Round 3 of A Plus Labour Solution Division 2 looms as an exciting round after some interesting results in Round 2.
Sides are starting to separate themselves and prove their status after two rounds. Nevertheless, we’re only in the infancy of the season and looking at the results over the opening fortnight, nothing is certain, providing the ideal platform for an exciting Round 3.
Thomastown will be looking to continue its hot form when it travels to Eltham to attempt to hand the Panthers their first loss of the season.
Ben Chapman’s side produced the surprise of round last week, putting through a whopping 25.20 (170) to defeat the Fitzroy Stars by 94 points at Main Street Recreational Reserve. While the win wasn’t so much of a surprise, the ease in which it came certainly was.
Holding a seven-point buffer at quarter-time, Thomastown blitzed the Stars in the second term as they slammed home eight goals to two, to take a 43-point advantage into half time. The home side went on with the job in the second half.
Matthew Ferraro kicked five goals, while Daniel Chadwick snagged four and found plenty of the football. Dylan Chapman and Josh Lohse Tonna also featured among the winning side’s best players.
Eltham produced its third win from three games in a hard-fought 19-point win at Banyule. The Panthers had to come back from an eight-point three-quarter time deficit to get the win, which they managed to do with a six-goal final term.
Paul Currie was big up forward, kicking four goals and taking several towering marks. Tim Currie and Lewis Glasgow featured in the Panthers’ yet again, along with Bradyn Taglieri.
After competitive losses in the opening two weeks, Epping will continue its search for its first win when it takes on former Division 3 rival Banyule at Epping Recreational Reserve.
The Blues had a few positives in their first home match of the season last week, where they were competitive for three of the four quarters. However, the damage was done in the second term, where the visitors kicked seven goals to one,
Leigh Judd was outstanding for the Blues, while recruits Reed Jepson and Damon Marcon again featured amongst the best. Alec Buchan was the only multiple goal scorer for the home side, with two goals
The Yulers nearly pulled the upset of the season and led for the best part of three quarters against Eltham. It wasn’t to be in the end, nevertheless their efforts didn’t go unnoticed, and they’ll be looking to improve their record to 2-1 this week.
Former Panther James Kroussoratis kicked three goals against his former side, as did Bailey Jordan in his first game for the Yulers in 2018. Riley Keath and Jake Truefeldt produced strong performances.
What was encouraging was that Banyule produced such a display without a massive influence from former AFL player Brent Stanton and skipper Scott Gumbleton, who was watching from the sidelines.
Fitzroy Stars will be looking to bounce back from a slow start to the season it hosts Lower Plenty at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval.
The Stars have been known in previous seasons to often get their campaign off to slow starts, but it’s fair to say they haven’t been faced with back-to-back 94-point thrashings to open the season.
The Stars have only kicked 16 goals across the opening two matches, while they have leaked heavy scores both weeks – with their defence ranked worst in the competition after the opening two rounds.
Shawn Wilkey and Cameron Hall fought hard against the tide last week, but their side will undoubtedly be looking for a far-improved performance against a Lower Plenty side that has won its opening two matches.
Lower was clinical early in its Round 2 match against Watsonia, opening a 36-point advantage at half time. However, they failed to fire a shot in the third term as the Saints brought the margin back within five points at the final change.
But a seven-goal to one final term got Lower over the line, with four-goal hauls from Thomas Blake and Corey Sleep undoubtedly edging them over the line, along with strong games from Jordan Sacco, Tom Keys and Patrick Flynn.
Diamond Creek hosts Watsonia in the final match of the round in A Plus Labour Solutions Division 2.
The Creekers have bounced back from their disappointing Good Friday performance against Eltham with two wins on the trot. They produced a dominant display on the weekend against Epping to continue their winning form.
A five-goal haul Jacob Booth helped the Creekers’ cause, while Cameron Wild and Lochlan Brannelly led Diamond Creek’s determined charge and helped push their side into third place on the ladder.
Watsonia’s third term against Lower Plenty showed it has the ability to match it with the best side’s in the competition, however the Saints would be bitterly disappointed with their final term fadeout when the match was on the line.
Key forward Sam Peet was his side’s best with a four-goal display, before also spending time in the ruck following the late exclusion of ruckman Clark Sloan. Billy Hawkes and Kyle Page were also amongst the Saints’ best in an encouraging display.
