For the first time since 2019, Whittlesea have won seven consecutive matches in the MC Labour Division 2 competition after defeating South Morang by seven points at Mill Park Lakes Reserve.
The Eagles were in front for the majority of the afternoon and led by as much as 21 points midway through the final term. Despite a late push from the Lions, who kicked the last two majors of the game, it was too little too late, with the visitors finishing 9.12 (66) to 8.11 (59) winners.
It was a professional showing from the Eagles as some of their big names stood up to challenge their opponents.
Thomas Falls showed his class yet again for Whittlesea, as his contested ball work and drive through the middle kept his side in control of the contest.
The early parts of Whittlesea’s success came from Taidhg Bland with his lace out kicking. The midfielder continued his efficiency throughout the match, setting up multiple scoring opportunities for the away side as a result.
Down back, they were in good hands as Mitchell Andrews and Josh Eid provided great stability for the eventual winners. With Andrews’ run and carry from the back end of the ground and Eid’s composure in some key moments, the duo proved be pivotal in the Eagles’ triumph.
The Lions still saw terrific contributions from multiple players despite suffering their second straight loss, headlined by Tyrone Leonardis who is starting to be one of the most influential players in this year’s campaign.
His creativity off half back saw him hit multiple targets through the middle of the ground with his booming left foot, while his ability to produce pressure acts and one percenters kept South Morang in the hunt.
Tye Hall and Bailey Brown provided a great amount of grunt through the middle, the pair help set chances up for forward Joshua Lansfield, who in his first senior game of the season, slotted two majors.
Mitchell Kalpakis continued his good form with another solid display down back, while Paul Sidhu kept Eagles forward Riley Powell, who was fresh off a five-goal effort last week, to just one major for the match.
Garry Ramsay’s men started well and kicked the first goal of the match inside the opening two minutes. A second would come moments later through Harry Beattie who nailed an excellent set shot from the boundary.
The visitors were looking much stronger in the contest and had the game on their terms early before the Lions eventually found the scoreboard thanks to Kyle Wheatley.
Lansfield then got in on the act and converted a set shot opportunity to see his side trail by just one-point, and it looked as though the hosts were starting to swing the momentum to their favour.
But that was shut down quickly by Powell, who nailed his set shot from outside 50.
Whittlesea owned the last five minutes of the term, creating plenty of scoring opportunities, but they were unable to make the most of their chances, and went into the quarter time break leading by only nine points.
Gary Hall’s men knew they had to respond in a big way if they were to gain any ascendancy, and they looked intent on doing just that to start the second term.
But like the Eagles moments before, South Morang could only muster behinds, kicking three of them inside the first two minutes of the quarter.
The inaccuracy would hurt the Lions, as the first goal of the term went to the visitors, who extended their lead to 12.
In need of the next goal, the Lions’ James Hewson returned to the side and took his moment brilliantly from the pocket, curling through a major.
The next ten minutes would see both sides kick two behinds apiece, with neither team able to wrestle control of the game before two goals in a one-minute blitz put South Morang in front for the first time in the match.
However, their advantage lasted only three minutes, as a late Eagles major restored the visitors’ lead, albeit by two points, at half time.
After each side exchanged goals to start the third term, Whittlesea captain Xavier Dimasi stood tall with an excellent contested mark on the paint of 50, which he would slot through to make it an eight-point ball game.
The margin would be pushed out to 15 points by three quarter time after Khaled El-Leissy kicked his first goal of the season, putting the away side in a good position approaching the final term.
Having kicked the opening goal of each quarter so far, Whittlesea continued the trend in the last term to extend their advantage to a game-high 21 points, seemingly taking the sting and intensity out of the match.
As time-on came in the quarter, South Morang found a second wind in an attempt to produce an unlikely comeback.
Both Lachlan Potter and Mathew Robinson converted set shots to close the gap to eight points with only minutes remaining, but the Eagles had done the damage earlier in the term to ensure their unbeaten streak in 2024 continues.
