With top of the table clashes aplenty, Round 13 action of Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 Football looks set to be a great weekend of entertainment.
The month of June has seen the higher placed teams winning consistently and round 12 was no exception.
Reservoir tackled Old Eltham Collegians at Crispe Park and snapped a 5-game losing streak with a 39-point win. It was a welcome relief for their fans who will expect some more wins now.
“The win has set us up for a strong run home”, said Reservoir coach Rohan Davies. Davies gave a big tick to ruckman Jaise Coleman. He also liked the work of captain Joe Palazzolo in the middle as well as Tyle Williams and Ricky Dyson running off half back. The Mustangs now go to the bye.
The Turtles kicked the first four majors of the final term but were too far back to really threaten.
“We have a developing list and I’m really happy with the young players”, said Old Eltham Collegians coach Matt Sleeman. Sleeman noted the job done by youngster Nick Bannan who booted his first goal for the club.
He also liked the work of Tim Ellis and Daniel Hallett in defence and well as Daniel Cartisano in midfield. Hallett played on Aaron Edwards who kicked six but may have kicked a huge bag on a lesser opponent.
Epping hosted Lalor at Epping Recreational Reserve and made it seven in a row with a 125-point victory which included seven goals for Matthew Williamson. Jude Georgievski put in his best game for the Blues and also hit the scoreboard.
“It was a pretty good win; we started slowly but finished off well”, said Epping coach Brad Hollow.
The Bloods kicked six goals which is their best score since their win over Old Eltham Collegians in round seven. Sam Rexhepi slotted four and ex Laurimar player Jared Coco kicked the other two goals.
Ivanhoe came off the bye to play Heidelberg West at Heidelberg Park and regained its spot in the top five with a resounding 81-point win.
Hoer Jordan Miller justified his promotion from the reserves with a four-goal haul, while Marcel Moran played his first game for the season and went toe to toe with Brad Moore who was playing his 200th game for the Hawks in an entertaining match-up.
“We are continuing to build momentum and confidence as a collective, applying defensive pressure and also hitting the scoreboard”, said Ivanhoe coach Wayne Schultz. Schultz loved the work of Michael Doyle who is having a great season at half back.
Max Brown again shone for the Hawks.
Mernda played the Fitzroy Stars at Waterview Recreational Reserve. Robert Fletcher finished his coaching tenure this week and Brent Marshall took over as a playing coach for this game.
Mernda led at quarter time, but the Stars kicked 17. 8 to 5.4 thereafter to score a 67-point win.
“Mernda came out strongly, but our system held up and allowed us to play our football in the second half” said Fitzroy Stars coach Neville Jetta.
Both coaches, Jetta and Marshall, impressed on the field.
Laurimar took on Kinglake at Laurimar Reserve in a highly entertaining clash with both sides hard at the contested ball. Dave Florance’s men kicked six goals in the third term to take the lead at the last change.
But the Power finished well enough to extend their winning run to 10 and coach Jimmy Atkins would’ve been proud to see his side dig deep in the last quarter to claim the 16-point win.
The unbeaten Fitzroy Stars head the ladder with eleven wins, Laurimar are on ten, Epping holds third on eight, with Ivanhoe, Kinglake and Mernda all on six wins. The Hoers and Lakers have a game in hand on the Demons.
Round 13 action has some big games with massive implications for the make-up of the final five.
A high stakes clash sees Ivanhoe and Kinglake meet at Ivanhoe Park. The winner will be outright fourth on the ladder.
It’s tough to pick a winner with both teams equally impressive in recent weeks. The Hoers have won three straight against teams outside the finals and now face their biggest test in a month. They would all but clinch a finals spot with a win this week and the following week at home against Mernda.
Similarly, the Lakers had won three straight against lower ranked teams before pushing Laurimar all the way last weekend. It will be back-to-back road trips for Dave Florance’s men and a victory would confirm them as a genuine finals threat.
Old Eltham Collegians face off against Heidelberg West at Eltham College. In recent years, these teams have been battling it out for a spot in the finals, with the Hawks often wining the head-to-head clashes and the Turtles being the ones to make it into the finals.
This year Heidelberg West sits in ninth spot a win ahead of Old Eltham Collegians. The last two clashes between these teams at the venue have produced one-kick results in favour of the Hawks. Another tight encounter is possible.
Lalor hosts Kilmore at Lalor Reserve and fans of both teams will recall their previous meeting at this venue back in round three last year. The Blues lost by three points in the upset of the season.
Bloods fans will be hoping for a repeat of this effort as they attempt to climb off the bottom of the table.
Kilmore fans will be looking to get back on the winners list. The Blues currently sit two games outside the top five and may need to win all six remaining games to give themselves a slim chance for finals action.
Epping and Mernda clash at Epping Recreational Reserve in a vital game for both clubs. A Blues win would see them strengthen their grip on third spot, but a loss would have the chasing pack snapping at their heels.
The Demons will advance to the top five with a win as the two teams just above them play each other. They will have had another week to prepare under new coach Brent Marshall which may assist them, so this will give their fans some hope. If the Demons drop this game, it will be a tough battle to make the finals with matches against top sides still to come.
Recent form between the two favours Epping. The Blues won the round 1 meeting this year at Waterview Recreation Reserve by 31 points and scored a 45-point victory when they lasted clashed at this venue in round 12 last season.
In what many see as a grand final preview, the Fitzroy Stars kick off NAIDOC week when hosting Laurimar at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval. The top two have all but locked up those spots, with the Stars unbeaten for the season and the Power on a ten-game winning streak after losing to the Stars in round one at Laurimar Reserve by 24 points after leading narrowly at the main break.
Laurimar’s statistical form is interesting. They scored 72 points in their round one loss to the Stars, then scored over 100 points in their next seven games leading up to their round nine bye. Since then, they have posted totals in the 70s in their last three matches which were all hard-fought wins.
The Stars have won every game since round one by 40 points or more except for a close 12-point win over the Hawks in round nine. Their form and the home ground advantage would suggest they would be favourites to win this one which would all but clinch the top spot.
But the Power would love to pull the minor upset and give themselves some positive energy heading into the finals. A great spectacle awaits!
