The Peter Jackson VFL completed a dominant performance against the Tasmanian State League, coming away from Hobart with a 108 point victory.
After a slow start against an underrated opposition, the VFL took command in the second half. The visitors reduced the TSL to just one second half goal – the first of the third quarter – then unleashed 13 unanswered goals to show the class of the competition. Port Melbourne's John Baird showed just why he had been selected as the Big V’s captain with a master class in the midfield, amassing 28 possessions and proving not even a close tag could stop him in the second half.
Players from stand alone clubs Port Melbourne and Frankston provided 16 of the Vics 20 goals, with big Dolphins forward Khan Haretuku showing his development in 2012 as one of the competitions leading forwards with four goals, well supported by Port regular goal scorers Dean Galea, Chris Cain and Sam Dwyer with three each.
Whilst the VFL went into the game as overwhelming favourites, the home side put pressure on their opponents to hit the lead early in the game with the first goal. The VFL took time to adapt to the close pressure of their opponents, but finally registered their first goal at the 14 minute mark through Haretuku up forward.
Haretuku’s teammate Kyle Martin helped set up Chris Cain with the VFL’s second, but inaccuracy struck late in the term with the VFL heading into quarter time with a 10 point lead.
Tassie started the second term as they did the first, and quickly reduced the margin to four points early in the term as Andrew Lee got away from Kris Pendlebury on a rare occasion to mark and goal.
At the 10 minute mark of the term everything started to fall into place for the VFL as their running game off half back began to be showcased. Leigh Osborne drifted forward from half back to kick his first, and it started a five goal run for the Vics, as Martin kicked two, Galea kicked his first and Adam Marcon showed great skills on the run to kick his first to give the VFL a 36 point half time lead.
The midfield was where the VFL got on top in the second term with the likes of Baird, Shane Valenti and Myles Sewell starting to get on top, getting first use through Wayde Skipper in the ruck, supported by Trent Shinners.
For the third quarter in a row the TSL snared the first goal of the quarter, but little did the crowd know it would be the final goal for the home side as the Vics would go into overdrive to show the difference between the two sides.
Haretuku kicked his second goal, and it started a procession. Ben Ross kicked one on the run, before Sewell marked up forward to add his name to a growing list of goal kickers for the Vics. Dwyer, Haretuku and Galea all finished the term with goals to give the VFL a 67 point lead at three quarter time.
The question remained would the VFL crack the 100 point winning margin? The answer was yes! A six goal to five behind final term capped off a great win for the VFL. The final term was dominated by Port Melbourne’s leading goal kickers with Cain and Dwyer kicking two each, along with Galea slotting through his third. Haretuku capped off a good match up forward with his fourth, and Dean Towers added his name to the list of 10 goal scorers for the afternoon as the VFL took out the game by 108 points.
John Baird was fittingly awarded the Frank Johnson best on ground medal for the VFL, whilst Osborne off half back, Sewell in the middle, Roos and Towers on the wings and Myke Cook in the middle were amongst the best for the VFL.
VFL 2.5 7.9. 13.13 20.17.137
TSL 1.1 2.3 3.6 3.11.29
VFL goals: Haretuku (Frankston) 4, Cain (Port Melbourne) 3, Galea (Port Melbourne) 3, Dwyer (Port Melbourne) 3, Martin (Frankston) 2, Ross (Werribee) 1, Sewell (Nth Ballarat) 1, Towers (Nth Ballarat) 1, Marcon (Northern Blues) 1, Osborne (Frankston) 1.
Best: Baird (Port Melbourne) - Frank Johnson Medallist, Osborne (Frankston), Sewell (Nth Ballarat), Ross (Werribee Tigers), Towers (Nth Ballarat), Cook (Sandringham).
Possessions: Baird 28, Sewell 26, Osborne 25, Ross 24, Pleming 21, Cain, Hartigan, Hoy, Jolley, Marcon all 19.
Last Modified on 28/05/2012 13:24