Cranbourne champion Justin Berry marks over Berwick’s Jarrod Tonks before slotting one of his four goals on Saturday. 83862 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By DAVID NAGEL
CRANBOURNE tuned-up for its one-two clash with Narre Warren this week with a resounding 93 point win over Berwick at Edwin Flack Reserve.
Casey Cardinia football’s powerhouse forward, Marc Holt, was once again unstoppable with nine goals – taking his season’s tally to 82 from just nine matches – while his partner in crime, Justin Berry, was back to his brilliant best with four majors.
The Eagles trailed by 11 points at the first break, but then took over. They led by 11 points at the half, and then extended it to 54 at the final break before running away in the final term. A scoreline of 22.13 to 6.5 after quarter time tells the story better than words can.
Cranbourne wheeled out its new gun recruit, former Fremantle Docker and pick 52 in the 2009 AFL Draft, Justin Bollenhagen, and the 184cm 20-year-old left-footer impressed – kicking two goals in a midfield role. The big stage of finals football won’t bother Bollenhagen, who kicked two goals in the 2010 round 18 Western Derby against the West Coast Eagles.
“He went alright, he’s quick and he kicks goals, he’ll get better with a couple (of games) under his belt,” Cranbourne coach Doug Koop said.
Holt and Berry were joined by Nick Barker, Troy Tharle, Matt Fletcher and Matty Weller as the Eagles most influential players, while Curtis Barker revelled in his first game back since round six.
HAMPTON PARK let Doveton run riot in the second half of their clash at Robinson Oval, being destroyed by the Doves to the tune of 229 points.
The essence of football is a contest, no matter the disparity in skill and experience, and that line was crossed as the Doves ran rampant with a 12 goal third quarter and a 14 goal last stanza.
The first quarter was a contest as the Doves struggled to break the shackles.
A 16 point lead blew out to 70 at half time, but from there things got messy…awfully messy. A 12.5 to 1.1 third term extended the lead to 140 points at the final break before a 14.5 (that’s 19 scoring shots) to 0.0 last quarter ended the carnage.
Brad Starkey kicked the Redbacks’ only three goals and was joined by Lionel Beniot, Shaun Winsall, Mitch Hill, James Alexander, Tom Lancaster and Luke O’Brien as those to try hard.
TOORADIN continued its fantastic form with a grinding and highly professional 57 point home win over Keysborough.
On the back of six goals from Dan Elton and four from Adam Splatt, the home side cemented fourth place on the Casey Cardinia ladder and confirmed it is the genuine article.
“We’ve gone beyond the Cinderella Story now,” coach Tom Hallinan said after his side’s seventh win from 10 starts in 2012.
Both teams struggled to gain the ascendency in a first quarter arm-wrestle, before the Seagulls jumped out to a 20 point lead at the main break. The Burra had their chances but that old chestnut – inaccurate kicking for goal – would prove costly as the day unfolded.
The hosts extended the lead to 30 points at three-quarter-time before a 5.6 to 1.3 last quarter showed a ruthless edge is emerging.
Elton and Splatt were dangerous after the Seagulls changed the angles of their forward entries in the second quarter. Scott Szucs and Beau Miller controlled the midfield, while 17-year-old Sam Kendall showed composure beyond his years.
Hallinan played a shutdown role on Burra “quarter-back” Waata Wells and capped off a great day with a rare foray forward and goal. “I celebrated like I scored the winning goal in the FA Cup Final,” Hallinan joked.
The former “Sleeping Beauty” and “Ugly Duckling” are climbing the “Beanstalk” nicely under “Tom Thumb”. This is definitely no fairytale.
NEPEAN
DEVON Meadows was brought back down to earth after last week’s gripping win over Pearcedale, failing to match last year’s runners-up Hastings, going down by 41 points at Glover Reserve.
Hastings led by 19 points at quarter time and 29 at the half, before taking a 34 point lead into the last stanza. It was a slow increase in margin after quarter time that reflected the day’s play.
“Even the Hastings’ coaches were surprised by the 41 point margin,” Devon Meadows coach Brent Clinnick said.
“In general play we matched them but we made some crucial skill errors and they killed us on the turnover.”
Brandon Wapshott rebounded from “one of those days” against Pearcedale to take best on ground honours for the Panthers, while Alex Doria and Brett Armitage were others to stand tall. Ash Adams and Ryan Talbot booted three each for the home side.
PEARCEDALE remains at the foot of the Nepean League ladder after a lousy first quarter led to a 42 point defeat at the hands of Crib Point.
The sleeping Panthers found themselves six goals adrift at quarter time, but fought the game out well, losing the last three quarters by just six points.
Pat Cadd was sensational up forward and ended the day with seven majors, while captain Chris Fortnam, Damian McCormack, youngster Tom Frost and Ben Mitchell were others to take it right up to the Magpies.
