Southern league: Ed Greene slots six goals for St Kilda City

He’s the brother of Giants star Toby and Ed Greene is kicking a few goals of his own for St Kilda City.

Ed Greene takes a kick for St Kilda City: Pic courtesy of GameFace.

He’s the younger brother of Giants star Toby Greene but Ed Greene is an accomplished footballer in his own right.

He is showing that at St Kilda City in Division 1 of the Southern league.

Ed followed his twin brother Hugh to City in 2019, and he finished the season as the club’s leading goalkicker with 35.

He kicked 6.10 in the match against Mordialloc.

And he kicked another six against Mordi on Saturday as St Kilda City cruised to a 112-point victory at Ben Kavanagh Reserve, 24.17 (161) to 7.7 (49).

Former AFL forward Aaron Edwards booted four, as did Adam Capiron.

“He’s Toby’s little brother, a Wesley College kid, and he’s got a lot of talent,’’ City coach Matty Hoy said of Greene.

“He’s a good mark, deceptively quick and if we can get him kicking straight he’ll kick a lot more goals.

“He’ll benefit this year from not being the focal point … he’ll get the second or third-string defender.’’

East Malvern star Mackenzie Bristow looks for a teammate in the match against Bentleigh. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Hoy added with a laugh: “He’s very similar to Toby, a little bit cheeky, bend the rules but don’t break the rules, that sort of thing.’’

But Green did cop a yellow card against Mordi.

Recruit Jordie Pollard booted three goals and won a lot of the ball; he is quickly establishing himself as one of the most industrious midfielders in Southern.

City has three young Samoan New Zealanders in its team – forward Tevita Hallett-Tauali’I, onballer Tyrell Lafituanai and wingman Misilifi Faimalo – and all are promising players.

They relished the chance to run on the Mordialloc ground.

Hoy said if the trio played as well as he was expecting in the next few weeks, he would send emails to VFL clubs.

Lafituana was named in the best on a day when City could have named 16 good players, let alone the compulsory six.

“We played four quarters of really good footy,’’ Hoy said. “Everything went our way. It’s a big win, but they (Mordi) weren’t that bad. They’ll win some games this year.’’

St Kilda City wore black armbands in a tribute to club great David Gamlin, who died suddenly last week at the age of 72.

Alongside his wife, Marja, he served City for more than 50 years, taking on roles including president and secretary.

His son Rodney is now the club’s president.

Worryingly for the league, there were two other one-sided matches in Division 1.

Dingley thrashed Oakleigh by Oakleigh District 24.9 (153) to 4.7 (31), with Dan Farmer booting eight goals and young Remmi Faulkner-Wood five.

East Malvern coach Brent Chapman at the huddle. Picture: Valeriu Campan

And at Murphy Reserve Port Melbourne Colts blanketed Highett 25.15 (165) to 0.6 (6), handing the Bulldogs a second heavy defeat as a division opened up between the Division 1 top and bottom sides.

Star full forward Jase Perkins kicked seven goals and ace recruit Kwame McHarg six for the winners.

Highett has faced the sharp end of competition to start the season, meeting 2019 runner-up Cheltenham and then Colts, who have assembled a formidable list.

It went goalless on Saturday but it did have the first three forward entries of the match, only to score points.

“We should have been 18 points to zip,’’ Bulldogs coach Brad Berry said.

“It wouldn’t have changed the result of course but it would have got our boys up and about a little bit and put their boys on the back foot.

“It’s not a great start but we’ve got to delve into the bag of tricks and just keep the players believing in what we’re doing in building this list.

“To play against Perkins and Marley Williams, that’s a really good experience for some of our young fellas on how hard you need to work both ways through the midfield.’’

Berry praised the unstinting efforts of Mitch Hoar up forward and giving young Jack Courtie in the ruck, Yianni Pasialis’s “outstanding’’ one-on-one work against Perkins, and Will Bodman on the wing.

Bentleigh big man Mitch Smart gets high.

He said coach Graeme Yeats had the Colts playing slick football.

“Their willingness to go and outnumber at contests was a really good lesson to our boys,’’ he said.

“Their work rate was fantastic. And when the scoreboard starts looking like that they get wings and sails and off they go.’’

East Malvern fought off a strong challenge from Bentleigh to win 15.9 (99) to 9.10 (64) at the Arthur St ground.

Down 28 points at the last change, the Demons came at the visitors, getting to within 14 points, but East responded to the rally.

“That was really pleasing, for us to be able to steady it down and get it back on our terms and kick a couple of goals,’’ coach Brent Chapman said.

Full back Lucas Hall was outstanding, as were Luke Duffy and recruits Tom Preece and Adrian Crawford.

In the absence of champion Chris Carey, named vice-captain of VFL club Sandringham, East Malvern is using James Tighello in the ruck.

Chapman said he had an “even’’ team.

“A lot of flexibility too, guys being able to play anywhere,’’ he said.

“I guess if you said to us we’d be 2-0 and (Mackenzie) Bristow had kicked one goal, you’d take that. He’s playing a good, pressure-type role up forward. He’s getting a lot of attention. But that’s not worrying him. He’s adjusting his game a little bit and knows he doesn’t have to be the player to kick four or five every week.’’

Bentleigh coach Peter Pirera makes a point at quarter-time.

The underrated Sim Lewin, big Mitch Smart and Tom Massey did best the Demons.

Cheltenham is also 2-0 after getting the better of St Paul’s before a terrific crowd at the Jack Barker Oval, 13.19 (97) to 7.6 (48).

Recruit Daniel Rendell, the son of former league star Matt, was best-afield.