WE have been spoilt by the football that has been produced in 2014 and the final fortnight is poised to thrill us even further as five sides battle it out for the final three places in the top five.
The minor premiership may well be decided in Round 17, with ladder-leader Greensborough travelling to Warringal Park to face fellow 12-3 side Heidelberg. The Boro have a massive percentage advantage over the Tigers and an away win would clinch first place at season’s end.
Greensborough recorded a comfortable 49-point win over Eltham last Saturday, where Robert Hyde’s team contained the Panthers to just three goals. The Boro’s 11 goals were booted by just three players, with competition leading goal kicker Tim Bongetti bagging six in a best afield display, and Rhys Boyden another four.
Heidelberg came from the clouds to win a four-point thriller over West Preston-Lakeside at J.E. Moore Park. The Tigers booted only two majors in the opening two and half quarters and trailed by more than four goals. However two late goals in the third and a six-goal final term enabled the Tigers to prevail with captain Jason Kennedy and Jordan Treloar both instrumental.
It’s 5th v 6th when Lower Plenty hosts West Preston-Lakeside, where the loser will struggle to see finals action despite spending much of the second half of the season inside the top five.
Heavily undermanned without Darcy Barden, Matt Vasilevski, Campbell Brown and Josh Turner, the Bears were gallant in a 34-point defeat at Montmorency last week. An upset looked on the cards as they for the opening three quarters, before fading in the last. Will Morley was prolific in the midfield, while Cameron Elmore and Chas Bromley played great lock-down roles on Pat Fitzgerald and Ryan Jackson.
With two away games to finish off the season, the Roosters are now outsiders to play finals and will still be ruing last week’s fadeout loss. Returning back to the team, Michael Tilmouth-Turner was one of his side’s best against the Tigers, while Glenn Robertson booted five goals.
Bundoora slipped to seventh place on the ladder following its third successive home loss and must now rely on other results to fall their way to defend their premiership and compete in a 14th consecutive finals series. The Bulls now play their final home game of the season when they host Northcote Park.
In Neil Gloury’s 250th club game, the Bulls fast finish fell six points short against Macleod last weekend. They did lead by one point at half time, before conceding six goals in the third term. Trailing by 33 points in the last, the Bulls kicked the final four goals of the game but their run was left too late.
Northcote Park won its second consecutive match when it overran Whittlesea to win by 21 points. The Cougars raced to a 23-point quarter-time lead, before falling a goal down at the last change. However, a five-goal to one last term sealed a sixth victory of the year, with Doug Morris and Ben McNiece playing great games, while Ben Irving kicked three goals.
Macleod jumped back into fourth place and has its destiny in its own hands with two home games to close out the regular season, beginning this Saturday against Eltham. Key players Hamish Paynter, Cathal Corr and Chris Long all led the way in last week’s win, where six different players booted multiple goals. It was an important result for Garry Ramsay’s side following consecutive close losses.
Despite a good recent record at J.E. Moore Park, Eltham never threatened Greensborough in Round 16 but may be buoyed by close showings over Macleod in recent years. Skipper Gavan Connelly was best last Saturday, while Billy Glasgow firmed further as favourite for the club’s best and fairest.
Still a mathematical chance to avoid relegation, Whittlesea will be firmly disappointed with its final term against Northcote Park and will have its work cut out in Round 17 when it hosts resurgent Montmorency. Andrew Fairchild was superb with six goals last week, while Lucas Hobbs had a strong outing.
The Magpies have worked their way into third place on the back of four successive wins and will now fancy their chances of earning a double chance come September. A nine-goal to one final term clinched victory against Lower Plenty last week, with Harley Ryan and Ryan Willits (four goals) enjoying big outings.
