The gap between teams currently inside the Peter Jackson VFL top eight and those standing on the outside looking in grew bigger after Saturday’s Round 14 action.
All four winners were top-eight teams that defeated opponents in the bottom half of the ladder.
Top-four clubs Williamstown and Sandringham boosted their minor premiership hopes with victories over the Box Hill Hawks by 10 points and Coburg by 49 points respectively.
Meanwhile, Geelong comfortably accounted for the Northern Blues by 66 points and Footscray overran Richmond to prevail by nine points in the day’s other games.
* CLICK HERE to read the Round 14 Sunday recap
WILLIAMSTOWN 13.12 (90) d BOX HILL HAWKS 12.8 (80)
Form: Williamstown – W W L W W / Box Hill Hawks – W L L L L
Telling facts: Williamstown inflicted Box Hill’s fourth straight defeat and its sixth in seven games in a hard-fought battle at Box Hill City Oval. The Seagulls exploded after conceding the first three goals of the match and maintained a margin of several majors for much of the day. The ninth-placed Hawks were gallant in defeat, but it now seems a particularly long time since they knocked off Williamstown by 15 points in Round 2.
Leading goalkickers: Owen 3, Anastasio 2, Conway 2 (Williamstown) / Switkowski 3, Miles 2, Stewart 2, Summers 2 (Box Hill Hawks)
SANDRINGHAM 12.13 (85) d COBURG 5.6 (36)
Form: Sandringham – W W W W W / Coburg – W L W W L
Telling facts: Sandringham dented Coburg’s precarious finals hopes by triumphing in a slogging contest at Piranha Park. A four-goal-to-nil first quarter set up an advantage the Zebras only really built on further in a strong final term. The win was their sixth in succession and keeps them firmly entrenched within the top four.
Leading goalkickers: Shenton 3, Dennis-Lane 3, Billings 2, Wilkins 2 (Sandringham) / Saad 3 (Coburg)
GEELONG 19.11 (125) d NORTHERN BLUES 8.11 (59)
Form: Geelong – L L W W W / Northern Blues – W W L L L
Telling facts: Geelong avenged a 14-point loss to Northern in Round 2 by dominating throughout at Preston City Oval. The Cats piled on five goals to just three behinds in the first quarter and extended their advantage at every break. It was Geelong’s third straight win and moved it a win clear of the Box Hill Hawks and Coburg, teams sitting just outside the top eight.
Leading goalkickers: Kersten 4, Gregson 2, Bews 2, Parsons 2 / all singles (Northern Blues)
* A replay of Northern Blues vs Geelong is now online HERE
FOOTSCRAY 11.8 (74) d RICHMOND 9.11 (65)
Form: Footscray – L W W L W / Richmond – L W L L L
Telling facts: Footscray may have put the final nail in Richmond’s finals hopes by recovering from an 18-point half-time deficit to narrowly prevail at Whitten Oval. The Bulldogs still trailed by eight points at the last change but the second of three final-term goals to Lauchlan Dalgleish finally edged them in front and secured a crucial seventh win of the season.
Leading goalkickers: Dalgleish 3, Greenwood 2, Minson 2 (Footscray) / Townsend 2 (Richmond)
CLICK HERE for the full results, best players and goalkickers
CLICK HERE for the updated ladder
Sunday games:
Port Melbourne vs Werribee (Channel 7)
North Ballarat vs Collingwood (Magpie Radio/Collingwood radio)
Frankston vs Essendon (Casey Radio)
Other content:
VFL MEDIA COVERAGE: July 9/10
TEAMS: VFL Rd 14
Werribee's Brad Xavier's multicultural journey
VFA returns to Warrawee
VFL Wynstan Player of the Month
Wynstan Stats Central Rd 13: Dons fall short of Port
Last Modified on 10/07/2016 16:56
