Part one of Round 8 split round in Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 delivered several statement performances and continues to shake up the ladder.
Heidelberg continued its unbeaten run, Banyule produced the upset of the round, and Montmorency strengthened its position near the top of the ladder. Greensborough also returned to the winners list in emphatic fashion as the race for finals positions continues to heat up.
Montmorency climbed into second place on the Division 1 ladder after a convincing 37-point victory over Bundoora.
The contest was evenly poised throughout the first half, with both sides matching each other around the contest and on the scoreboard. However, the Magpies produced a dominant third-quarter display that ultimately broke the game open and laid the foundation for an important win.
As has been the case throughout much of the season, skipper Nash Holmes led from the front. Holmes was outstanding in one of the best individual performances of the round, collecting 38 disposals, 19 contested possessions, 13 tackles, nine clearances and three goals. His ability to impact both inside and outside the contest proved too much for the Bulls to contain.
Marcus Lentini was equally influential, finishing with 39 disposals, 10 tackles, eight clearances and a goal in another excellent all-round performance.
Despite the loss, Bundoora had several strong contributors. Liam Mallia continued his impressive campaign with 23 disposals, nine tackles and a goal, while ruckman Peter McEvoy battled tirelessly throughout the afternoon.
McEvoy finished with 19 disposals, eight marks, 22 hitouts and seven clearances in a strong performance around the ground.
The victory sees Montmorency continue to build momentum as one of the competition’s genuine premiership challengers.
The highly anticipated grand final rematch failed to live up to expectations as Heidelberg produced another dominant display over Hurstbridge to remain undefeated and cement its position at the top of the ladder, now ten points clear of second-place Montmorency.
After a competitive opening half, the Tigers completely took control after the main break, restricting Hurstbridge to just one goal in the second half on their way to a commanding 79-point victory.
Heidelberg’s midfield once again set the tone, led by the ever-reliable Tom Keys. Keys continued his stellar season with 28 disposals and an outstanding 14 clearances, consistently giving his side first use in the midfield.
He received excellent support from a deep midfield group, with Luke Bunker collecting 31 disposals, Matthew McInerney finishing with 28, and 27 apiece to Nathan Honey and Dylan Clarke.
Blake Fitzgerald continued to work tirelessly for the Bridges despite the heavy defeat. Fitzgerald gathered 36 disposals, including 18 contested possessions, while also recording eight marks and eight clearances. Cameron Wild was another strong contributor with 22 disposals.
The result sees Heidelberg continue its unbeaten run, while Hurstbridge slips to third place after another difficult challenge against the competition benchmark.
Banyule delivered the upset of the round with a stunning 89-point demolition of North Heidelberg at Beverly Road Oval.
The Bears were impressive throughout the contest but took complete control after half-time, overwhelming the Bulldogs with a dominant second-half performance that turned what was expected to be a close contest into a one-sided affair.
Ethan Boyd was swung forward for the day and it proved to be a coaching masterpiece as he was the focal point inside 50, booting five goals in a match-winning display. The midfield dominance of Jean-Luc Velissaris was once again on show, as the Bears’ gun finished with 33 disposals, 14 tackles, 10 clearances, 10 inside 50s and a goal. His ability to impact every facet of the game was a major factor in Banyule’s success.
Kye Yodgee was prolific with 39 disposals, while Max Jones and Jack Langford both finished with 28 possessions. Jaxon Riley and Oliver Poole also made significant contributions with 23 and 22 disposals, respectively.
For North Heidelberg, Cooper Bugeja worked hard to finish with 33 disposals, while Liam Barber collected 29 possessions. Ruckman Nash Ramage battled strongly despite the difficult circumstances, recording 33 hitouts.
The emphatic victory provides Banyule with significant confidence heading into the second half of the season and puts them two wins clear of last place with two games against West Preston Lakeside still to come.
Greensborough responded in perfect fashion following last week’s defeat, cruising to an 88-point victory over West Preston Lakeside.
The Borough was dominant from the outset and effectively had the game won by three-quarter time, opening up a massive 98-point lead before easing off in the final term.
A pair of experienced forwards led the way, with Blake Watson producing an excellent performance that included 24 disposals and four goals. Marty Fitzgerald was equally dangerous, finishing with 23 disposals and three goals.
The biggest boost for Greensborough came through the return of midfielder Tom Mitchell. Mitchell immediately reminded everyone of his class, amassing 41 disposals, 11 tackles and 14 clearances in a dominant display through the middle of the ground.
While it was another tough afternoon for the Roosters, there were still some encouraging individual performances. Defender Arben Dani continued his outstanding season, collecting 27 disposals and providing plenty of drive from the back half with 10 rebound 50s. Aleksandr D’Arro also found plenty of the football, finishing with 30 disposals.
The Roosters will get a chance to break their duck against Banyule after King’s Birthday weekend in a match that will have major ramifications on the relegation battle.
– Bailey Walsh
Eltham and Diamond Creek close out Round 8 this weekend at Eltham Central Park as they battle it out for fourth spot on the table.
The Panthers gave a good account of themselves against ladder leader Heidelberg last week and were only overpowered in the final term as the Tigers flexed their muscle yet again. Another performance to that level would have them starting as favourites among NFNL pundits against the Creekers.
It was an even team effort last week from Eltham and although the likes of Colm Culligan and Jason McCormick were well held, they still found avenues to goal through Sebastian Molloy, Aviela Choka, Declan Ayres and several others which will give the Panthers confidence that they can spread the load around when required.
Diamond Creek’s last-up performance against Banyule couldn’t have been more impressive, holding the Bears goalless for three quarters and cruising to a 67-point win.
Ewan Macpherson continues to stand out at this level and his three-goal performance against Banyule earned him nine Coaches MVP votes. Having him back in the mix alongside Jacob Booth, Joel Randall, Dale Marshall, Nicholas Barro and co. presents a number of players who need to be contained by the opposition.
This promises to be a terrific contest between two finals aspirants – you can catch all the action from The Northern Footy Show team on Local Sports Network on Saturday.
– NFNL Media
