By RHYS WOOSNAM - Division 3 Seniors
THE lowly Laverton look like they may escape the dreaded wooden spoon after upsetting Braybrook by 34-points on the weekend. With only a single victory in 2017, it seemed as if the Magpies were destined to finish dead last.
However, they pulled out their best performance of the season to shock the Bombers in a second half blitz.
Braybrook led by nine points at the half, but were outscored nine goals to three after the main break. The win sees Laverton only two points behind Sanctuary Lakes, and six behind Braybrook on the ladder.
It was a team effort from Laverton, with nine different goalkickers, as well as stellar efforts from Dejan Samoukovic and Richard Mulroy.
The Magpies move onto a tough clash with Sunshine Heights, while Braybrook face the might of Parkside in Round 14.
Parkside will be looking to continue their stellar season, which featured a very comfortable 71-point win against Sanctuary Lakes on Saturday. The premiership favourites kept their tight grip on that mantle, restricting their opponents to just four goals for the match.
Despite the herculean defensive effort, Parkside still hit the scoreboard with aplomb. Spearhead Jason Cloke added another seven majors to his season tally, now sitting at 77 goals and with a dominant lead on his closest competition.
After a close first quarter where Parkside held a seven point advantage, the game was blown wide open. Parkside booted 11 goals to just two and displayed their awe-inspiring attacking ability.
Luke Gauci was best on ground for the victors and was backed up by Darcy McMahon, Justin Dorward, Jeremy Chenn and Chris Muratore.
The ladder-leaders have dropped just a single game in 2017 and look like storming into the finals series with barely a scratch on them. The million dollar question is who, if anyone, can match them on the big stage.
Parkside’s two biggest rivals for the premiership faced off this round in a vital clash for both sides. The Wyndham Suns and Tarneit have been playing catch up to Parkside all year, and would have seen this match as an opportunity to create some breathing space.
Second vs third shaped up as a battle for the ages, and until the last quarter it certainly lived up to the hype. Both teams fought valiantly, with the margin under a goal at three quarter time.
Unfortunately, the game didn’t go down to the wire as Tarneit destroyed the Suns in the final stanza.
They kept their opponents goalless and kicked eight of their own to run away with a 45-point victory.
The win is so important for Tarneit as they struggle to stay in contention with the top two sides.
Sunshine Heights also maintained a buffer between themselves and the chasing North Sunshine. The Dragons defeating the Roadrunners by 39-points at Ainsworth Reserve.
Keelan Privitera bagged nine goals. Robbie Greto also kicked six goals in a dominant display. Jarrad Neilson was best on ground.
BRAYBROOK BREAK THROUGH FOR FIRST VICTORY IN 720 DAYS
By BEN CALDWELL
TWO big unexpected wins stood out in the 13th round of the Division 3 Reserves this week, with the Suns pushing hard at the top two and Braybrook finally notching a win.
A brisk match at Wootten Road reserve saw the Suns runaway with a 56-point victory, keeping them well in the race for the coveted top two positions on the ladder.
The expected Tarneit victory would have just about sewn up the top positions, but this win keeps Wyndham within just one game of second place.
Dillon Hinge was immense for Wyndham, kicking five goals and playing amongst the best on the day.
For the first time in more than 720 days, Braybrook claimed themselves a win on Saturday. Their last reserves win was in Round 15 of 2015, but the streak was broken in commanding fashion, beating Laverton by 45-points at Pennell Reserve. Nguyen and O’Mara led the way for the Bombers, with Angus Hunter kicking four.
Laverton will not be pleased with dropping a game against their rivals for the wooden spoon, and they’ll look to boost their half-game lead.
Sunshine Heights claimed another big win over their rivals in another momentous Sunshine derby. North Sunshine had just one multiple goalkicker, Ashley Evans, who kicked four, and struggled to find goals. The Dragons, on the other hand, kicked extremely well at 17.7 and ran away with a lead.
Elsewhere, flag favourites Parkside kept with their fantastic form with a 56-point win over Sanctuary Lakes. Christopher Hall has been relied on to kick goals, and he finished with a nice bag of 6 on Saturday. Erik Watts and Daniel Ferguson both continued their recent form, leading the way for their respective teams.
Next week will see Laverton look to bounce back against Sunshine Heights, while North Sunshine will host Tarneit. Two wins in a row will be difficult for Braybrook when they travel to Parkside, while the Suns and Sharks will meet at Goddard Street.
Last Modified on 18/07/2017 10:19