt Eliza losing, the Stonecats have scooted four games clear on top of the MPNFL Division 1 ladder.
YCW coach Paul Goonan said his side was challenged by Sorrento before clicking into gear after half-time.
Sorrento led by eight points at the long break — and probably should have been further in front after squandering several goal-scoring opportunities — before Frankston YCW kicked six goals to one in the last quarter to secure victory.
“They (Sorrento) won the first half comfortably in a lot of areas, not just on the scoreboard,’’ Goonan said.
“The mindset has to be right and it took us a half…by the second half we clicked into gear.’’
YCW midfielders Luca Goonan and Blake Mullane ran rampant in the last quarter, while Henry Berenger, ruckman Zachary Barrett, Jimmy Cahill and Kyle Hutchison, who kicked three despite a corky, were outstanding.
Roberton, who collapsed on the field in a game while playing for St Kilda in 2018, made a comeback with his junior club Frankston YCW this season.
He played 14 games straight before calf soreness sidelined him last week.
“We gave him a week off and he was still aware of it so we gave him an extra week just to cherry ripe him because he’d played every game up until then,” Goonan said.
“We probably just realised he hasn’t played for three years and we’ve been putting our boys through a pretty heavy training block as well which means we’ve been smashing them on Tuesday nights.
In other games…
*Dromana scored one of the wins of the season, piling on 10 goals in the last quarter to swamp second-placed Mt Eliza. The Tigers trailed the Mounties by seven points at the last change but flicked the switch, kicking 10.3 to 1.1 to win 15.8 (98) to 7.8 (50). Josh Geurts kicked the opening goal of the term before Ben Tovey produced some brilliance, skipper Billy Quigley joined in and Billy Geurts stamped his authority. Terry Wheeler continued his excellent form, while Nathan Soligo and Jai Taylor impressed.
*Rosebud eased relegation fears with a gripping six-point win over Edi-Asp, 8.1 (59) to 7.11 (53). The Buds go a game clear of Edi-Asp with two games to go. Zac Maynard, Fletcher Hustwaite and Liam McKenna were best for Rosebud.
*Bonbeach consolidated third spot with a 39-point win over Frankston Bombers. Sean Corrigan, William Dunne, Mitchell Gent, Nick Waterstone, Ben McLean and Sam Gilbert were Bonny’s best.
*For the second week in a row, Red Hill has upset a finals hopeful. The Hillmen defeated Pines by 15 points, 13.11 (89) to 11.8 (74), with James Fletcher, Jonah Siversen, Simon Allsop, Harry Larwill, Mathew Lonsdale and Aidan Marchesani named best. Red Hill beat fifth-placed Frankston Bombers last week.
‘Swept up in the passion’: Chadstone continuing to grow
After returning to division football for the first time in several years in 2024, Chadstone is aiming for further improvement this year. New cach Ian Ledder gives an insight into the off-season.
‘Names on boards’: How Mt Eliza is preparing for flag defence
Mt Eliza is expecting extra attention in 2025, revealing how it will handle it. Plus the Redlegs have identified who’s been scorching the turf at pre-season, and the “gun recruit’’.