Panthers hold off relentless Raiders, Lions maul Hoes

St Mary’s Salesian ended a four-game losing streak and made it increasingly difficult for Brunswick NOBSPC to escape ninth position on the ladder as they ran out 61-point winners at Alec Gillon Oval. Luke Dykes and Jos Op’T Hoog snagged two goals each for the Saints, and James Curwood consistently showed poise and class as BOG. Patrick Kelly led admirably for NOBS, as they remain a game and a half behind Old Paradians.

Old Geelong kept solid their position in outright third as they defeated Whitefriars by 56 points on the wide expanses of Como Park. With just 10 points separating the two sides at the main break, Ogs piled on 11 goals to four in the final two quarters as they asserted their dominance over their opposition. The Friars sit in seventh with a percentage of 85.11 but three games ahead of the relegation zone.

Therry Penola proved too strong for Ivanhoe earlier today, defeating the Hoes by 73 points at Ford Park. Jarrod Bannister returned to form with his eighth bag of at least five goals for the season for the Lions, taking his season tally to 56 from 12 games. Corey Bannister chipped in with four majors, while Mitch Lovell stood tall as the Hoes best player among five individual goal kickers.

Old Mentonians held off a fast-finishing Old Paradians unit, defeating them by three points and maintaining their number one ranking in Division 1. Leading by 17 points with one quarter to play, the Panthers allowed four goals to their one but poise in the dying moments gave them their 12^th win for the season. Luke Hull and Kyle Conlon kicked two each for the Panthers, and Sean Miller continued his outstanding form for the Raiders as the main protagonist behind their comeback. The Raiders remain in eighth and just a game and a half above NOBS.

PEGS solidified fourth spot on the Division 1 ladder and continued their charge to finals with a 46-point win against Prahran Assumption at PEGS Sporting Fields. Five unanswered goals in the first term gave PEGS the ascendancy before the Two Blues made a mini-comeback with four in the second. However, nine goals to five in the second half cemented the win as Trent Skurrie, Daniel Flaherty and Daniel Cantwell kicked three majors each for the winning side. Harrison Taylor bagged three for the Two Blues and continued his red-hot form as his side’s best.