Macedon produces best performance of the season to upset Melton South

Macedon produced its best – if inaccurate – performance of the RDFNL season to jump into the top-six and put its finals fate in its own hands.

Leo Webb in action for Macedon. Picture: Andy Brownbill

On the outside looking in for much of the season Macedon now has its RDFNL finals fate in its own hands.

The Cats claimed easily their biggest win of the year, taking down Melton South by 34 points at Melton Reserve on Saturday to jump into sixth.

The 12.22 (94) to 9.6 (60) victory blows the top-six race wide open.

Wallan in third and Romsey in seventh are separated by just two games – with Kyneton, South and Macedon in between – and five rounds remaining.

As Damian Hardwick would say, it’s big boy month for Macedon, with eight-point games against Kyneton, Wallan and Romsey in the run home.

Sam Indian in action for Macedon. Picture: Andy Brownbill

After copping an 83-point hammering from Riddell last week, it was a critical response from the Cats.

“We got a lot of talent back into the team,” coach Al Meldrum said.

“We got a bit of a touch up from Riddell but it certainly wasn’t panic stations, we knew we had soldiers coming back and they were really important for us.

“We were really good in all phases of the game, except for accuracy, because we controlled the majority of the game.

“It’s the first time in a long time we’ve beaten a team above us on the ladder in the home-and-away season, I know we won two finals last year, but to pick up a win away from home as well was just the tonic.”

Macedon’s inaccuracy was glaring.

The Cats kicked 3.6 in the first quarter, 2.8 in the third and 5.5 in the fourth.

They finished with 34 scoring shots to 15.

However, Meldrum remained confident his team could finish the job.

“We went into three-quarter-time 7.17 with a six-point lead,” he said.

“They kicked 3.2 and we kicked 2.8, so double the scoring shots but the same amount.

“I said you’ve got to trust what you’re doing and hopefully we take our moments, I asked them to play a team brand of footy in the last quarter.”

Brodie Hoyne was a standout best-on-ground, winning plenty of ball in the midfield.

Leo Webb, Blake Watson, Hamish Govan, Toby Sims and young gun Ronan Yow Yeh also impressed, while James Wright finished with three goals.

“Brodie was huge, he had a massive contested and clearance game, probably the best I’ve seen coaching him,” Meldrum said.

“He’s always been a really consistent quality player but I’d say it’s one of his best games, and when you’re doing that in a 50-50 game it’s really impressive.

“A shoutout to Ronan, he’s only 16, we debuted him about a month ago and he played his second game on the weekend.

“We gave him a job on Lachie Pritchard, who’s lightning quick and he did really well – he mixes his footy between our under-17s and seniors and was a part of the Calder Cannons’ under-16 program so he’s got a bright future.

“At the other end of the scale, a 36-year-old evergreen Nipper Wright, he kicked three goals, and I told our young players follow it while you can because it’s a pleasure.”

For Melton South, Jarrod Bibby was best afield and Joel Hodgson, Daniel Vasjuta and Lachlan Pritchard stood tall.

Alec Goodson bagged three goals, taking him to 43 for the season, but is five behind Dean Galea in the competition goalkicking race.

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Last year’s preliminary finalist, Macedon faces a do-or-die final month.

It hosts fourth-placed Kyneton on Saturday, followed by a trip to third-placed Wallan, Romsey at home – in a possible mini elimination final – a bye and then Melton Centrals at home in Round 18.

“It’s all pretty tight, the reality is a pretty decent team is going to miss finals and I hope it’s not us,” Meldrum said.

“It was an important win and we’ve got another big clash again this week against Kyneton.

“If we play like we did on the weekend, we give ourselves every chance.”