Rovers and Monash record huge wins to remain unbeaten

Hugh MacLean

High scores were the order of the day on a pleasant afternoon for football.  Whilst some sides set down their markers and showed that they will be serious players in 2022, however, one side upset the applecart with a surprise first victory.

Hampton Rovers have started the 2022 season in fine fettle, and they continued their sterling early season form with a 137-point thrashing of UHS-VU at Boss James Reserve.  The Rovers raced out of the blocks, kicking eight goals unanswered in the first stanza, before the Uni boys got one back late in the term. When the Rovers posted five goals without reply in the second term, the game was over as a contest by half time.  The second half was all Rovers as they kicked eight in the third quarter and seven in the last, and UHS-VU had no answers.  Hampton Rovers’ main goalkickers were their best players on the day; Jacob Gray with six and Danny Corp five.  Fraser Campbell and Pat Brookes kicked two each for the Uni, while Fraser Allen also tried hard for the vanquished.

Old Ivanhoe travelled to Gerry Green Reserve and boarded the bus home with four points in the bank, but the Parkdale Vultures may feel that they kicked their way out of the win here.  They matched their visitors in most aspects of the match, but a score of one goal 10 behinds at half time did not do justice to their handiwork.  The Ivanhoe boys bounced back well from a goalless first quarter to lead by 13 points at the main break, a lead that they extended to 18 turning for home as Parkdale’s woes in front of goal continued.  The Vultures had their radars in working order for the last quarter, kicking five goals for the term, but Old Ivanhoe were able to impact the scoreboard enough to take the win by ten points.  Kai Colella was the only multiple goalkicker for Parkdale with two while Matt Emmanouil was also strong.  Michael Mitris and Luke Scuderi both registered four majors for Old Ivanhoe, with Sam Keogh also excellent on the day.

Old Mentonians survived a fourth-quarter surge from Ormond and a bout of the yips in front of goal to score an unexpected but meritorious win over their highly-fancied visitors at Keysborough.  They led at quarter time by the odd goal in five, and increased their advantage at each of the next two breaks as a disciplined Panthers outfit never allowed the Ormond machine to operate at optimum level.  The sides went to three-quarter time with Old Mentonians holding a four-goal advantage and whilst Ormond came hard in the final term, the Panthers were not to be headed, scoring a deserved 13-point win.  Robert Tunbridge kicked four goals and Tom Morecroft three for the winners with Darcy Brown a popular choice as best-on-ground.  Blake Picone led Ormond’s scoring list with four goals, with Zach Benson their best.

Mazenod travelled to Marcellin and franked their round two form with a convincing win over their hosts.  The Nodders kicked the only three goals of the first term and went on to win every quarter before posting a 46-point win.  Marcellin were at their most competitive in the second quarter, where both sides kicked three goals for Mazenod to go to the main break with an 18-point lead.  The advantage was extended to 27 by the final change before Mazenod kicked four goals to one in the last quarter to seal the four points.  Jack Caspersz continued his good early season form with four for Mazenod with Brad Kovac kicking two, and Sean Welsford playing well.  Andrew Kaye and Pat Howe kicked two each for Marcellin, for whom Lachlan Rush was their best.

Premiership favourites Monash Blues walloped the Preston Bullants to the tune of 151 points at Ruthven Reserve.  The Bullants kicked two of their three goals in the first quarter, and were goalless after half time as the Blues ran riot all over the ground.  They had twelve goals to half-time in leading by 57, but kicked 15 goals without reply in the second half as Preston had no answer to the speed of their ball movement and their efficiency forward of the centre.  Hard though Preston tried, they ran out of legs as the match progressed as the well-organised Blues showed again that they will be hard to toss in 2022.  Ethan Lowe with two was Preston’s only multiple goal-kicker with two, while the two Howards, Rory and Conor, were their best.  Nick Woodland and Mitch King kicked five each for Monash, with Jake Meade and MacGregor Cameron leading the way for them.

Photo credit: Amy Stokes (@hamptonrovers)