Laurimar overcomes Kinglake in ‘brutal’ early NFNL Division 3 finals test

Laurimar made it 10 wins on the bounce but not before a massive test from Kinglake, the Power forced to come from behind to claim a critical win.

Ethan Bateman in action for Laurimar. Picture: Nathan McNeill

Laurimar got an early taste of finals in a “brutal” clash with Kinglake.

There were few easy possessions at Laurimar Reserve but the second-placed Power stormed home to claim a 16-point come-from-behind win over the fourth-placed Lakers.

Trailing by three points at three-quarter-time, the hosts finished strongly with four goals to one, to run out 11.8 (74) to 9.4 (58) victors.

It was Laurimar’s 10th win in a row, the club’s only loss coming in Round 1 against ladder-leader Fitzroy Stars.

The two NFNL Division 3 premiership fancies will face off next week in a top-of-the-table blockbuster at Sir Doug Nicholls Oval.

Kaiden Arthur in action for Laurimar. Picture: George Sal

With a big finish to the season looming, Laurimar coach Jimmy Atkins was happy come away with four points and only a few sore bodies on Saturday.

“It was a tough, hard game to be honest – they’re a good contested footy team,” Atkins said.

“I was proud of our boys matching it, it was a brutal game.

“Big tackles and a lot of contested footy, so it was good to match Kinglake because they’re very good in that department.

“We’re going pretty well, winning 10 on the trot, it was a real finals-like atmosphere and as close to a final as we’d played this year.”

Laurimar looked in control at half-time, holding Kinglake to just two goals, and taking a 15-point lead.

However, the arm-wrestle broke open in the third term as the Lakers piled on six goals to flip the game on its head.

Late goals from Dylan Hoystead and Ethan Robinson put the visitors in front of the first time since Tom Clarke kicked the first major of the match.

Trailing for one of the few times this season, the Power responded in the last with four goals to one.

Young gun Carter McCall kicked truly in the opening minute to put the home team back in front and while Hoystead kept Kinglake in the contest, goals to Kaiden Arthur and Patrick Fitzgerald finished the job.

“Our last quarters have been fantastic this year, so I just reassured the boys that we’ve been able to get the job done,” Atkins said.

“We opened it up a little bit, started to win it in the middle and showed our class.”

Fitzgerald and Hoystead both finished with four goals for their respective sides.

Fitzgerald, a three-time NFNL Division 1 leading goalkicker, has 54 majors for the year but is second in the competition behind Reservoir’s ex-AFL recruit Aaron Edwards (59).

Joel Lawson was named best-on-ground after an all-action display in midfield and up forward.

Micah Vecchio, skipper Luke Wilson, Cameron Maloney, Josh Leather and Fitzgerald also shone.

“Joel was great and I thought Cam Maloney was fantastic for us playing a role on one of their key players and Josh Leather was fantastic in the middle as well,” Atkins said.

“Joel has had a couple of good weeks, he’s gone into the midfield – he’s still playing forward but more midfield the last couple of weeks.

“Josh and (Michael Florance) was a really good contest in the ruck, with Aiden Clarke not playing either.”

For Kinglake, captain Bailey Robinson was best afield along with Hoysted, Michael Florance and Clarke.

The result sees Laurimar two games clear in second spot, while Kinglake drops to fifth on percentage.

The Power will get a rematch with the Stars on Saturday, in what looms a possible grand final preview.

“We have separated a little bit but there’s still a fair bit of work to do,” Atkins said.

“(Saturday) helped us probably get that second chance but there’s still a lot of footy to play.

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“We need to make sure we’re playing good footy all year and want to win every week, we can’t let our guard down at any stage.

“(Saturday) will be a great game, they got us pretty well in the first game so it will be a big test for our boys.”

Elsewhere in Division 3, Epping solidified third spot with a 125-point thrashing of Lalor and Ivanhoe moved up to fourth after an 81-point thumping of Heidelberg West.

Reservoir proved too good for Old Eltham Collegians, winning by 39 points, and Fitzroy Stars made it 11 wins on the trot with a 67-point win over Mernda.