WEEK one of NFL Division 3 action kicked off last Saturday with some emphatic wins and also a thriller.
Despite losing some key players such as Josh Beare, Michael Manley and Michael Khoury, Thomastown sent notice that it will be a force to be reckoned with under new coach Dean Sinclair, who previously coached the club to the 2008 Division 2 premiership prior to a stint at Lalor.
Last week Jacob Osei-Duro kicked six goals for the Bears in a best on ground performance in their 109-point win over former coach George Lattouf’s Parkside at Main Street Reserve – that despite trailing at quarter time.
Highly-fancied Reservoir travelled to Whatmough Park for an easy win over St Mary’s. The Mustangs’ team featured a host of new recruits, including Daniel Couwenberg – who was among the best.
Expectations are high at the Mustangs this year and the team looks to have improved on their 2013, when they bowed out in the first semi-final after being some hope of grabbing the double chance late in the season.
The best match of the round was between 2013 runner-up Watsonia and recently demoted South Morang, who were coming back from Division 2. The Saints went in as underdogs, having lost star players Tom Walliss, Brody Ricardi, Tony Hogg and influential playing-coach Lochie Dornauf.
They led narrowly at every change at Mill Park Lakes Reserve, but found themselves behind in the final term, before a late Mark Roumanous goal – in his first game for the club – gave the Saints a six-point win. New coach Damian Zanic would have liked the work of Greenvale recruit Ben Anderson, who was a key player in the Saints’ victory.
Round 2 action sees St Mary’s travel to Pitcher Park to take on Parkside. It will be a chance for one side to notch its first win after both had disappointing results in the opening round.
With new Burra coach Con Borg stating finals as a goal, a win against the Devils would be a step in that direction. The Burra were victorious in their last travel to the ground – winning by eight points in the last home and away game of 2013.
Heidelberg West had the bye first up, and begins its year hosting South Morang. The Lions, down from Division 2 in 2013, will be desperate to get a win on the board to establish themselves as a Division 3 contender. First-season coach Craig Lambert is aiming for finals in 2014 after the young Lions had a disappointing year in second division.
Although the Hawks took out the wooden spoon in 2013 with just the one win, they will be hoping for better this year. Ray Walker moves from coaching the Macleod under-19s to become Derek Shaw’s assistant coach. Shaw says that training has been pretty good and the team was competitive in all its three practice matches. He sees a fair bit of talent in the young guys at the club.
The match of the day is Watsonia and Thomastown at A.K Lines Reserve. These teams spent most of the 2013 season vying for the double chance, which Watsonia finally clinched with a narrow win over Parkside in Round 18.
On the same day, Thomastown only managed a draw against St Mary’s. They eventually met in the preliminary final, when the Saints came from more than four goals down to run away with the game. In fact, the Saints prevailed in every encounter against the Bears last season.
The winner of this contest will be on top of the ladder, as last week’s other winner, Reservoir, has a bye and will not play again until it meets Thomastown a week after Easter. Therefore, for the winner of this clash a two-week stint atop the Division 3 ladder awaits.
