Ellinbank dealt finals blow
Ellinbank suffered a big dent in its ambitions to play finals football, suffering a loss to an improving Neerim-Neerim South.
It came as Ellinbank’s rivals Poowong sensationally upset Warragul Industrials, the results seeing the Eagles bundled out of the Ellinbank District Football League top five.
The Eagles are now level on points with Poowong, setting up a potential mini elimination final between the sides when they next meet.
Inaccuracy didn’t help Ellinbank’s cause early, as the improving Cats team steered through three straight to lead by seven points at the first change.
A few handy additions have been made to the Cats line up which has them looking a far better unit than the one that languished at the bottom of the ladder for the first half of the season.
Ellinbank on the other hand have been crippled by player injury and unavailability this season.
The Cats made a big move in the second term, slamming through six goals to one to open a handy 39-point buffer at the long break.
Three goals apiece in the third term meant the Eagles were unable to make any inroads as the match remained in the Cats’ keeping.
Momentum sapped in a lost cause, the Cats steered through three majors in the final term to register a comfortable victory, 15-7 (97) to 510 (40).
Jeremiah Jones booted four goals, while Daniel Fusinato chipped in with three majors.
Nathan Bayne, Toby Bayne, Jackson Ward, Dane Fawcett and Aaron Fawcett were other key players in the Cats’ first scalp of note for 2018.
Thomas Robertson, Mark Vassett, Ben Wragg, Adam Cook, Jake Harper and Lachlan Cove were the better players in a lost cause for Ellinbank.
Crows assert dominance
Longwarry asserted itself as one of the top teams of the competition, easily accounting for reigning premier Catani 19-14 (128) to 8-6 (54).
The win saw the Crows move 10 points clear of its rivals and all but assure themselves of the valuable double chance in finals.
The visitor kicked five goals to two in the first term and were never headed, the Crows maintaining a handy 32-point buffer at the long break.
The Blues showed some fight in the third term, kicking three goals to four, but the Crows were quick to resume their dominance.
Braydon McHugh and Daniel Fry finished with 11 goals between them as the Crows ran rampant in the final term, booting seven goals to two.
Cory Lenders chipped in with three majors, with Cole Cook, Troy Lehman, Brody Rundell, Kane Oldham and Ken Towt setting up opportunities for a large score.
Dylan Williams, Paul Pattison, Thomas Van Diemen, Jackson Caddy, William Temby and Cody Banbury showed glimpses for Catani, but they were fleeting as the Blues came crashing down following last week’s efforts to topple the premiership favorites.
Buln hold faint hope
Buln Buln kept its faint hopes of playing finals football alive with a comfortable victory over Nilma-Darnum, 12-8 (80) to 4-4 (28).
The Lyrebirds now sit four points behind rivals Ellinbank and Poowong, although a percentage gap would make victory against both of those sides important.
With the loser to just about kiss goodbye any hopes of playing finals football, it was Buln Buln who made the positive start with four goals to one in the first term.
Three goals to one in the second term extended the lead to 34-points at the long break.
The Bombers rallied in the third term, winning a tight quarter with two goals to one.
The fight was short lived however, with the Bombers unable to score in the final term as the Lyrebirds put on four goals to add some much needed percentage.
Trent Baker, Bryce Monahan, Thomas Axford, Harry Wans, Brent Waddell and Charlie Park helped Buln Buln maintain control.
Ben Campbell, Andrew Campbell, Chris Larosa, Jeremy Jarred, Mitchell Dance and Logan Deschepper were the better players in what is becoming another long season for the Bombers.
Saints bounce back
Nyora had little trouble bouncing back against a struggling Lang Lang, controlling the match from start to finish on the way to winning 17-14 (116) to 3-5 (23).
The Tigers were competitive early, trailing by just 13-points at the first change, but the Saints status as team to beat quickly shone through as they kicked away to a big win.
Smarting from their first loss of the season to Catani the week prior, the Saints clicked into gear in the second term to boot five goals to no score to take a andy buffer into the long break.
The Tigers kicked two goals in the third term but failed to make significant inroads as the Saints booted four of their own to have the match in their keeping at the final change.
The Saints didn’t let up, booting five goals to no score in the final term.
Ben Schultz kicked six goals, while Iian Osman and Aiden Cumberland each chipped in with three majors.
Dylan Heylen, Chris Hodges, Jordan Anderson and Nick Carrigy also helped the Saints to a big win.
Troy McPherson, William McGindle, Josh Brown, Riley Marshall and Mark Anderson tried their best to stem the tide for Lang Lang.