Top 3 Gathering early momentum, whilst Kew is on the winners list for 2023

Ben Black

The frontrunners in Division 1 Men’s are starting to pull away from the pack, whilst Kew recorded their first win for the year.

Here’s how the weekends action played out.

Glen Eira took on Prahran at Packer Park in a very low scoring affair. Both teams came into the clash comfortably defeating their opponents last week.

The game saw a one goal per team first term, which really set the tone for the entirety of the match. Stuart Carey, Will Green and also Keiffer Smith-Cameron key pillars for the Gryphons during the game as they really tried to get the best for Glen Eira. Half time score combined less than thirty points with something needing to happen to break the game open but it wasn’t to be.

More hard slogging tough football which saw the score finish in a Glen Eira victory taking them to a 3-0 start, winning 4.11 35 to Prahran 3.7 25. 

Therry Penola continue to impress this season as they took on the newcomers West Brunswick at the John Pascoe Fawkner Reserve. But it wasn’t to be for the first half as West Brunswick took the honours as forward Jethro Calma-Holt and key player Thomas Zafiropoulos was helped the Lions at bay being able to convert key shots, when needed too.

Whilst being behind Therry never lost hope busting out of the blocks with forwards Castaldi and Ryan put the Lions back the lead which served them well to take the lead at three quarter time leading by 6 points. The game took another turn with West Brunswick coming back at them to snatch back the game, but wasn’t to be with Therry led by Costello and Egglestone were able to guide the Lions to a thriller of a victory winning 11.11 77 to West Brunswick 10.10 70. 

Kew is back and much better for it, snatching their first victory for 2023 against Preston at Preston.

It did not take a long time for the Bears to find their mojo as they had eleven scoring shots to three at quarter time. Bears forward Michael Hannon to get back to his 2022 best as he looked on song to get Kew over the line booting a handy four goals, whilst his trusty assistant Ned Walters bagged three goals.

Preston won’t be too disheartened at the loss as they had a lot of fighters Liam McLeod, Pat Daves were handy in front of the goals as they were some of Preston’s best on the day, Kew coming away with the win getting the season back on track for 2023 winning by 41 points.

Oakleigh took on Old Peninsula at the W.A Scammell Reserve and looked on song from the first bounce. Blasting out of the gates early it didn’t take long for Oakleigh to find the goal square as they bounded eight straight goals to the Pirates two.

Aaron Cloke and Eddie Standish seemed like they had no issues in finding the goals as they pounded 5 goals individually. Then a change of attitude by Old Peninsula saw them kick five goals in the second to slightly cut back the margin Bailey Payze and Ben Stewart were handy to string goals together, but as the Krushers have done consistently well this year pushed the margin back to their favour as they took the game in their own hands never letting the game go as they too the victory off Old Peninsula coming away with a solid win as Eddie Standish was best on ground in their victory.

Ivanhoe AFC hosted UHS-VU on Saturday and encountered a classic of a game.

The game started with both bursting out of the blocks early as there was a point in it at quarter time with Ivanhoe with the early advantage. Ash Close continued from his 2022 dominance in Div 2 and transpired it to Div 1 as he set his sights on a bag.

He was was on song kicking five goals which was seeing Ivanhoe take 75% of the game in the lead, UHS was not done as they were in the game but not able to capitalise on goal scores despite having five more shots.

James McGee stepped up for UHS kicking three much needed goals to really help the boys from Brens Oval stay in the game. With scores level at the final change it was down to who was really going to break first. It was UHS really with the momentum with five goals in the last term to sink Ivanhoe’s chances of getting the win, another classic nonetheless, with UHS taking 2023 by storm being 3-0 winning. 

Round 4 sees Therry Penola face off against Prahran to open the round, UHS-VU are looking to make it four wins in a row playing host to Old Peninsula. West Brunswick are back at home against Oakleigh, can they stop Aaron Cloke? The Bears will face the Hoers at Victoria Park and Preston Bullants will be looking for their first win when they face the ladder leaders, Glen Eira.