By Toe Punt
Peninsula Football League will play Geelong Football League for the number one title in Victorian country football after beating Ovens & Murray by 45 points on Saturday.
Played at the home of Carlton Football Club at Visy Park, Peninsula League opened the game up in the second quarter and went on to win in comfortable fashion, 15.10.100 to 7.13.55.
The last time Ovens and Murray journeyed south was to play a combined Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League at Frankston Park in 2011. The MPNFL won in a thriller in what is still described as one of the all-time great games of football.
It was as a result of this win over Ovens & Murray that the MPNFL was split into three different Interleague sides. It is alleged that the Ovens & Murray League wrote a letter to the Victorian Country Football League following their 2011 loss, calling for them to be split because they were too strong as a combine.
On Saturday, Peninsula League had a point to prove.
Many believed that the selected side was a ‘second string outfit’ considering there were big name players who were forced to withdraw either through injury, club pressure or being disinterested.
To tackle one of the best leagues of all time, without the support of Casey Cardinia and Nepean League players, was a tough ask.
However, Peninsula League coach Steve Ryan was confident in his charges.
Peninsula League started with a squad of 60 players. With players struggling from injury or not committed to interleague football, he selected a squad of 23 that “were desperate to represent their league”.
This was changed at the 11th hour when skipper Anthony Barry (calf), Mt Eliza’s Josh Norman (hip) and Mornington teenager Jackson Calder (corky) were forced to withdraw.
This brought in emergency, Chelsea’s Fia Tootoo, along with Edithvale’s Brent Bowden and Pines’ Guy Hendry.
Pines skipper and league medallist Jimmy Messina replaced Barry as captain.
Ovens & Murray have 23 ex-AFL footballers running around this season, including the likes of Brad Ottens, Jason Akermanis, Brendan Fevola, Karl Norman, Chris Hyde, Dean Polo and Kane Pettifer, however, the only two that played on Saturday were Craig Ednie and Steve McKee.
Peninsula League kicked the first three goals of the game, before allowing the O&M back into the contest with the next three goals.
Peninsula played ordinary football in the second half of the first quarter and were lucky to hold a slender one point lead.
Ryan told his charges during the break to run and spread, hopeful that the leg speed he and assistant Troy Shannon selected would come to the fore.
They were right. Peninsula opened the game up, completely outran the O&M in the second term and booted five goals to one to go in at half time 23 points in front.
Ryan said he knew that the O&M would go into the match with bigger bodies and the trump card he had was speed on the open spaces of Visy Park.
“When we came in at half time, we were all very confident in our chances of going on with it,” Ryan said.
“I reminded them that no-one expected us to win and that we were perhaps the second string side, given the injuries.
“I knew we wouldn’t lose at that point. They had a resolve and a belief about them.
“We outscored them again in the third quarter four goals to two and then again in the last, three goals to one. We totally outclassed them.
“Our run and carry was better, our desire was better and our skill level was far better.
“We had 16 blokes who were playing their very first interleague game and every one of them was sensational.
“There was not one player in the team that didn’t contribute to the win.”
Ryan said Langwarrin rover Dan Wehner’s performance in the middle of the ground was first class. “Wehner’s grunt work was just a highlight of the match.
“Our back six were fantastic too. Young Kallum Searle destroyed their full forward Adam Prior, who has been dominating at local level. Searle beat him in the one on one contests and ran off him all day. Timmy Mavric was also very good in defence too.”
The best man on the ground was Seaford star Brayden Irving.
“This bloke can seriously play,” Ryan said.
“He played his centre half forward role to perfection. He has wonderful hands and he really should be playing a higher standard of footy.
“Ricky Ferraro and Shane McDonald were all class and our rucks in Dylan Jones and Beau Hendry were just too mobile for their big blokes.
“We weren’t beaten in any part of the ground,” Ryan said.
That also went for the all-in-brawl in the third quarter.
“Suffice to say that there were a few blokes who enjoyed the opportunity to have a crack – in fact, it was a lot more than a few,” Ryan joked.
“We certainly don’t condone that behaviour but it proved to me that we had the right 22 blokes representing our league.
“The feeling after the match and the genuine excitement from the group made the day even more special.
“I certainly know who the first 22 players selected will be next year,” Ryan said.
Senior Match Details
Peninsula League 3.3.21 8.5.53 12.5.77 15.10.100
Ovens & Murray 3.2.20 4.6.30 6.11.47 7.13.55
Peninsula Goals: Jamie Messina 2, Tommy Shaw 2, Shane McDonald 2, Brayden Irving 2, Brent Bowden 2, Fia Tootoo, Curtis Bywater, Ben Lean, Dan Wehner, Ben Tellis 1
Peninsula Best: Brayden Irving, Tim Mavric, Kallum Searle, Dan Wehner, Shane McDonald, Ricky Ferraro
Under 18 Match Details
Peninsula League 3.0.18 8.1.49 8.5.53 12.7.79
Ovens & Murray 0.6.6 1.8.14 5.10.40 8.11.59
Peninsula Goals: Bailey Dale 4, Justin Bennett 3, Jackson Mockett 2, Jed Morsinkoff, Jake Smith, Johnathan Haidon
Peninsula Best: Bailey Dale, Lachlan Pizzey, Daniel Culcane, Michael Nichols, Johnathan Haidon, Justin Bennett
Peninsula Team
B: Tim Mavric Kallum Searle Sam Gill
HB: Brad Tagg Nick Connellan Paul Rebeschini
C: Cal Dixon Dan Wehner Ben Lean
HF: Shane McDonald Brayden Irving Curtis Bywater
FF: Ben Tellis Brent Bowden Tom Shaw
R: Dylan Jones
RR: Jimmy Messina
R: Ricky Ferraro
Int: Beau Hendry, Fia Tootoo, Brenton Cowell, Guy Hendry
Last Modified on 29/05/2013 10:53