SFNL 2025: Frankston Dolphins still in the Division 2 finals hunt after dominant second half display

The Frankston Dolphins finals hopes are still alive — just — but they face another major test this weekend after a barnstorming second half saved their season.

Frankston Dolphins player Wade De La Haye. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The Frankston Dolphins season was on the edge.

A loss to Mordialloc would’ve spelt three consecutive defeats, with their finals hopes all but shot.

Instead, the Dolphins rallied to storm to a rousing 26-point win to keep their Southern league Division 2 season alive.

“We went into that game knowing what was on the line,” Frankston coach Jack Birthisel said.

“Just the way we were able to play the way we did under the pressure of failing and what it could mean for the rest of the season.

“A lot of the young guys really stood up and played that quite well, some of the senior heads arounds were helping them and guiding them and we managed to stay as a team and frequently communicate with each other.

“I thought we executed that really well.”

The Dolphins still have a long way to go, and sit two games and percentage outside the top five heading into the final month of the season.

“It’d be a considerable effort (to make finals),” Birthisel said.

“We’re taking it week by week, I think that’s the best way to approach it for our group. Once you get too ahead of yourself that’s where things can fall apart because you’re not worried about what you’re doing at any point in time.

“We’re taking it week by week, quarter by quarter, adjust where we need to and that’s how we’ll approach the rest of the season.”

Frankston Dolphins player Tom Limpens. Picture: Valeriu Campan

He said his side’s latest win over Mordialloc was crucial for the confidence of a young group which has impressed after earning promotion from Division 3 last season.

“They’ve got plenty of ability and we reiterate that to them as well, for them to actually go out and do it and see the results of their hard work, when they go out and do that they start to believe it a little bit more,” Birthisel said.

“Just the team in general, if we play the way we want to and execute the way we want to with the gameplan on the day then we can match it with the best, it’s a matter of keeping that consistent.”

The Dolphins trailed by 14 points at half-time against the Bloods and had kicked 2.4, but finished with a wet sail to storm to victory with eight second-half goals in 40-point turnaround.

“We were pretty disappointed with how we played in the first half, we were trying to do the right things gameplan-wise and structure-wise and were just falling short in a few key areas there,” Birthisel said.

“The main positive was they were easy fixes and once we corrected those we were able to get momentum moving forward, being able to hit the options we wanted to hit, because we did have that momentum and creating offence from defence.”

Caleb Newitt (right) of the Dolphins. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Ben Schroen excelled in a run-with role to restrict Mordialloc’s leading ball-user Toby Plant, while Caleb Newitt kept Caoimhin O’Donnell, a stark turnaround given the Irishman kicked seven majors last time the sides met.

A significant test awaits the Dolphins in another must-win clash when they face the 9-5 East Malvern this week, who have lost two games on the bounce.

“They’ve been going really well, last time we played them they got the wood over us,” Birthisel said.

“We had the same thing on the weekend, we came off a couple of poor losses and came out firing and I expect them to do the same.”