THE DIVISION 2 competition continues to entertain as we now move into Round 5.
It’s a round which sees top meet bottom as Thomastown travels to Mernda seeking more history, as it aims for a fifth consecutive win following promotion from Division 3.
The Bears relied on some late Jacob Osei-Duro heroics to snatch the four points against Whittlesea last weekend, winning 13.8 (86) to 12.10 (82). Osei-Duro kicked the decisive goal from a crumbing opportunity with under five minutes left, which allowed the Bears to snatch back the lead before hanging on for victory.
Remarkably, stemming back to Thomastown’s last encounter in Division 2 before this season, in Round 18, 2012, its past five encounters in the competition have all been decided by 14 points or less. Matthew Ferraro kicked seven goals against Whittlesea, as Josh Beare and Jason Abela were adjudged Thomastown’s best two players.
Mernda came close to recording a much-needed victory against the Fitzroy Stars, shooting out to a five-goal lead at quarter time. However, the Demons conceded 7.8 in the second quarter to trail at half time, before the Stars kept them at arm’s length for the entire second half in a 16.7 (103) to 16.23 (119) shootout.
Jack Wallace and the returning Thomas Felle kicked three goals each for the Demons, with Brad Kairouz exceptional against his former side.
Should the Bears slip up against Mernda, it could pave the way for Hurstbridge to move to the top of the ladder should it win against Diamond Creek. It follows a 50-point victory over previously unbeaten Lalor last week to now sit second on the ladder.
In another high-scoring game, the Bridges shot out to a 38-point lead at quarter time and, apart from a second quarter challenge, were never troubled as they won 21.19 (145) to Lalor’s 14.11 (95). Tyron Loader was again sensational, and Chris Burton and Tom Simpson kicked four goals each.
Diamond Creek, meanwhile, was impressive in securing its first victory for season 2015 with a 38-point win over Panton Hill, 11.13 (79) to 5.11 (41). The Creekers made their move in the third quarter, extending their eight-point half time lead to 22 by the final change, before easing to victory.
Ruckman Jai Norman kicked five goals and Matthew Green three. Jedd McQueen, Norman and Bradley Deed were their best performers as the Creekers now sit in sixth, half a game outside the top four.
Both Lalor and Panton Hill will be looking to bounce back in Round 5, with both recording disappointing losses last Saturday. Lalor was never really in the game against Hurstbridge, and stemming back to 2013, has lost its past four home encounters against the Bridges.
Todd Hughes continued his stellar form in front of goal, kicking five to maintain his lead in the goal kicking charts, while Harley Ryan was again a stellar performer for the Bloods. The loss ends their unbeaten run, leaving Thomastown as the remaining undefeated side in Division 2.
Panton Hill, meantime, was unable to get fluency or a spread of goal kickers up forward, with Ben Finnin kicking all five of their goals in last week’s loss to Diamond Creek. Finnin, Scott Moran and Reid Staples were the Hillers best performers, as they now sit in seventh place, only one game ahead of winless Mernda.
Rounding out the Round 5 action is a rematch of the 2013 Division 2 decider between Whittlesea and Fitzroy Stars. The Eagles recovered from a 20-point quarter time deficit to lead at half-time against Thomastown last Saturday. However, they were unable to snare a victory which would have taken them to the top of the ladder had they prevailed. Janan Daniel made it 10 goals in two games with a haul of four, as Brenton Briffa and Jordan Ormerod were their best performers.
The Stars narrowly avoided further pressure by coming from behind in their win against Mernda, where a loss would have left them at 1-3. John Hayes led a spread of nine goal kickers with three majors, and Koolyn Briggs and Coree Thorpe put in standout games as the Stars marked their return to Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval with a 14th win in 16 games at their home base.
