Two top-five blockbusters headline a tantalising round of MC Labour Division 2 football, as the fight for promotion to the NFNL’s top division becomes even more heated.
With all teams now having lodged a win for the season, the scrap to avoid relegation also reaches a new level of intensity on a bumper weekend of football.
With both teams in red-hot form, the second versus third battle between Lower Plenty and Thomastown at Main Street Recreation Reserve promises to be a cracker of a contest.
Thomastown has rediscovered the early-season touch that saw it labelled as one of the big flag contenders in 2021 and last weekend recorded its fourth-straight win in a gutsy eight-point result over fellow contender Eltham.
Led by Joel Carter (eight Coaches’ MVP Award votes) and Salvatore Mamone (four goals), Thomastown led for most of the second half, before coming from behind with two goals in the final minutes to claim a season-defining away win at Eltham Central Park.
With skipper Matthew Vasilevski (three goals) also starring, along with solid performances from Michael Tabacco and Matthew Dirkx, Thomastown looks to be producing the football that saw it tipped as one of the flag favourites going into the season.
Even more impressive, they produced the win over Eltham last week – their second triumph over the Panthers this season – without the likes of Tyrone Leonardis, Michael Tang and Anthony Capeci.
But in their quest for another victory, they will meet a formidable foe this week, hosting a Lower Plenty outfit which has been cruising in second spot on the ladder, having only lost the one game this year and currently holding a seven-game winning streak.
Lower maintained its winning ways in Round 11 against a plucky St Mary’s outfit, racing out to a 29-point lead by quarter time and then holding out a fierce final-term challenge from the Burra to record a 14.11 (95) to 11.9 (75) victory.
Josh Turner produced brilliantly yet again in the middle to soar to an eight-vote lead on the Coaches’ MVP Award leaderboard. Ben Paterson and Thomas Blake also excelled, while Billy Barden was a presence up forward and finished with three goals.
This weekend’s match-up will provide plenty of insight as to what we can expect come finals time. A win to Thomastown would cement its status as one of the genuine contenders for the premiership, while a Lower Plenty victory would confirm Ben Turner’s side as Banyule’s biggest challenger for the flag.
After losing at its home fortress last Saturday, Eltham will be looking to respond when it hosts Diamond Creek at Eltham Central Oval in a fourth versus fifth match-up.
The Panthers will have to win without co-captain and star midfielder Brent Macaffer, with the former Collingwood premiership player and reigning competition best and fairest winner to miss through suspension.
Last week’s eight-point loss to Thomastown saw the Panthers lose third place on the ladder, however they can return to that position with a win this week, should Lower Plenty also get the victory over Thomastown.
Jackson Weatherald was again his side’s best last week, while the goal kicking form of Lane Sinclair (three majors), Matthew Williamson and Daniel Horsfield (both two goals) will have Eltham confident they can secure their second win over the Creekers this season – having won the Round 4 encounter by 10 points.
Eltham certainly will not be underestimating Diamond Creek, who have quietly compiled a terrific campaign, and sit level on points with the Panthers, despite having played one less match.
Their consistency was on display in Round 11 when they returned to winning ways by kicking away in the second half to record a commanding 12.8 (80) to 4.7 (31) win over Watsonia at Coventry Oval.
Despite a slow start, where they went into the main break only two points ahead, a nine-goal to one second half stamped their finals credentials, with young forward Nicholas Barro’s four majors leading the way for the young Creekers.
Matthew Lewis was terrific once again to take home the full 10 Coaches’ MVP Award votes and was ably supported by promising young defender Joel Randall (5 votes) and Ty Franks.
The Creekers currently hold a 1-3 record against sides placed inside the top-five and would love nothing more than a win this week to validate their credentials in their bid to return to finals action for the first time since 2017.
Hanging on the precipice of the top-five, St Mary’s will be relying on a big win over Epping at Epping Recreation Reserve.
Currently a win behind Diamond Creek and Eltham inside the top-five, victory this weekend would push the Burra within percentage of fifth spot, although they do have a big percentage gap to close on the sides above them.
They suffered a very slow start last week to find themselves five goals down at the first break against Lower Plenty, but the rest of their effort demonstrated their improvement in 2021, with the Burra able to close the gap to just 13 points midway through the last quarter.
Chris Petroro was a standout with four goals, which included several long bombs in the final term, while the efforts of Ricky Wait also deserve plenty of praise – producing his best game at senior level to secure four Coaches MVP votes.
If Epping is to hand St Mary’s its fourth-consecutive defeat, it will have to rebound from a challenging day last Saturday, where it fell to a 108-point loss to ladder-leader Banyule at Beverley Rd Oval.
Alec Buchan did his best to lead the way in the mud for Epping, fighting hard all day despite being up against it for the entire four quarters, while Jordan Wilkins and Michael Jacobson also toiled hard.
A five-goal final term will give Epping hope they can produce a better effort against St Mary’s at home, with every game now vital for the Blues who have the Fitzroy Stars breathing down their neck in the battle to avoid relegation – with just 5.12 percent separating the sides at the bottom of the ladder.
While the fight for the finals heats up, the desperate battle to avoid the drop is also tightening, and the clash between Watsonia and Fitzroy Stars will have a big impact on the lower spots on the ladder.
After the highs of its Round 10 win against Panton Hill, Watsonia showed plenty of promise early against Diamond Creek and an upset looked on the cards at half time when less than a goal separated the sides.
However, a second half fadeout left the Saints disappointed, and they now enter a crunch clash at A.K. Lines Reserve needing the four points to ensure they do not finish the round on equal points with the Stars.
Will Scriven showed plenty of promise in the defeat to the Creekers, while Jack Larkin did his bit up forward, and finished the game as the Saints only multiple goal kicker.
Watsonia must be raring to go against a Stars line-up which will bring in renewed confidence following their maiden win of the 2021 campaign last week.
Kyle Thomas moved from defence to attack and had an immediate impact, leading the way with five goals for the Stars, who maintained a lead all day and finished with a brutal burst of goals to run away to a 19.9 (123) to 12.17 (89) win over Panton Hill.
The much-needed win was full of strong attack and showed the spark the Stars have been yearning for all season, with Rivva Karpany (four goals and four Coaches’ MVP Award votes) also pivotal to the high-scoring display.
Riley Livingstone (three goals) continued his good form, having been one of the Stars most consistent performers this year, while former Essendon utility Nathan Lovett-Murray controlled the game superbly from half back.
In the final match of the round, the unbeaten Banyule will play host to Panton Hill at Beverley Rd Oval.
Banyule was at its dominant best again in Round 11, leading comfortably from start to finish to outclass Epping by 108 points. It was the Bears’ third win by a triple-figure margin this season, with their nine wins this campaign coming at an average of 65 points.
Eight goals and the full 10 Coaches’ MVP Award votes capped off a stunning all-round day for former Essendon midfielder Brent Stanton, who did everything possible in a virtuoso performance.
Big men Tim Martin and Patrik Della Rocca (five goals) also led the way for the Bears, while the consistent Nick Grabowski controlled the midfield to feed Jack Langford (three goals), Luke Joyce (three) and Michael Italia (two).
After suffering a loss at home to the Fitzroy Stars when a win would have all but confirmed their place in second division in 2021, Panton Hill now faces the toughest task in MC Labour Division 2 when it takes to the road to play the ladder-leader.
If their last match-up with Banyule was anything to go by, they will be looking for a much better effort. The Round 7 outing at A.E. Cracknell Reserve ended with the biggest margin of the season, with the visitors winning to the tune of 163 points.
If Panton Hill are to hold their own against the competition’s leading team, their best players in Scott Conte, Mitch Anderson, Jake Maher, Samuel Parks and Mitchell Merkel will all have to be at their best.
