The Premier C finals race goes down to the wire

Hugh MacLean

The picture of the top four in Premier C still has a corner to be painted after the penultimate round, with results in round 21 only serving to muddy the waters. Only Monash Blues and Hampton Rovers are safe, with four teams still in the race for the last two spots. Here’s what took place…

The Parkdale Vultures needed a big percentage boost to retain any slim finals hopes that they may have held, and didn’t they get one here? It has been a long season for the young Preston Bullants, and as has been the case in several of their matches in the second half of the season, they put up some resistance in the first half, that resistance was completely washed away in a second half that saw 19 Vultures goals to just one reply. Josh Manning and Sam Hart feasted like seagulls on a bag of chips for ten goals each, with other team mates led by Jack Love and Harry Kilfoyle winning all over the ground. Jordan Wilkes kicked two goals for the hapless Bullants, for whom Lewis Fotheringham and Liam McLeod worked hard, but this is one match that I doubt they will spend a lot of time reviewing.

Old Ivanhoe are in the middle of the batch of sides that cannot afford any slip-ups as the season reaches its conclusion. They ticked that box in quite some style as Old Mentonians were given the full tour of Chelsworth Park. The Panthers kept the Ivanhoe lead to four goals at the half, but the match was won and lost in the third quarter where the home side kicked eight goals to one solitary major from the Mentonians. Old Mentonians rallied to kick five goals to four in the final term, but a 71-point deficit was always going to be too much to haul back and the eleven goal lead gave Old Ivanhoe a handy percentage boost, and no small amount of confidence for the bigger battles to come. Harrison Fraser kicked five goals for Old Mentonians, while Jack Bradley and best-afield Michael Mitris contributed three each. None were better than Lachlan Mirams for Old Mentonians, for whom Darcy Brown kicked three majors.

Mazenod took an enormous step towards a finals berth in this pulsating encounter at Como Reserve, but they gave their supporters one almighty scare in the process. Mazenod looked like they would win with a leg in the air having been dominant in the second and third quarters after an even start. The margin was 34 points at the final change, but it could be argued that Mazenod should have been well out of sight. Whilst Old Geelong converted their much fewer opportunities efficiently. Mazenod seemed bent upon kicking themselves out of the match as their 22 scoring shots to eight at this stage indicated. The trend not only continued, but magnified in the final term as Old Geelong came home with a wet sail, kicking five goals for the quarter while Mazenod could only contribute three points. It could be argued that five extra minutes would have seen a very different result, but five minutes weren’t available and the siren sounded with Mazenod still with their noses in front. Jack Caspersz kicked five goals for the victors, for whom Peter Rozanitis was excellent. Will Horsfall did everything within his power to get Old Geelong across the line, as did Chris Hatzis with four goals.

Monash Blues completed a fairly routine victory over Ormond, despite the brown and blues leading the way at the main break after a very solid half of football. A ten-point margin was no more than they deserved, suggesting that a little more luck with the injury stick may have made all the difference to their season. As good teams do though, the Blues steadied after half time, and indeed registered six more goals to only one reply as they did what they had to do with a last-round bye to follow, to hit the finals race in the best shape possible. Monash had an even spread of goal kickers, with Nick Darling and Matthew Davidson the only multiple scorers with two each and Alexander Bennett the best afield. Tom Buckley kicked two for the plucky Ormond, for whom Mason Martinez shone out.

Hampton Rovers took on UHS-VU on a heavy track at Holland Reserve, and whilst the scoreboard suggests that this was one-way traffic the University boys presented the sort of physical challenge that gave Rovers a decent hit-out before the September action. The University were goal-less to half time while Hampton kicked six at the other end, and while UHS-VU were able to put three on the board in the second half Hampton were able to keep the scoreboard rolling enough to give them a convincing victory. The only real problem for the Rovers was the inaccuracy that has plagued them for most of the campaign: whilst it made little difference here it might in two weeks time. Best-on-ground Cameron Morris kicked four goals and debutant Hugo Twigg three for Hampton Rovers. Pat Brookes and Fraser Campbell were best for the University, who had three individual goalkickers.

Marcellin bye