A trio of hundred-point demolitions denote a weekend of carnage in Premier C

The section’s top three sides all registered triple-digit victories on Saturday, in triumphs made all the more impressive by the depth and youth that powered such performances.

Beaumaris youngster James Failla franked the previous week’s late heroics, with his haul of nine majors helping steer the Sharks to an emphatic 21.16 (142) to 3.2 (20) win over Parkside. Debutant Hudson Jongen also bobbed up with four of his own, with coach Josh Bourke glowing in his comments about both youngsters, post-match.

“The young crew continue to do great things,” he said. “Jongen came up for his first game and was awesome, while Fallia was unstoppable in the air,” he continued.

“We’re extremely lucky to have really strong under-19’s, and good depth in the Ressies to call upon,” Bourke said, referencing that not every club boasts such luxuries. “Our group continues to build; we’re excited about adding some of our experienced senior players back over the next month,” he finished.

Up next is a top of the table clash against Parkdale, who Bourke praised as ‘clearly the benchmark of the competition’. The Sharks’ last loss came at the hands of the Vultures in Round 3, with their poor first quarter that day a catalyst for the rampage they’ve been on since.

Parkdale Vultures found some form of their own on the weekend, dismantling Marcellin to the tune of 23.20 (158) to 9.3 (57). The Vultures final score is the second highest any side has registered this season, with their own 169-point outburst against PEGS in Round 2, the competition’s high-water mark.

It may sound strange that an undefeated side had to ‘find form’, but by their own admission, they have not been at their dominant best in recent weeks, making this most recent result a ‘very enjoyable’ one for Owen Lalor and co.

Ruckman Jarrod Peake followed up last weekend’s eye-catching performance with a four-goal haul, drawing his coach’s commendation post-match. “11 straight games for ‘Peaky’ represents continuity with his body, for almost the first time,” Lalor said. “His ruck work was fantastic, and he obviously contributed up forward. He’s had an amazingly consistent year, and he’s just so important for us with his athleticism, and outstanding follow-up work,” he finished.

Others to fill their boots in the rout were Lewis Castle (three majors, after breaking his goal-a-game streak last week), and Mitch Hart, whose creativity, athleticism and crumbing craft saw him register five majors.

Eagles coach Bernie Dineen offered that Parkdale ‘showed us (Marcellin) what the game’s about’, in their dominant performance. “They’re well-drilled, selfless, very capable, and obviously train at high intensity. Their instinctive decision making is first class,” he said.

Currently languishing in the relegation places, the Eagles face a ‘mini-final’ of sorts this week, facing eighth-placed Parkside, in a match that could well determine who ‘stays up’, come season’s end.

AJAX punished Prahran at Toorak Park, running out 18.11 (119) to 2.7 (19) victors. The Jackas shared the scoring load admirably, with coach Lachlan Buszard ‘pleased’ with the ten individual goalkickers that contributed to their tally.

Matt Lincoln impressed in his first Senior game for the season, booting three, while Elliot Debinski was customarily ‘brilliant’ across half-back, in the words of his coach.

In a quirky occurrence, the Jackas move down a place on the ladder despite the triple-digit margin, with Beaumaris’ even bigger victory seeing them usurp AJAX for second on the ladder, on percentage.

Meanwhile, Prahran’s well-documented struggles continue, with the Two Blues yet to register a victory this season and losing by an average of 50 points per game. The depth of the squad has been tested weekly, with player availability harming Craige Milward’s side more than most. A trip to Mentone Reserve comes next for Milward’s men, before the extended Bye represents an opportunity to regain some troops.

In a battle of contrasting styles, PEGS pinched a victory, away at Mazenod. The bulk of the game’s scoring occurred in the first quarter, with 70 of the contest’s 150 points coming in the early sledding. Mazenod won the last quarter, keeping PEGS to just the one behind, but the Bombers had ultimately done enough, claiming a 12.8 (80) to 10.10 (70) victory.

“It was a competitive game; their hard forward running up against our focus on contested ball and defensive pressure,” offered PEGS coach Rob Kerr, while praising the rebounding run of Ethan Caddeo and Dylan Pleban. The four-goal haul of Riley Simmons was telling, while Mazenod superstar Matt Fewings caused headaches all day, as is his custom.

“He (Fewings) got off the chain in the second half, and was always dangerous,” Kerr said. The reigning Premier C best and fairest also drew the praise of his own coach, Peter Banfield, along with the likes of Jarryd Raffa and Damian Byrne.

The Nodders are in the midst of a period of significant shift in their list profile, with Banfield quick to offer that his side are very young, with another three debutants pulling on the jumper for the first time on the weekend.

In Carnegie, the Glen Eira/Old McKinnon Gryphons forced a much closer affair this time around, against St Bedes/Mentone Tigers, having lost to the Tigers by 85 points, in Round 3. The weekend’s 9.13 (67) to 8.12 (60) loss further validates the growth in this Gryphon’s outfit under Guy Martyn’s tutelage, with their current occupation of sixth place on the ladder, a far cry from their bitter start to the season.

“They’re playing a really good brand, they’ve improved out of sight,” said Tigers coach Brad Berry. “Mavropoulos was really hard to stop, and Maxfield was really good too,” he added.

On his own side of the fence, Berry expressed pride in what was a ‘good response’ from his charges, after disappointing losses against fellow top four commodities in Beaumaris and Parkdale, in successive weeks.

“‘Whatever it takes’ was our motto this week, and it was pleasing to get the result,” Berry said. “We re-visited our defensive structures after those losses, and improvement in that area got the scoreboard going for us early. We held these structures, and forced repeat stoppages late in the game, with momentum against us, which helped us hold on,” he finished.

Youngsters Oliver Griffin and Oliver Mangoni were influential in the contest. Mangoni’s versatility allowed him to be played forward, while Kane Hutchinson went back, to quell the dangerous Lachlan Mirams, when he rested forward. Jake Harding and Ben Murphy were instrumental in the midfield, covering the absences of Jack Hellier, Darcy Fountain and Matt Lehpamer, admirably.

The Tigers expect to have a reasonably healthy list available when the challenge of AJAX presents itself after the bye but must overcome Prahran before the bye arrives.

Other matches before the bye will see PEGS host Glen Eira/Old McKinnon, AJAX welcome Mazenod to Albert Park, Parkside head to Bulleen to face Marcellin, and Parkdale welcoming Beaumaris to the Vulture’s Nest, in a top of the table clash.