By Jonty Ralphsmith
When the game was there to be won for Doveton, Max Shepherd delivered.
Three second-quarter goals to the marking forward helped give Doveton a justified 46-point half-time lead after failing to capitalise on some gettable opportunities in the first quarter.
On a perfect day for footy at Robinson Reserve, in playing-coach Michael Cardamone’s 300th game, the home team were clearly the more talented and skilled side throughout and had plenty of individual contributors.
Cardamone, who last week re-signed as player-coach for 2023, was one of 11 goal scorers for the Doves who punished Highett around the ball and found space and uncontested marks inside 50 as they pleased.
Alongside Shepherd, Travis Woodfield and James Gascard were others who were aerial threats inside 50 as Highett’s defence broke down.
They couldn’t keep them out of the game given the frequency and potency of the entries.
“Maxy was great,” Cardamone said.
“It was a bit of reward for effort because he always works hard up the ground. Him, Travis Woodfield and Ash Brown – we’ve got a lot of avenues to goal which allows us to be unpredictable and that’s what I like.”
Gascard provided the highlight of the day, getting excellent elevation to rise above the pack and take a terrific contested mark off a set shot that fell several metres short.
Outside of a brief period straight after halftime, when Highett kicked three consecutive goals, their rare forays forward tended to open the game up and enable the Doves to get speed on ball with fast transition play.
Ruckman Dylan Chapman was a monster in the ruck, tapping to his mids’ advantage and sometimes thumping for territory as he monopolised the hitouts to add another dimension of dominance to a perfect celebration of a humble local legend’s terrific milestone.
Dylan Bowman and Josiah Kyle were a big part of some fast transition plays, bringing pace, flash and moments of electricity.
That ability to move the ball fast looks set to hold them in good stead in finals.
“When you know you’re playing finals its just about getting the right structure and game style you want to play in September so it was really good – we set ourselves little targets throughout the day and the main thing is you come away with four points and no injuries.”
Elsewhere, Hampton Park fans will have a week of barracking hard for Chelsea Heights.
Caulfield got the job done on their small home deck by 45 points, breaking the Redbacks’ four game win streak.
“As player and coach I reckon I have been out there 10 times and never won, they play the ground so well,” Redbacks coach Nathan Wilson said
“We butchered the footy all day, I think we gave up 11 goals from turnover and as soon as you turn the ball over there, it is straight up the other end.
“They’ve got some bloody good forwards and we put our defenders under way too much pressure all day.”
The result will have Redbacks checking the scores constantly next Saturday afternoon as the race for fifth spot will come down to second-placed Chelsea Height’s match against East Brighton.
Sitting sixth on the ladder, an upset win would get the Vampires into finals at the expense of Wilson’s men, who have a bye in the last round.
If they do maintain fifth position, the coach knows a much better performance will be needed when they face Caulfield in the first week of finals.
But there is reason to believe they can improve with three of the Redbacks top five players, according to Wilson, out of the side for most or all of the game.
Jye King was out with Covid-19, Trent Thomas left the field early with a corky and Kyle Hendy didn’t play after half time, having come off with chest pain in the second quarter.
Bradley Gilder kicked seven goals in Chelsea Heights’ 161-point victory over Heatherton.
Meanwhile, third-placed Keysborough overcame a slow start against lowly Skye, who led two goals to one at quarter time.
Thereafter, the Burras kicked 16 goals to two to run out 79-point victors.
RESULTS – ROUND 17
Caulfield 19.11 125 defeated Hampton Park 12.8 80, Doveton 18.19 127 defeated Highett 7.5 47, Heatherton 2.3 15 defeated by Chelsea Heights 26.20 176, Keysborough 17.8 110 defeated Skye 4.7 31.
LADDER
Chelsea Heights 56, Doveton 52, Keysborough 44, Caulfield 40, Hampton Park 30, East Brighton 26, Highett 20, Skye 4, Heatherton 0.
FIXTURE – ROUND 18
Chelsea Heights v East Brighton, Skye vs Heatherton, Caulfield v Doveton, Highett v Keysborough
