Melbourne’s most potent forwards closing in on a century of goals after dominant 2014 seasons

TWO forwards have already made it, now others across Melbourne are closing in on the elusive 100-goal mark. Local Footy wraps up the most lethal marksmen over the 2014 season here.

Paul O’Shea has put the breaks on defenders this season in the WRFL. Picture: Adam Elwood

THEY’RE the forwards that have defenders across Melbourne quaking in their boots.

As most seasons across Melbourne enter their final weeks, several forwards are closing in on the elusive 100-goal mark.

Caroline Springs spearhead Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke and Wyndham Vale’s Paul O’Shea have already achieved the milestone in Western Region Football League Division 2.

Buttigieg-Clarke told Local Footy supporters started storming the ground before it dawned on him his fourth goal against North Footscray was his 100th.

“It would be nice (to win the league’s goalkicking), but as I said to the boys, I’d be happy to kick 100 and finish third,” Buttigieg-Clarke said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if (Damien) Yze kicks 12 this week.”

It took O’Shea three quarters to come to life against Manor Lakes on Saturday, but the floodgates opened when he snagged his third goal.

Before he knew it supporters were storming Howqua Reserve to celebrate his fifth major of the day and 100th for the season.

“Most of the supporters and a few on the committee ran onto the ground,” O’Shea said.

“All the ressies boys were there, a couple injured. One was on crutches.”

Yze, who booted 136 goals for Glen Orden last year, looks set to join the pair in the hundred club when West Footscray meets Sunshine Heights this weekend.

“It’s been a few times,” Yze said.

“But you never take it for granted. Some days you kick less goals and feel like you have just as much impact.”

James Gough has given defenders in Southern Football League Division 3 a torrid time over 2014, leading Mt Waverley to the top of the ladder with 91 goals.

“He’s a man mountain really,” Mt Waverley coach Jarrod Wilkin said.

“He very rarely gets pushed off the ball.”

Mt Waverley's James Gough has been a constant threat up forward in the Southern Football League. Picture: News Limited.

Like Gough, Warrandyte’s Luke Dunn, Therry Penola star Jarrod Bannister and Narre Warren’s Kerem Baskaya have booted their respective teams to the top of the table.

Baskaya has kicked 84 majors in Narre Warren’s climb to the top of the Casey-Cardinia Football League, including two hauls of 12 against Hampton Park.

Dunn is on a similar hot streak, with 28 of his 90 goals coming in the past four rounds. His biggest match was in Round 8 of Eastern Football League Division 4 when he snagged 10 majors against Kilsyth.

“He’s been fantastic, he’s been on fire,” Warrandyte coach Michael Tout said.

“If he could kick straight, he’d be about 120 now I reckon.”

Tout said Dunn represented a tough match-up for opposition defences each week.

“He’s a very hard one to match up on because he’s so good in the air and so good at ground level too,” he said.

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Brothers Jarrod and Corey Bannister have combined for 157 goals in Therry Penola’s unbeaten Victorian Amateur Football Association Division 1 season.

Jarrod has 88, including a 10-goal match against Prahran Assumption in June.

Shane Harvey has been terrific for North Heidelberg in Northern Football League Division 2 with 78 goals. Picture: News Limited.

Former Essendon and North Melbourne goalsneak Shane Harvey, Hawthorn AFC’s Jason Ince and Cranbourne skipper Marc Holt round out the top ten.

Harvey is on track to reach a century for the third year running after bagging 123 and 103 in his past two years at Northern Football League club North Heidelberg.

Dogs coach Steve Saddington said Harvey’s season had been even more impressive than his statistics suggested, with the 31-year-old spending about 60 per cent of his time in midfield.

“He can do anything with the footy,” Saddington said.

“He’s always got the ball in his hands, he just wants it in his hands all the time.

“Once a week he puts the ball in a bin from 30 metres away.”

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After a move from Chirnside Park, Ince has flourished for Hawthorn with 78 majors from 16 games.

Hawks coach Luke Mather said Ince, Sam Gold and Sean Stormonth has formed a lethal combination in VAFA Division 4 this year.

“He’s sort of had the most consistent season and often gets the favourable match-up so we’ve tried to isolate him and he’s been doing the job,” Mather said.

“He’s an outside chance of 100 and obviously the team has been going well.”

Holt might not reach his tally of 118 from last year in the CCFL, but his goals have been crucial as Cranbourne maintain a top-three spot behind Narre Warren and Pakenham after 16 rounds.

Cranbourne’s Marc Holt knows what it feels like to celebrate kicking the ton. Picture: News Limited.

Melbourne’s top-10 senior goalkickers

1. Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke (Caroline Springs) — 103 goals

2. Paul O’Shea (Wyndham Vale) — 101 goals

3. Damien Yze (West Footscray) — 98 goals

4. James Gough (Mt Waverley) — 91 goals

5. Luke Dunn (Warrandyte) — 90 goals

6. Jarrod Bannister (Therry Penola) — 88 goals

7. Kerem Baskaya (Narre Warren) — 84 goals

8. Shane Harvey (North Heidelberg) — 78 goals

9. Jason Ince (Hawthorn AFC) — 78 goals

10. Marc Holt (Cranbourne) — 78 goals