Macleod on the board in 2024 after edging NFNL Division 1 relegation rival Bundoora
Macleod claimed its first win of the NFNL Division 1 season on Saturday with scenes of joy overflowing in the rooms after the match.
Northern
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The scenes in the Macleod changerooms on Saturday told fans all they needed to know about what the club’s first win of the season meant.
A nail-biting 19-point win over Bundoora at DeWinton Park broke the drought – seven games this season and 11 dating back to last year.
The a 14.11 (95) to 11.10 (76) victory also lifts the club off the bottom of the NFNL Division 1 ladder, moving ahead of Eltham on percentage.
Kangas coach Craig Hayes described it as “electric”.
“The atmosphere in the rooms afterwards, as you’d expect after a tough seven weeks, the joy on their faces,” Hayes said.
“They finished singing the song, and there was plenty of enthusiasm in that, then they spent five minutes hugging each other.
“With all the friends and family in there as well, it was electric, it was fantastic, and hopefully that builds a bit of momentum for us.”
In a tight, tense clash, the margin was rarely more than a goal and the scores were level 68-apiece at three-quarter-time.
As both sides traded behinds in the early stages, Bundoora held a one-point lead mid-way through the final term.
However, the scores level again Haydon Manuel gave Macleod the lead and when Anthony Doherty’s miracle snap sailed through the home team had a seven-point advantage.
Mackenzie Hogg, a standout best-on-ground alongside brother Darcy, then kicked truly out of traffic and the Kangas were home.
Jordan Corelli’s goal after the final siren put the cherry on top.
Fielding six 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, Hayes praised his players calmness and composure in a chaotic final quarter.
“About the 18 or 20-minute-mark there was still only five points in it, neither side could get more than two goals up at any stage,” he said.
“We were going to the scoring end, not that there was any great breeze, it just felt like most of the scoring had been done at that end.
“It felt like we were running pretty well on top of the ground, we’d rotated pretty heavily, and we were able to run the game our really well.
“Our pressure was enormous, we worked really hard defensively and that created numerous opportunities.”
The Hogg brothers excelled, continuing their strong seasons despite Macleod’s struggles and Tyler Beale was outstanding in the fourth term.
Ruckman Zach Hudson impressed, while Doherty finished with three majors and – in his return to the senior side – Patrick Martin and Michael Hurley kicked two goals each.
“(The Hoggs) were fantastic, Mac Hogg laid six tackles in the first quarter, he was enormous and both those boys are terrific players,” Hayes said.
“Darcy would be well in the high 30s (disposals) again.
“We spoke about front-half footy for the boys, we felt they were getting a lot of ball in the back-half and they both hit the scoreboard (on Saturday) and had numerous inside 50s.
“(Darcy) is close (to a VFL call-up), there’s some blokes on the AFL list that play similar roles so it’s been difficult for him to get a look in but it will come, you can’t play that well and not.
“Tyler came to us last year, he’s got a rugby background, and it’s taken him a little bit of time to find his best position.
“Good luck getting through a tackle he lays, I’ve seen a couple try and been stopped dead in their tracks.
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“He took some really good marks (on Saturday) and some of his rebound run, it was by far his best game for the club and he puts in a lot of work, so I was really pleased for him.”
Macleod faces Greensborough after the King’s Birthday weekend before tackling Banyule, Eltham and West Preston-Lakeside in what could be a season-defining month.
Elsewhere in Division 1, West Preston-Lakeside stunned second-placed Banyule by 19 points and Montmorency overcame Greensborough by 27 points.
North Heidelberg edged Hurstbridge by eight points and Heidelberg handed Eltham a Division 1 lesson with a 115-point hiding.
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