Round 6 delivered plenty of surprises and with momentum shifts and teams beginning to find their form, the finals race is shaping up to be more unpredictable than ever.
Fitzroy Stars 11.8.74 shocked South Morang 10.6.66 with a stirring eight-point win.
The Stars had a dominant performance through the first three quarters, putting a 46-point gap on the Lions by three-quarter time. Although the Lions roared back into the contest kicking six goals to none in the final term, they ran out of time as the Stars took the points.
Xavier Hampton got himself well acquainted with the goals this week kicking three for the Stars while Patrick Farrant, Elijah Taylor, Alex Williamson all made their impacts on the scoreboard with two apiece. Neville Jetta and Ethan Penrith were excellent as they often are, covering the absences of Kain Proctor and Jai Burns.
It was Jesse John Christidis who stood up for South Morang kicking four goals to help try and get his team over the line and Josh Lansfield and Ben Peterson kicked two apiece. Nathan Stefanile and Demetrios Constantinou stood tall for the Lions in the midfield, but the damage was done in the first part of the game and they were forced to play catch up late.
Lower Plenty 12.14.86 ran over Whittlesea 9.10.64 on their home turf in what many would think of as an upset win.
The first half was an even contest as both sides traded goals, 12 points was the biggest lead of the half for either side. With the Bears four points in front at the final change, they took another gear in the last quarter kicking four goals to the Eagles’ one to run away and record their third win of the season.
Jack Chubb and Jack Madgen kicked five between them helping get their side the win. Tyler Wallace and Mitchell Brownhill excelling throughout the midfield supplying beautiful delivery to their forwards. Lower Plenty spread the load with nine goalkickers across the afternoon.
For Whittlesea it was Angus Smith as the only multiple goal scorer kicking four for the day. Bailey Robinson, Kane Johnson and Cruz Young were prominent in the middle, but the loss leaves the Eagles at the bottom of the logjam of four teams on three wins.
Northcote Park 11.6.72 got back on the winners list with an away win over Old Paradians 7.11.53.
A seven goal second term for the Cougars was the turning point, Michael Amad kicking three goals in the first half and Damon Marcon kicking two. Matt Perry and James McArdle yet again having outstanding games as Northcote Park’s midfield aces.
The Raiders pulled themselves back into the contest with a spirited third term which saw them kick three unanswered goals and close the gap to just nine points at the final change, before the Cougars steadied the ship and three final-term goals proved to be enough.
Jesse Kane was best afield for the home side while Jack Nicolo, Heath Phillips and Elias Stapleton also earned plaudits from the Raiders’ coaching group.
Macleod were the biggest winners of the weekend, outclassing Panton Hill 22.14.176 to 6.13.49.
Seven goals to one in the first term set the tone for the afternoon, as the home side bounced back strongly from a loss to Fitzroy Stars last week.
Darcy Barden was the headline act with eight goals which takes him to the top of the Division 2 goal kicking table, but there were plenty of other Kangaroos hitting the scoreboard with Mackenzie Hogg (four goals), Haydon Manuel (three) and Jack Medley (three) all lethal in attack.
Luke Oakley, Sam Parks and Oliver Parks were Panton Hill’s best on a glum day for the visitors. They’ll be hoping for a better outing next week when they travel to face Fitzroy Stars.
St Mary’s 11.14.116 kept in touch with the top five thanks to a win over Thomastown 8.8.56.
The Burra certainly didn’t have it all their own way in the first half as the Bears trailed by 15 points at half time, but a withering burst of seven goals to none from St Mary’s put the result to bed by three-quarter time.
Harry Butterworth owned the forward 50 kicking six out of St Mary’s 17 goals and Wil Ryan chipped in three. Tarwan Rennie and Dom Akuei had spectacular games for the Burra who moved to 3-3 on the season.
Luca Gioskos, Adrian Natoli and Ross Hatzis are some of the Bears players who stood up but the loss leaves Thomastown in ninth spot, but hosting Whittlesea next week presents as a winnable fixture.
