Old Yarra blaze ahead as top contenders make their move

Canterbury delivered a composed and convincing performance to dispatch Port Melbourne Chargers by 31 points.

From the first bounce, they controlled the tempo, dominating contested ball and making cleaner use of the footy going forward. Their structure behind the ball was particularly impressive, cutting off Port Melbourne’s attacks and rebounding with purpose. Port showed some spark in the second quarter, managing their two goals during a brief momentum shift, but it wasn’t enough to unsettle a well-drilled Canterbury outfit.

The home side’s midfield got on top early and maintained the ascendancy all day, setting up repeated inside-50s and creating scoring chances across a spread of contributors. A two-goal final term ensured the result was never in doubt.

Port Melbourne will rue missed opportunities and a lack of polish under pressure, while Canterbury’s discipline and ability to execute their game plan in all four quarters proved the difference.

Westbourne Grammarians were dominant from start to finish, registering a thumping 43-point victory over a struggling St Kevin’s side. The visitors controlled possession and dictated field position, rarely allowing St Kevin’s out of their defensive half.

Despite some wayward goal kicking early, Westbourne continued to generate chances through sheer weight of numbers and relentless pressure. The contest was effectively over by halftime, as Westbourne surged clear with four goals across the second and third quarters.

St Kevin’s were unable to generate meaningful forward entries and spent much of the day under siege, their lone behind coming from a rushed effort in the third term. Westbourne’s system stood up well, with consistent link-up play and a strong contest-to-contest work rate.

For St Kevin’s, there were moments of effort, but a lack of composure and cohesion hurt them badly. Westbourne, on the other hand, played with intent and structure in a professional display.

Old Yarra Cobras stamped their authority with a commanding 58-point win over West Brunswick in a one-sided affair. From the opening bounce, the Cobras looked sharper, hungrier, and far more organised, locking the ball inside their forward half for long stretches.

While their finishing in front of goal left room for improvement, their relentless pressure and territorial dominance gave West Brunswick little chance to build any momentum. The Cobras owned the corridor, regularly slicing through the middle with pace and precision.

West Brunswick struggled to break free of the defensive pressure and only managed two behinds for the match, both coming under heavy duress. The Cobras’ spread from stoppages and control of the air were particularly telling, as they won most of the key contests and capitalised on turnovers.

This performance consolidates Old Yarra’s reputation as a disciplined and efficient unit, while West Brunswick will need to reset quickly.

Preston Bullants ground out a gritty 13-point win over Monash Blues in a low-scoring, hard-fought contest 4.2 (26) to 2.1 (13). The match was tightly contested early, with both sides applying strong pressure around the ball and space at a premium.

Monash struck first but couldn’t build on their momentum, as the Bullants gradually gained the ascendancy through superior contested work and cleaner exits from defence.

A two-goal burst in the second quarter gave Preston the edge, and they maintained a narrow lead through disciplined team defence and smart ball use in transition. Monash fought hard and remained in striking distance until late but couldn’t find enough forward options to seriously threaten a comeback. The Bullants were composed in the final minutes, protecting their lead and icing the game with a late goal.

While not a flashy performance, it was a mature and resilient showing from Preston, while Monash will be disappointed with their limited impact in attack.