By Jonty Ralphsmith
EAST BRIGHTON STING REDBACKS
The Redacks undefeated opening to the season has come to an end, going down … to East Brighton.
The Vampires were more seasoned than Hampton Park, which cost itself with skill execution errors and turnovers throughout the game.
The home side smashed the Redbacks in the middle, capitalising on the absence of Makaio Haywood, missing with a precautionary niggle.
Tanner Stanton’s class was also missing, but both players are expected to return this weekend.
Half-forward Trent Thomas kicked four of his team’s six goals and was lively when he was around the footy but didn’t have enough teammates that went with him.
“We wanted to see a bit more resilience when we knew we weren’t going to win and we didn’t show that – that was the disappointing part,” Hampton Park coach Hayden Stanton said.
“We couldn’t cope with their ability to transition when they won the ball back and going through us – their ability to run forward of the ball and link up, and we gave away four goals in turnovers in our back 50.
“That takes the energy out of you.
“They didn’t have a system that was better than ours – they just had players that were able to execute for longer.”
INACCURACY PLAGUES DOVES
Doveton was unable to capitalise on several opportunities in the fourth quarter, succumbing to a Murrumbeena 9.10 64 to 6.14 50.
Murrumbeena dictated terms in the second stanza to go 21 points up at halftime.
The Doves, missing Jimmy Pattinson through illness, had opportunities in the final quarter but was outlasted by Murrumbeena.
Aaron Johns led the way for the visitors, while Cam Williamson and Deekon Stapleton each played a role to keep Doveton fighting.
The match was played at Narre North Recreation Reserve with Doveton’s home ground, Robinson Reserve, now unlikely to be ready to play on until the middle of the year.
It puts some external attention on the Doves, who have recorded just one win from their first three games coming off a narrow grand final loss in 2022.
There are, however, several soldiers still to come back, with Dylan Chapman’s return to herald a complete shift in the potency of the midfield.
Dylan Bowman ran around in the seconds game on the weekend and will be another welcome addition once he has the load to return to the senior side.
SECOND HALF SEES SKYE HOME
Skye was slow out of the blocks against the struggling Black Rock but was ultimately able to turn a 32-point halftime deficit into a 23-point win in an epic second half turnaround.
Coach Aaron Pacey has spoken about instilling grit and earning respect in the competition.
While Black Rock is yet to do anything of note in Division Two, sustaining the hunger and flipping the script mid-game is a big step in the right direction.
It was the Bombers who surrendered several leads last year, but on this occasion it was them fighting it out until the final siren.
Skye scored 10 of the last 12 goals, with Brad Dyer contributing four across the day and Ben Evans three.
The highly-regarded Joel McConville and Kyah Karavasilis, who has been tipped for a strong season, were among the strong performers.
