Dees defeat Collegians to keep Premier Section finals hopes alive
INDOVINO bags four goals and Redbone named best on ground in De La Salle’s impressive 71-point victory over Collegians.
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DE La Salle’s bid for a place in Premier Section’s top four grew legs with a victory over Collegians on Saturday while finals rivals Old Carey and Old Xaverians lost ground.
Paul Satterly’s side is now a game and a half outside fourth spot and has a realistic chance of playing finals depending on what happens over the following fortnight.
De La wasted little time against Collegians, kicking six goals to two for a 30-point buffer after the opening quarter.
Following an even second term De La pushed to a match-winning position in the third as the Lions were put to bed.
Adrian Indovino bagged four goals in the 71-point win while Aaron Kneebone was best on ground and kicked one.
De La Salle tackles newly- crowned top seed Old Trinity and then St Bernards in the coming weeks.
An upset over one of those two plus a win against Beaumaris in Round 18 could spell finals.
Old Xaverians gave up its chance to jump into third position with a fourth-quarter fault against University Blues.
In a finals-like atmosphere Old Xavs stuck with the Blues for three intense quarters and were seemingly set for a season-defining 30 minutes ahead. But Uni Blues’ kept Old Xavs goal-less and drilled five majors to prevail.
Old Xavierians is outside the top four and must rely on other results to fall their way to make it.
In Premier B, St Kevins bullied its way past Mazenod for their 15th straight win.
The lowly-placed Mazenod was no match for the minor premiers.
Mazenod managed one goal in the first quarter and one point in the third for a total 1.1 — compared to Skobs’ 23.22.
St Kevins are three wins away from the perfect season and an expected lengthy finals appearance to follow.
Meanwhile, Old Geelong is solidified in the top four but fell short against ninth placed Bulleen Templestowe on the road.
Kristian Cherbakof’s seven goals for the Bullants was enough to pull his team across the line by five-points.
If percentage was the catalyst to success Old Haileyburians would be seated sixth.
While in reality they are in fourth spot, they have done everything in their power in recent weeks to throw it away — including Saturday’s loss to Therry Penola.
In difficult conditions and in a low-scoring contest the Bloods led the Lions by five points going into the final change.
Until Therry Penola blew five goals past the visitors to Old Haileybury’s none to win by 23 points.
Despite three consecutive losses the Bloods have learned a valuable lesson and remain a contender going forward.
“At every level you play the competition is really strong, there’s not many easy games that come along,” coach Daniel Hughes said.
“You have games where you think you’ll win pretty comfortably and you get beaten like today.
“You’ve got to be consistent all the time, you can’t pick and choose or assume anything.”
Haileybury will have to regain that form this weekend — in former captain Hamish McLauchlan’s 250th game — against Oakleigh to ensure a finals berth.
Meanwhile in Premier B local rivals AJAX and Caulfield Grammarians did battle at Gary Smorgon Oval where the Jackas ran over the Fields.
Seven goals to two in the first quarter put the visitors on the back foot. And a blistering nine in the second finished the Grammarians.
Ajax’s forward duo David Fayman (9) and Jake Lew (8) torched Caulfield’s defence with the pair kicking 17 of their side’s 23 goals.
Jarryd Ludski was best on ground in the 124-point win while Sean Stewart was Caulfield’s best.
With some luck and two winnable games left Ajax could trump Old Brighton Grammarians who face a tough draw for fourth spot come Round 18.
In Division 2, South Melbourne suffered a narrow eight-point loss to Melbourne High School Old Boys away from home.
It would’ve been the Swans’ second win for the season but MHSOB’s Nicholas Hawking denied South Melbourne with a game-high six goals.
Elsternwick struggled in its date with ladder-leaders Ivanhoe in what became a 129-point defeat.
Justin Hunter was the highlight for the Wickers with four goals but was trumped by Ivanhoe’s Mitchell Lovell who finished with an astounding 13.
And Power House recorded its fourth win in Division 3 with a 35-point victory over Eley Park.
With both Hampton Rovers and Fitzroy’s win-loss ledger reading 6-8 coming into their Round 15 clash, expectation was the pair would scrap for the victory.
But the Roys didn’t let ladder position dictate the result.
After leading at quarter time, Hampton’s day quickly went downhill as Fitzroy tore apart the Rovers in the remaining three quarters.
The Roys faced a two-point deficit at the first change before turning the game on its head with seven goals in the second term.
Seven more in the third and a goal-less quarter for Hampton gave Fitzroy a 104-point win.
Captain Leigh Fletcher led from the front for Hampton. He was best on for the second time in as many weeks, but very few could replicate his input.
Daniel Bisetto and Corbin Stevic bagged four apiece for Fitzroy.
Up in Premier section Beaumaris suffered a 111-point loss against Old Trinity at home.
The Sharks conceded the first three goals and never looked like creating a contest against quality opposition.
Beaumaris had opportunities to suppress Old Trinity’s rampant scoring in the first half but couldn’t convert its chances.
Trinity continued to outrun the Sharks in the second half and tacked on another 14 majors.
Beaumaris managed only the four goals for the match. The advantage opened up further in the fourth quarter as the visitors celebrated a percentage-boosting victory and overtook St Bernards for top spot.
Steven Scott was Beaumaris’ best while Raph Clarke made his return after serving four weeks suspension and was in the best playing across the backline and through the midfield.
Youngsters Lachie Howes and Drew Kelly also showed promise for the Sharks.
Destined to be relegated, Beaumaris will be better off in Premier B next season.
Beauie plays Collegians on Saturday at Harry Trott Oval. Collegians is in the relegation zone with Beauie.
At opposing ends of the spectrum, as far as the ladder is concerned, Parkdale hosted
local rivals St Bedes/Mentone on Saturday the 4-10 Vultures made the 10-4 Tigers work
all four quarters to snare an 18-point victory.
The visitors got a three goal to one jump on Parkdale in the opening quarter
before the Vultures reeled in the deficit to tie the scores at halftime.
St Bedes/Mentone again took a two-goal lead in the third quarter and outscored
Parkdale in the last to hold on.
Patrick Tyquin was best on ground for the Tigers for his performance and two
goals.
Nathan Papatsanis ended as the Vultures’ top goal kicker with three.
Two weeks running Parkdale have pushed finals-worthy opponents to a four-
quarter tussle, doing the same against Old Brighton Grammarians the game
prior.
Sam Radford’s Vultures are disappointed with the losses but pleased with the
progress the young Parkdale side has made.
Parkdale remains one game clear of the relegation zone with three games
remaining and host another test in St Kevins at Gerry Green Reserve this
Saturday.
St Bedes/Mentone Tigers sit in second behind the undefeated St Kevins and all
barring a slip-up will face them in the second Semi come finals.
The Tigers are at Brindisi St Oval verse Ajax on the weekend.
Old Mentonians had no luck in its meeting with St Mary’s Salesian in Division 1.
The Panthers were on the receiving end of a five goal to one, second quarter that
inevitably cost Old Mentonians any chance of an upset.
The margin within five goals in the third term until Old Mentonians fell off in the
last and the finals-bound St Mary’s extended its advantage to 44 before the final
siren.
Gary Puruntatameri bagged a game-high five goals in the victory while Kyle
Conlon was the Panthers’ best with four.
Old Mentonians are currently four points safe from the drop but are not
guaranteed to stay in Division 1, with games against Whitefriars and NOBS/St
Pats in the last fortnight of the season.
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