There’s a clear gap between the Peter Jackson VFL’s top eight and bottom seven teams after Round 14 action was completed on Sunday.
The weekend’s seven winners were all top-eight clubs that defeated opponents in the bottom half of the ladder, with Port Melbourne, Collingwood and Essendon today joining Saturday’s victors Williamstown, Sandringham, Geelong and Footscray in claiming the four points. The ladder-leading Casey Scorpions had the bye.
While the Borough held off Werribee by seven points and the Magpies accounted for North Ballarat by 71 points, the Bombers’ 23–point triumph over Frankston crucially put them a win clear of the two teams sitting just outside the top eight, the Box Hill Hawks and Coburg.
* CLICK HERE to read the Round 14 Saturday recap
PORT MELBOURNE 9.20 (74) d WERRIBEE 10.7 (67)
Form: Port Melbourne – L W W W W / Werribee – L L L L L
Telling facts: For the third straight week, Port Melbourne did just enough to scrape over the line, this time against a brave Werribee outfit at North Port Oval. The Tigers were three players down due to injury by the third quarter, but the Borough’s inaccuracy in front of goal kept them in the game until the very end. The result kept Port in touch with the top four and was 11th-placed Werribee’s sixth consecutive loss.
Leading goalkickers: Cain 2 (Port Melbourne) / Porter 2 (Werribee)
COLLINGWOOD 13.12 (90) d NORTH BALLARAT 2.7 (19)
Form: Collingwood – W W W W W / North Ballarat – L L W L L
Telling facts: Collingwood recovered from a slow start at a wet Eureka Stadium to record a seventh straight victory and maintain its spot in the top four. North Ballarat kept the Magpies scoreless in the first quarter, but the visitors struck back to lead by 20 points at half time and then extended their advantage by booting nine goals to one after the main break.
Leading goalkickers: Ferguson 2, Wills 2, Lane 2, Gray 2 (Collingwood) / all singles (North Ballarat)
ESSENDON 16.11 (107) d FRANKSTON 12.12 (84)
Form: Essendon – W L W L W / Frankston – L L L L L
Telling facts: Essendon weathered a furious late Dolphins comeback at Frankston Oval to move a win clear inside the top eight. The Bombers seemed headed for a comfortable victory when leading by 54 points at three-quarter time, but it took a late Nash Holmes goal to end a run of six unanswered Frankston majors in the final quarter and secure victory.
Leading goalkickers: Redman 3, Dobson 3, Van Unen 3 (Essendon) / Gardiner 2, Cavarra 2, Wilson 2, Papadopoulos 2, Wood 2 (Frankston)
CLICK HERE for the full results, best players and goalkickers
CLICK HERE for the updated ladder
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Last Modified on 10/07/2016 18:40