Top-four sides a class above in thumping Round 12 wins

The top-four teams of Division 3 have demonstrated their superiority over the competition, as a two-game differential now lies between fourth and fifth on the ladder.

An initially inaccurate St John’s clicked into gear in the second quarter, with a 10-goal blitz against Box Hill North setting the tone for a 148-point victory.

Leading by just 19 points at quarter-time, St John’s had kicked a wayward 3.9 (27), keeping Box Hill North, at 1.2 (8), in the hunt. However, the JOCs soon found their groove, kicking 10.6 to 1.1 in the second term, resulting in a 78-point halftime buffer.

The Demons had no answers for the JOCs, scoring just nine points in the second half, including a scoreless final quarter. St John’s motored on until the final siren, winning with a score of 25.22 (172) to 3.6 (24).

Joshua Mourant kicked a spectacular nine goals for St John’s as Jayden Rudd and Jon Grima earned best on ground votes.

Kyle Hocking, Beau Parthenides and Toby Love were amongst the best for Box Hill North, as captain Aaron D’Amato hit the scoreboard.

In the most anticipated match of the round, Power House have boosted their credibility with a comprehensive 52-point win over Richmond Central. Power House piled on the first six goals of the game, immediately establishing their dominance.

The Snakes went into the game in fifth, however were yet to beat a top four side. In a chance to prove their quality against the best, a sluggish first quarter upended their opportunity. The Snakes wrestled against Power House’s early momentum, scoring the lone second-quarter goal, and going goal-for-goal throughout the third. Ultimately Richmond Central ran out of legs, never able to overturn the quarter-time deficit.

Joseph Halloran and Michael Timmons were best on for Power House as Jack Taylor-Evans booted three majors.

Henry Spurr, Campbell Mellor and Charles Spring played boldly for Richmond Central as Jack Bilson punted four goals for the Snakes.

With Power House’s win, an eight-point buffer separates fourth and fifth on the ladder, providing security for teams in the top-four.  The Snakes face another top-four side in Canterbury next week, in a further game to verify their credibility.

Across a consistent four-quarter effort, Canterbury outclassed a straight-kicking Chadstone side. The Cobras pushed the lead out to 56 by halftime, with Nicholas Szabo kicking three of his four goals in the first half.

A defiant four-goal final quarter from Chadstone was unable to prevent the triple-digit margin nonetheless, as Canterbury triumphed by 105 points.

Lachie Dowsett (3 goals) and Ben Ogilivie (2) managed multiple goals for the Synners, who only kicked two behinds for the afternoon. Jai Lockwood (5), Nicholas Szabo (4), Roham Walmsley (4), and Nathan Walsh (4) were the major goalkickers for a high-scoring Cobras unit.

Swinburne University’s finals chances are hanging in the balance after a hefty defeat to unbeaten North Brunswick. The Razorbacks were overwhelmed on their home turf, scoring just 3.9 (27) for the match. The Bulls’ potent attack rewarded the club with a 120-point victory, boosting their percentage to 237%.

Simon Woodward punted five for the Bulls, as Matt David, Adrian Sipala and Jacob Lyndon-Farquhar were other multiple goalkickers. Callum Bruce, Justin Burch and Bradley Field were amongst Swinburne’s best. The Razorbacks focus turns to a must-win match with Chadstone in Round 13, with a victory potentially catapulting them back into a finals position.

Albert Park has exacted revenge from its Round 2 loss against Eley Park in a crushing 77-point win. The win provides the Falcons with critical premiership points that leave their slim finals hopes alive.

Albert Park held a solid margin of 25 points at halftime, with an inaccurate second quarter allowing the Sharks to remain within touching distance. However, superb defence drove the Falcons towards victory, with Eley Park held goalless in the third term, and to just nine second-half points. A quick flurry of fourth quarter goals ultimately put the game to bed, the Falcons recording their fourth win of 2024 as the final siren sounded.

There were exciting glimpses from the Sharks, including a two-goal first half by Sehath Alwis, majors to Cam Walkinshaw and dash-and-dare from Matt Gallagher.

Joshua Beets, Sam Campbell and Timothy Phillips each had three goals to their name for the Falcons, as Joshua Rennie was best-on.

A top-of-the-table clash and must-wins for clubs on the verge of finals highlight an epic upcoming Round 13.

Already anticipated to be a blockbuster clash in the mid-season review, North Brunswick and St John’s now coincidentally sit in first and second. If St John’s can learn from their 11-point Round 2 loss to the Bulls, North Brunswick’s unbeaten streak could end this weekend.

Richmond Central host Canterbury in another chance to stake their claim to the competition. A loss could also potentially see them fall out of the top-five if other results go against their favour. Will the Snakes stand up to the challenge?

A do-or-die match against Box Hill North presents Albert Park next week, with a win leaving them in the vicinity of a top-five spot. After recording back-to-back wins against Chadstone and Eley Park, the Demons will be aiming to return to form after a heavy loss to St John’s.

Eley Park host La Trobe University, who return from a two-week bye. A surprisingly high-stakes match, as a loss for the Trobers will leave them well behind the pack in the hunt for finals.

Swinburne University travel to Chadstone, with a win for the Razorbacks possibly placing them back in the top-five. Power House have the bye.