Top sides flex their muscles – Premier C Men’s Round 14 Review

Glen Eira/Old McKinnon 11.7 (73) def by PEGS 17.16 (118)

PEGS showed why they are a class above the bottom four with a resounding 45-point victory over Glen Eira/Old McKinnon, wedging a gap between the two sides early with a six-goal first term.

Despite the Gryphons booting the first major of the afternoon, PEGS banged on six consecutive goals to virtually decide the contest at the quarter-time break.

The goalkicking was shared around in the opening quarter, with Ethan Caddeo, Matthew Barake, Blake Roach all kicked two goals, plus Dan Flaherty, and Sahand Ghasimzadeh converting one each.

The Gryphons struggled to get back into the game after quarter-time, waiting until midway through the second quarter to trim the margin courtesy of consecutive goals from Nathan Puscino and Jesse Maxfield.

The visitors were able to control possession and apply pressure when required all afternoon, allowing the margin to never dip below the 32-point quarter-time deficit.

Coach Rob Kerr would be pleased with his side’s spread of goalkickers, with 10 names appearing in the goal column and five of them multiple scorers for the afternoon.

Ethan Caddeo booted his best return for the year in front of goal with three majors, while midfield-forward Jesse Cooke also joined Caddeo on three goals.

While the contest was dead and buried by three-quarter time, the Gryphons enjoyed a five-goal-to-four final quarter, ending the match on a positive note heading into next week’s clash with Old Peninsula.

Lachlan Mirams, Jesse Maxfield, Ash Carey, Josh Boul, Nathan Pruscino, and Anderson Bird were named among the best-afield for the losing side.

PEGS’ victory places them one win ahead of the bottom-four pack, while Glen Eira remain in contention for the wooden spoon with Old Peninsula and Ormond.

Hampton Rovers 8.12 (60) def Mazenod OC 6.10 (46)

In a game of “contrasting game-styles”, according to Rovers coach Paul Carrigan, Hampton edged out Mazenod by 14 points in a low-scoring affair at Boss James Reserve.

Both teams began the contest with slick ball movement, creating a fast-paced spectacle for the fans and commentators in the first quarter. Yet, Mazenod were unable to turn well-linked passages of play into something meaningful on the scoreboard, while the Rovers booted 3.6 to open up a 22-point advantage at the first break.

It appears there was a goal-scoring end of the ground, which Mazenod utilised to respond to Hampton’s strong start with four goals of their own, clinching the lead by 2 points at half-time. By half-time, the contest was quite befitting of third versus fourth on the Premier C Men’s ladder.

Just as the game opened up in the second quarter, both teams bolstered their pressure and backline cohesion to keep the forwards at both ends of the field goalless, leaving the margin all-square at three-quarter-time.

“Mazenod really challenged us all day…we only stepped out in the last four minutes to get the win”, Carrigan said.

Ultimately, a five-goal quarter to Mazenod’s two proved the difference in the final term for the Rovers.

Captain Christian Carnovale was influential in willing his team over the line with two goals, while Charles Kilburn also kicked and Lui Coughlin, Ben Seddon, Leo Carman, and Jacob Gray all kicked one in the 14-point victory.

The Rovers win keeps them in touch with Parkdale in second, while Mazenod missed an opportunity to jump ahead of Hampton in third position.

Parkdale Vultures 28.15 (183) def Marcellin OC 6.6 (42)

Parkdale have been no stranger to a 100-point victory this season, and Saturday afternoon was their sixth for the year, defeating Marcellin by 141 points at Gerry Green Reserve.

The Vultures kicked a mammoth 28 goals in the win, highlighted by four-goal hauls from Kai Colella, Jai Elcock, and Hunter Lynch. While Marcellin were only 23 points in arrears at quarter-time, the Vultures exploded with an eight goal second quarter to decide the contest at half-time.

Vultures coach Owen Lalor commended his team’s ability to hold their structure and system for the majority of the afternoon.

“(It was a) very strong four quarter effort…we moved the ball well and defended strongly”, Lalor said.

In a game dominated by Parkdale’s forwards, Lalor was quick to praise the efforts of his defenders.

“Ricco and Yee were good down back…our exit from the contest was very good”, Lalor added.

With Parkdale midfielders’ Edwards, Day and Green offering repeat entries inside-50, Marcellin’s backs had no respite. Having said that, James Stapleton, Josh Kol, Patrick Curtin, and Jed Harrowell were admirable in the defeat, giving their forwards some supply in otherwise a tough afternoon from a scoreboard perspective.

Parkdale put the hammer down once again in the final term, booting 8.6 in their best performing quarter for the afternoon, a true indication of the Vultures’ feared scoring power.

The 141-point victory helps Parkdale consolidate second position on the ladder, while Marcellin remain in the grips of a bottom four battle with Old Peninsula, Glen Eira/Old McKinnon, and Ormond.

St Bedes/Mentone Tigers 17.20 (122) def Ormond 7.6 (48)

The Tigers have cruised to a 74-point victory over Ormond, thanks to some effective positional and personnel changes made by coach Joel McKee.  

After their six-goal loss to Fitzroy last weekend, McKee made some tough selection calls dropping in-form players to add a fresh dimension to his side heading into the final few weeks of the home-and-away season.

“Will Skinner was awesome for us around the footy, Jake Harding went down back, and Matt Lehpamer went to half-forward…a few different looks but they all paid off for us”, McKee said.

In doing so, Matthew Lehpamer booted four goals in his move to the forward line, while Liam Bowles was the pick of the forwards with a five-goal haul.

Yet, Ormond started strongly with a three-goal opening term that handed them a six-point advantage at the first change. 

“We made some terrible errors by hand and foot which gave them some goals early”, McKee said.

Ormond’s pressure was fierce early in the contest, forcing some uncharacteristic mistakes from the home side.

“To Ormond’s credit they really put us under pressure and didn’t allow us to play how we wanted to for large parts of the day”, McKee added.

Having strung together three quarters of consistent football that had them short of St Bedes/Mentone by 11 points at three-quarter-time, Ormond were dealt a significant blow in the way of ruckman Flynn O’Toole exiting the game.

“We had three really good quarters, then lost our ruckman and they smashed us”, Ormond coach Kyle Pinto said.

From there, St Bedes piled on nine goals in the final term to open up a percentage-boosting lead.  

“We kicked 9.9 with the breeze in the last quarter and a few of our key players stood up”, McKee highlighted.

St Bedes remain in touch with the top four after the 74-point victory, only one win from Mazenod in fourth, while Ormond will look to lift themselves from the bottom of the ladder when they face Mazenod next week.

Old Peninsula 5.12 (42) def by Fitzroy 20.9 (129)

Old Peninsula gave Fitzroy an early fright trailing by one point at quarter-time, but Fitzroy proved too good in the end, flexing their muscles to run out winners by 87-points.

It was an exciting start to the contest with Old Peninsula kicking the first five scores of the game to lead Fitzroy halfway through the first term by 15 points.

Having been battered and bruised for the duration of the year, the Pirates were showing glimpses of their best football thanks to Tom Feldgen, George Fletcher, and Craig Sanders.

Fitzroy pinched the lead from the Pirates for the first time off the back of a couple of red-time goals from Connor McAuliffe and Darcy Lowrie.

“I thought Peninsula were fantastic in the contest and their pressure and defence were great”, Fitzroy coach Jack Dalton said.

After quarter-time, Fitzroy ripped open the game with a six-goal second term to put the Pirates on the back foot. Wilson Roberts, Dominic Carr, and Sam Jordan were all crucial to Fitzroy’s second quarter avalanche, majors that handed Fitzroy a 32-point advantage at the main break.

“It took us a while to warm into our work and get the game back on our terms, once we did, I was really impressed with how measured and composed our response was,” Dalton added.

Old Peninsula could not respond to Fitzroy’s second-half onslaught, as the Roys piled on 10 goals to the Pirates’ solitary major.

Key forward McAuliffe kicked a season-high six goals to lead his side to an 87-point win.

Fitzroy have extended their reign at the top of the ladder, while Old Peninsula remain in ninth position.