By JARROD POTTER
VWFL – DIVISION 1 AND 3
WINNING ways continued in the south-east as Cranbourne and Endeavour Hills fought against the torrid conditions to maintain top billing respectively.
Cranbourne had to push past Melbourne University – kicking four last-term goals to retain top billing in Division 1.
With the wind buffeting Casey Fields – even worse than usual at the windswept venue – skill was effectively thrown out the window as get-it-on-the-boot became the prevailing attitude through the first half.
The Eagles adjusted after the half to return to finesse footy – working their way against the wind to kick two goals and outscore the MUGARs before using a tailwind to rattle off the remaining majors and push through another triumph more importantly.
Cranbourne coach Kris Smith could only sum up the win with one word: ugly.
“We played ugly – ugly is the best word to use,” Smith said.
“I think we were scrappy – the wind was howling down at Cranbourne like I’ve never seen before – it’s pretty tough to get footy in that weather.
“We reversed what we weren’t doing right at half time and switched on a bit more in that third quarter.
“Even though we kicked into the wind we were smarter with the footy and with the wind at our backs in the last, it made it pretty easy to run away with it.”
Smith praised his young forwards Hayley Wildes (three goals), who continued an exceptional debut VWFL season, and Brittany Wood (two goals), who returned to the senior line-up after getting dropped recently.
“Brittany Wood was pretty good – dropped a couple of weeks ago and she went back and got some touch,” Smith said.
“She was really good down forward and it’s good to show that you can go down and gain some confidence and return to the senior side.”
In what could be an early grand final preview, first-placed Cranbourne battles second-ranked Seaford, and Smith wanted to put to bed the loss to the Tigers earlier in the year with an emphatic, all-round effort on Sunday.
“We’ll get a good indication where both sides are at,” Smith said.
“Good test to see if our game plan stands up – just got to be clean with the footy and as long as we’re focused, we can get the job done.
“Our pressure and our tackling has to be up from what it was last week.”
The wind played havoc with Endeavour Hills’ goal-scoring, but the rampage in front of goals was enough to brush aside Bayswater in a 54-point win. Georgia Punton (four goals) and Sarah Wallace (three goals) were in the best alongside Rebecca Sadler and Ash Ladson.
The Falcons’ perfect record is up for grabs this weekend in the last round of the Division 3 home-and-away season when Endeavour Hills battles Mordialloc away from noon.
