Round 17, Shark Park
Tarwin Lower 16.13 (109) to Toora 1.5 (11)
In a game they needed to win and increase their percentage, Tarwin were big winners over Toora. The tone was set early with a five goal to none opening term. Brodie Senior-Gibson slotted the games first two majors. He was joined by Toby Mahoney, Rem Dal Pozzo and best on ground Jordan Bertacco as goal kickers while the miserly Tarwin defence, again led stoically by Ricky O’Loughlin, restricted the visiting Pies to just two points.
The second quarter was more of the same. With Ben Ellen and Kyle Yann dominant in the middle, a wasteful Tarwin booted seven behinds to go with four goals from a raft of inside fifty entries. Mahoney, Dal Pozzo and Senior-Gibson were again amongst the goals with debutant Hudson Guymer sending the crowd and teammates alike into raptures as he slotted his first ever senior goal.
The second half of this clash mirrored the first with the exception of Toora saving face by kicking their only goal of the day in the last term when Sam Bright raised the dual calicos. Lachi and Sam Smart joined Josh Halsall as the better players for Toora who finished their senior footy season on Saturday. Whilst not the season farewell they’d have been after anyone who follows their terrific social media accounts will know they still had plenty of fun on Saturday night. And probably Sunday too.
For Tarwin, who have at least one more week to go, with finals still a real chance, it was Bertacco, Ellen and Dal Pozzo named best. Dal Pozzo also headed the goal kickers list with four, while Senior Gibson had three along with Mahoney.
An upbeat Tarwin coach, Lachie Jones, said of the game “our biggest win of the season and I was very pleased with how we applied ourselves today as a team”. The coach finished up with a nod to Toora adding, “Credit to Jake and the Toora boys, they didn’t give up all game despite the margin”. Mitchell Berechree
Tigers prevail over valiant Lions
Round 17, Stony Creek Racecourse
Mirboo North 9.7 (61) to Stony Creek 7.6 (48)
With nothing separating the sides at the main break and just a point in it at the final break Mirboo North prevailed in a cracking contest winning over Stony Creek. The visitors hit the ground running with the first two majors of the day and were lively early. Stony Creek’s solitary goal of the quarter was countered almost immediately and the Tigers had the lead by thirteen points at the first change.
And when they kicked the first two of the second term alarm bells were ringing for the locals as they trailed by nigh on five goals just five minutes into the second quarter. But the home side simply weren’t copping it and went on a four goal streak themselves to end the half and see the scores locked at 5-4-34 each.
The third term was a battle, with the visitors managing an additional point to their hosts and that was the difference between the two sides at the last break.
Let’s permit Stony Creek coach, Troy Shepherdson, to summarise what happened from here. He said “At the final change Mirboo held a one point lead. We were hoping we would run over the top of them with no bench left, but Damo (Mirboo North coach Damien Turner) as he does, inspired his boys to dig deep and they came away with the choccies.”
For Stony Creek it was again the Stones Cameron and Tom doing their best work along with Jacob Strickland. In terms of goal kickers Nick Svenson was the only multiple goal scorer with two while five others had singles. Mitchell Berechree
Meeniyan victorious in battle of Dees
Round 17, Boolarra Rec Reserve
MDU 15.11 (101) to Boolarra 7.7 (49)
The battle of the Demons was certainly a game of two halves. With just a point between the sides at the long break, MDU nevertheless ran away comfortable winners to keep their finals hopes alive.
After levelling the scores with the first behind of the third term, MDU went on to have the next eight scoring shots and were it not for inaccuracy and a late Joel Mason goal to Boolarra, the game would have been done at the last break. As it was though, the Boolarra boys trailed by twenty-two points and were still some sort of a hope.
That hope was gone not long after however, as MDU went on a run of six goals to end the game.
On the second half, MDU coach Rhett Kelly said, “at halftime we made a few adjustments, and I thought the boys' response was really positive. We came out in the third quarter and really started to get on top. Our defensive effort had much more purpose, and once we were able to win the ball back, we did a really good job of getting it forward and playing on our terms.”
He then added “The third and fourth quarters were a really strong response from the group, and hopefully we can take some of that momentum and confidence into this week's game”.
For MDU, Jaymie Yule, Jarvis Tracy and Trent McRae, four goals, were named best. Sam Wilson slotted three with Archie Casey, Tim Harris and Brayden Sellings managing two each. Mitchell Berechree
