Canterbury in control as contenders make their mark

Canterbury delivered a dominant four-quarter display to overpower West Brunswick by 37 points at Canterbury Sportsground on Saturday morning.

Right from the opening bounce, Canterbury looked in control, dictating play and applying relentless pressure. While the first quarter was low scoring, the hosts got on the board early and never looked back. A clinical second term saw them slot 2.6, opening up a 17-point lead by halftime as West Brunswick struggled to move the ball forward with purpose.

Canterbury’s control only grew after the main break, adding another three goals to stretch the margin to 18 points at three-quarter time. Their ball movement and work rate were a clear standout, with clean passages of play setting up scoring opportunities across all four quarters. In contrast, West Brunswick failed to register a score after the second quarter, with their sole goal and behind both coming in Q2.

The final term was a rout, with Canterbury piling on 3.1 to ice a comprehensive 6.8 (44) to 1.1 (7) victory. It was a performance that highlighted Canterbury’s growing cohesion and sharpness as the season heats up, while West Brunswick will head back to the drawing board after a tough day out.

Westbourne Grammarians proved too strong for Preston Bullants on Saturday morning, recording a solid 27–8 win at W.R. Ruthven V.C. Reserve.

Westbourne came out firing in the first quarter, applying early scoreboard pressure to take a 5-point lead into the break. Their ability to lock the ball in their forward half and convert opportunities was on full display in the second term, where they added another 1.1 and restricted the Bullants to just 1.1, building a 5-point advantage at the half.

After the break, Westbourne found another gear. Their third quarter was their most dominant, as they piled on 1.3 to extend the lead to 12 points. The Bullants, while valiant in effort, struggled to penetrate a well-structured Westbourne defence, managing only one behind in the third.

In the final term, Westbourne iced the game with another 1.2, taking their total to 3.9 (27), while Preston could only add one more behind to finish on 1.2 (8). Despite solid patches from the Bullants, Westbourne’s cleaner ball use and greater forward efficiency proved the difference, earning them a well-deserved 19-point win on the road.

Fitzroy took the four points on the weekend with Oakleigh having to forfeit the match.

Caulfield Grammarians put in a commanding performance to dismantle Port Melbourne Chargers by 46 points at JL Murphy Reserve on Saturday.

The visitors came out with purpose and precision, slamming home 3.2 in a blistering opening term while holding Port Melbourne scoreless. Their early dominance around the ball and ability to generate repeat entries saw them lead by 20 points at quarter time.

Caulfield kept their foot on the pedal in the second, adding another 3.4 to their tally. Despite Port finally getting on the scoreboard with four behinds, they were unable to make a dent in the margin as Caulfield’s midfield continued to dictate the contest.

The third quarter followed a similar script, with the Grammarians adding another 3.9 while their defensive unit remained rock solid, limiting Port Melbourne to just four points yet again. By the final change, the result was all but sealed.

Caulfield capped off the rout with a final-term flourish, converting two more goals to finish with 6.14 (50) to Port Melbourne’s 0.4 (4). Despite some inaccuracy in front of goal, the win was a clinical display of Caulfield’s superiority across the ground, reaffirming their status as a genuine contender.

The Monash Blues claimed a hard fought 6-point victory over St Kevin’s at Frearson Oval.

The match got off to a slow start with neither side able to hit the scoreboard in the first term, ending 0.0 apiece. However, Monash sprang into action in the second quarter, kicking two straight goals to establish a 5-point lead at half-time (12-7).

Both teams struggled to make an impact in a tense third term, with St Kevin’s adding just a single behind while Monash remained scoreless, maintaining a slender 4-point lead going into the last term.

In the last quarter, Monash Blues added two crucial behinds to stretch their lead, while St Kevin’s managed only one point, falling short by a single goal. The final score read Monash Blues (2.2.14) to St Kevin’s (1.2.8).

It was a gritty performance from Monash, whose ability to take their chances in the second quarter ultimately proved decisive. St Kevin’s fought hard but couldn’t capitalise on key moments to close the gap.

Looking ahead, Old Yarra Cobras will be rearing to go coming back off the Bye when they travel to play the Preston Bullants. West Brunswick will host Oakleigh, while Canterbury will come up against St Kevin’s. The Monash Blues will come up against the Caulfield Grammarians and Fitzroy will sit this one out with the Bye.