MPFNL 2023: Bad break for Somerville as Mason de Wit injured

Somerville’s hopes of breaking a 37-year premiership drought have been dealt a blow with a star player suffering a nasty injury in MPFNL Division 2.

Somerville's Mitch Mantell (left) and Mason de Wit. Picture: Doug Farr

“I’m in excruciating pain,” Somerville deputy vice-captain Mason de Wit said through gritted teeth as a nurse at Saturday’s match against Tyabb tried to put his skew-whiff finger back in.

De Wit’s ring finger on his left hand was “pointing at right angles” as he scurried off the ground.

“A nurse there tried to put it back in…she got it most of the way back in and goes, ‘I think it’s broken’,” Somerville coach Chris Gamble said.

“He said, ‘I’m in excruciating pain’, so he went straight to Peninsula Private (hospital).”

It was confirmed de Wit’s finger was broken, although he didn’t require surgery.

Instead it’s been put in a splint.

The dashing midfielder, who has been outstanding for the finals-bound Eagles this season, has already told Gamble he wants to play against Karingal this week.

“We’ll make a decision later in the week,” Gamble said.

“I’d rather err on the side of caution but he’s going to be pretty keen to get up I think.”

Somerville beat Tyabb by nine points to improve its record to 10-4 and consolidate third spot.

Mason de Wit (No. 23). Picture: Doug Farr

Tyabb’s Sam Fox.

Gamble said his side finally got its game going after a slow start.

“They (Tyabb) came to play and we didn’t which has been a bit of a worry for us lately, just slow starts,” he said.

“So they got the jump. I gave them a fair whack at halftime and threw some things around and then we probably played 20 minutes of football which was probably enough in the end.”

Gamble sided: “I’ve been whacking them week in, week out for the last three weeks and I think it’s starting to lose its effect. I’m just hoping they don’t need it all the time because I actually don’t like doing it. I think it’s that time of the year, we’re just trying to grab four points and get out of these places. It’s been a grind probably for the last four or five weeks.”

Tom Murphy, Daniel Marshall, Marcus Mantell, Luke Burton, Mitch Mantell and Lachlan Williams were listed as Somey’s best,

Somerville is trying to win its first senior flag since 1986, when it was coached by Gary Colling, the former St Kilda champion.

The Eagles will climb to second spot if they can beat Karingal, which has lost its past three games, on Saturday.

Pearcedale’s Ryan Bastinac. Picture: Valeriu Campan

In other games, Chelsea got the percentage-boosting win it was after, trouncing Rye by 163 points. The Seagulls had 13 different goal kickers, with Anthony Beale booting five, in the whopping 30.15 (195) to 4.8 (32) result. Chelsea is 8-6 and in fourth spot.

Seaford’s rich vein of form continued, beating Crib Point by 31 points; it was the Tigers’ third win on the bounce. Koby Frey kicked five goals and Brodie Scullly three.

Pearcedale knocked Edi-Asp out of the five with an 18-point victory, Ryan Bastinac, Luke Settineri and Jordan Bastinac outstanding.

Ladder leaders Mornington thrashed Hastings by 80 points, with Jackson Calder and Harry Lloyd kicking three goals apiece and Harry Bould and Perry Lewis-Smith in sizzling form.