By RHYS WOOSNAM - Division 3 Seniors
THE Wyndham Suns survived a serious challenge this week as they held off a fast finishing Sunshine Heights by five points.
In a topsy-turvy contest, the lead changed on multiple occasions with both teams fighting valiantly to secure the win.
Sunshine in particular were eyeing off a top four spot and looked well on their way after the first term. They kicked three goals to none, but unfortunately couldn’t build on their lead in the second quarter, as the Suns fought back to be in front by a point at the half.
It was much of the same in the third quarter, with Wyndham controlling the contest to take a 16-point lead into the final stanza. With finals aspirations on the line, Sunshine battled hard in the last, but couldn’t break through for their sixth win of 2017.
The Suns now have a stronghold on second position, as they are six points clear of Tarneit.
For Sunshine Heights it is now a difficult task to make the top four, and they will be looking to defeat Braybrook next week to keep their chances alive.
Jason Cloke was kept to just three majors, but his Parkside team were able to win comfortable against North Sunshine. The final margin was 40 points.
The ladder-leaders never looked like losing as they held the ascendancy from start to finish. Along with Cloke’s contribution, Adrian Gervasi and Brent Kelly both booted three goals, while Christopher Muratore was best on ground.
Braybrook enjoyed a victory over Sanctuary Lakes by 28-points, thus giving them a mathematical chance of making finals this season.
They sit on three wins and seven losses, just two games out of the top four. They played well for the majority of the match, but didn’t seal the win until the final quarter.
Their multi-pronged attack was a highlight, with four multiple goal scorers. The Bombers will move forward to a do or die clash with fifth-placed Sunshine Heights in Round 12. A win on Saturday will have them up and about, with a final berth in reach, a loss however will most likely kill off their dreams.
The final match of the round saw Tarneit defeat Laverton thanks to a final quarter obliteration. The game was tight for three quarters, with the bottom placed Laverton actually leading at the main break.
However, the final quarter was completely one-sided, as Tarneit kicked 10 goals to one in an unbelievable display. They were led from the front by four goals from Todd Lawrie and three from Aaron Molivas.
COMPETITION FAVOURITES ALL SCORE WINS
By BEN CARDWELL - Division 3 Reserves
IT was a predictable week in Round 11 of the Division 3 Reserves competition this week, with the expected favourites all winning comfortably.
The Wyndham Suns reminded the league that, while sitting third on the ladder, they are still contenders, defeating the fourth-placed Sunshine Heights in a 39-point home win.
Sunshine’s ball usage seemed constantly rushed, in part from sporadic Wyndham pressure, but also largely affected by poor technical skill and low efficiency.
This is not to discredit the Suns, however, who looked positively clinical at many times throughout the game. Their pressure prevents teams from getting the ball out from a kick-in, and in a season where kicking has been inaccurate league-wide, this is a useful skill.
In Sanctuary Lakes, the Sharks used their opportunity to build back percentage points with a 90-point win over Braybrook. Tristan Pearce kicked five goals for the Sharks, while regular standout Errik Watts among the best.
The Titans forwards were running wild on Saturday as they recorded a strong 128-point demolition of Laverton.
Six different players kicked multiple goals for Tarneit, while Laverton managed a scoreline of just 2.2 for the whole game.
Thomas Anderson continued his recent stellar form, kicking two goals for Tarneit and making the bests for the third consecutive game.
League leaders Parkside continued their undefeated run, beating North Sunshine by 91-points at Dempster Park on Saturday. The Roadrunners wouldn’t have been blamed for remaining hopeful at the end of quarter time, kicking one goal to Parkside’s three in the first quarter. However, North Sunshine weren’t able to kick another goal for the rest of the game, with the Magpies piling on the goals.
Next week features the two leaders, Parkside and Tarneit, in a crucial game that could decide the minor premiership for this year.
Elsewhere, Laverton will host Sanctuary Lakes and Braybrook will travel to Sunshine Heights to play the Dragons. Finally, North Sunshine will play the Suns in a must-win for the Roadrunners.
Last Modified on 03/07/2017 12:40