The Redbacks have been in blistering form so far this season and look to be the team to beat after six consecutive wins to start the year.
After falling just two points short of last year’s Grand Final, the club looks far more accomplished to take the next step this year and is yet to put a foot wrong in its bid for promotion into the second division.
Under new coach Dean Haydock, Panton Hill has won its opening six games by an average of 67 points and has had an extra bit of class in close games against fellow premiership contenders Mernda, Reservoir and St Mary’s.
Jonathon Byron’s move to the forward line has been a masterstroke, with the former Montmorency star in golden form in front of the big sticks.
Byron has booted 34 goals this season, including hauls of nine and 10 against St Mary’s and Heidelberg. Since kicking two goals against Mernda in Round 2 – Panton Hill’s first game of the season – he has kicked at least four goals in every game and comfortably sits at the top of the Division 3 goalkicking table.
His form has been a catalyst for Panton Hill’s dominance so far this year, as has the immediate impact had by a host of the club’s off-season recruits.
Haydock brought across Zachary Williams, Robert Guest and Simon Amore from Heidelberg and all have provided significant contributions, while Tigers’ premiership captain Abe Williams will only get better as the season progresses.
Given the influx of recruits brought into the club, Benn Parker and Brett Thorn are also thriving and have managed to slide under the radar to an extent so far this year.
Both are having dominant seasons for the Redbacks, as is Brendan O’Connor who has kicked 20 goals for the season playing almost second fiddle to Byron.
St Mary’s produced its best win of the year last week when it defeated Reservoir by 21 points at Binnak Park.
After trailing at quarter time, the Burras slammed on 10 goals to five in the second and third quarters to run away with a 21-point win and snatch third place on the Division 3 ladder away from Mustangs.
The Burras have won their past three games and after pushing both Panton Hill and Mernda to within 13 points earlier in the season, the club has suddenly thrown itself back in premiership contention.
Dillan Ronalds and Adam Burkett have had wonderful seasons and are providing the grunt work in the middle of the ground, while Michael Costanzo is relishing the extra responsibility of captaincy and has hit the scoreboard in all but one game this season.
Much like last season, St Mary’s has made it a nuisance to score against, conceding just 500 points in seven games, an average of only 71 points a game.
Only once has it coughed up more than 100 points and that was in its Round 3 loss to the Redbacks when it fell to 104-91 defeat.
The Burras have shared the load down the other end of the ground, with no standout forward to rely upon, unlike its opponent this Saturday.
St Mary’s leading goalkicker this year is Ronalds with just 11 in seven games, while Haydn Bryce and Matthew Patti have both booted nine.
If anything, the Burras’ lack of a noted goalkicker makes them even more dangerous – their wide spread of goal scorers provides an element of unpredictability and provides structure issues for opposition defences.
Recent history between the sides favours Panton Hill who has been victorious in three of the past four encounters between the two sides.
The Redbacks knocked St Mary’s out of last year’s finals series when they claimed a convincing 22-point win at Epping Recreation Reserve in the first semi final.
Past four meetings:
Panton Hill 3, St Mary’s 1
Rd 3, 2012: Panton Hill 15.14 (104) def St Mary’s 13.13 (91)
1st Semi Final 2011: St Mary’s 11.12 (78) def by Panton Hill 15.10 (100)
Rd 16, 2011: Panton Hill 11.8 (74) def by St Mary’s 13.13 (91)
Rd 13, 2011: Panton Hill 14.17 (101) def St Mary’s 10.10 (70)
