Springbank 17.8 (110) d Learmonth 11.10 (76)
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By John McGregor
Springbank put the hammer down and got the job done against a plucky Learmonth side on Saturday.
The Tigers ran out 33-point winners, but were challenged by the Lakies right to the final term.
Scoreboard pressure from the Tigers was spearheaded by Paul O’Shea and Michael Searl, who booted 10 goals between them.
O’Shea also threatened to kick a whole lot more, but generously shared the ball around other teammates.
Not surprisingly, he was man of the match and was in good company with standout performances by ruckman David Wall, Chris Graham, Billy Driscoll, Sam Cue and Brett Maher.
There were signs that the Springbank line-up is finally firing with the coach Troy Beamond commenting on some highlights.
“You can see light at the end of the tunnel,” Beamond said tongue-in-cheek.
“Have a look at the players today. Chris Graham is playing just his third game for the club…he’s getting better each week. Paul O’Shea is getting better every week.
“Even blokes like Sammy Cue and Justin Simpson, who have all missed a lot of footy with injury, are making great comebacks. As these players get back and have more run in their legs, we’ll get much better.”
Learmonth held its own in the first quarter and was just two points down starting the second term.
But the momentum of the first term evaporated as the Tigers piled on seven majors and amassed a four-goal lead at half time.
It was a gallant effort by the Lakies to claw their way back to a two-point deficit in the third.
A quick goal at the start of the final quarter was promising, but then Springbank steamrolled them six goals to one.
The Lakies firepower came from coach Nick Willox with three majors, as well as Tony Zelencich and Brenton Powell with two apiece.
Powell was best for Learmonth and other solid efforts came from Jason Rae, Dylan Page, Vincent White and Michael Zelencich.
Willox cited lack of experience as the reason for the final term fadeout.
“We got ahead at the start of the last quarter. But then we probably lacked that experience in the last half to steady, win the footy and take control,” Willox said.
Saturday’s win ended Springbank’s two-game losing sequence and has left the side sixth on the Central Highlands Football League ladder.
The GJ Gardner Tigers are just percentage behind Learmonth, which is fifth.
After the Queen’s birthday long weekend break, the Tigers will come up against reigning premiers Hepburn, while the Lakies have a battle with top side Newlyn.
Beaufort 10.11 (71) d Hepburn 10.9 (69)
By Tim O'Connor
It doesn’t take away all of the pain of last year’s grand final defeat, but Beaufort claimed an element of revenge with a two-point triumph in Saturday’s rematch with Hepburn.
After the Burras jumped the Crows in the first term with some red-hot intensity, the hosts quickly settled and had stolen the lead by half time.
But from there, there was really little in the contest.
Both sides had shares of the lead at different stages during the afternoon, with the Crows holding a slim advantage at the final change.
And after a frantic start to the last term where there was little scoring, a forward thrust by Beaufort ended in Jack Duke handpassing to an unmarked Tim Haase, who poked through what proved to be the winner in added time.
There was a spirited celebration by the Crows when the final siren sounded and a rousing rendition of the club song followed.
Beaufort coach Rohan Brown praised the efforts of his players, but highlighted the first quarter as a concern.
“It is probably the second week in a row that we have started like it, which is really disappointing. And they (Hepburn) were terrific,” Brown said.
“It is pleasing (the win), but as a coach you always look for improvement and improvement needs to come from the group and they’ve recognised that, especially early.”
During the quarter time break, Brown gave his players a verbal spray, which might have been what they needed. After that, the Crows quickly eroded the 24-point deficit to be in front by mid-way through the second term.
Beaufort's triumph was set up by some big efforts from onballers Daniel Venditti, Tom Stapleton, Michael Foster, Nick Sullivan and Rupert Sangster, Haase proved a handful in attack with three majors and Jake Garvey was a leader in defence.
For Hepburn, Izaac Grant showed his endless promise with a bag of seven majors, including an unforgettable checkside from deep in the pocket during the second term.
Burras coach Segifili Asa Leausa said given his side had led until late in the clash, it was a hard result to take.
“Obviously in the last five minutes it felt like we lost the game a little bit…,” he said.
“Having a win that close and to then get taken away from you in the last couple of minutes in heart-wrenching, but we are a really positive side… we take great confidence out of this game.”
Brown said Duke has a hamstring issue to deal with during the break, which will be a little longer than anticipated given he accepted a two-week suspension for his language towards an umpire.
Bungaree 22.17 (149) d Carngham-Linton 2.0 (12)
By Tim O'Connor
Bungaree showed no mercy against a disappointing Carngham-Linton outfit on Saturday, smashing the Saints by 137 points.
Demons coach Heath Pyke said it was a classy display from his side, which only conceded two goals for the afternoon.
And it wasn’t star forward Luke Mirtschin that did the damage for the hosts, with 11 individual goal-kickers in the win. Mirtschin managed just one major as Scott Mann (four), David Benson, Cameron Jackson and Joel Mahar (all three) led the way.
Mann and Mahar were among the stars in the engine room for Bungaree, which sits inside the top eight heading into the long weekend break.
“We found plenty of other avenues to goal without having to be reliant on Luke Mirtschin to a kick a bag,” Pyke, who returned to the team for his first senior match since round one, said.
There wasn’t too many highlights for Carngham-Linton, which only managed to hit the scoreboard through Harrison Peoples and Justin O'’Brien.
Tom Sarah was named best for the Saints, which are 15th on the table with just one win in 2018.
After the break, Carngham-Linton is scheduled for its first home game of the year at Snake Valley, where it will take on Gordon.
Bungaree is poised to meet Clunes in round nine.
Gordon 13.17 (95) d Creswick 8.7 (55)
By Tim O'Connor
Gordon strung together its third win in succession with a 40-point triumph against Creswick.
Mark Gunnell was named the Eagles’ best in his return from suspension, while Adam Toohey kicked four goals in the win at home.
For Creswick, Liam Blake had a big day with four majors to be the side’s standout performer.
Buninyong 21.17 (143) d Skipton 6.8 (44)
By Tim O'Connor
Sam Cooper and Isaac Baker booted seven goals each in Buninyong's 99-point win over Skipton on Saturday.
Bombers coach Jarrod Morgan was named best in the victory, which was set up with a nine-goals-to-one opening term.
For Skipton, defender Josh Draffin tried hard, while Curtis Townrow booted three majors.
Waubra 12.9 (81) d Dunnstown 9.11 (65)
By David Bilbrough
Waubra moved a game clear in third place on the Central Highlands Football League ladder, overcoming Dunnstown by 16 points in a thriller on Saturday.
Trailing by four points at the six-minute mark of the last term, Roos big man Jonathon Neville hauled in a couple of telling marks and then kicked the sealer from the top of the arc in just his second game since breaking his wrist in round one.
“To have him back in our side is very important and he and Dean Robertson up front gives us a pretty good look,” winning coach Matt James said.
“For the first three quarters I felt we were in a winning position. We probably got out of jail a little bit, but to hold on, grit it out and get through was pleasing.”
Waubra dominated the centre clearances in a six-goal first quarter. Geordie Lukich's sublime ruck work created opportunities for Jarred Crabtree and Travis Parsons, before Dunnstown's Peter McGettigan opened the home team's account with a clever snap.
The ever-improving Towners briefly hit the lead after a Waubra infringement took Matt Auchettl to the goal line and Mike Archer sharked the pack before three goals in time on to the Roos set up a good lead at the first change.
Once again, Dunnstown showed it can match it with the best, the intensity lifting after quarter-time as they out-tackled the Roos 67-57 by the game's end.
“That's the highest it has been all year and, look, we clearly out-worked them in contested footy and we won the clearances after quarter time, so if we can find a way to grind out four quarters I can't wait to play these (top four) sides again in the back half of the year,” said an optimistic Dunnstown coach Justin Abrams.
Vice-Captain Sam Jenkins was brilliant again for the hosts, as was Matt Bulluss and Jackson Brown.
But it was power forward McGettigan who led the way with a game-high five goals. He marked everything, booting a double hat-trick to be his team’s only goal scorer for the second and third terms as the hosts closed the gap to just seven points at the final break.
Two crucial tackles swung the game to the home side early in the last term.
Mitch Henderson injured his arm wrapping up a Roo in the middle of the ground. Unable to take his kick, teammate Nick English made no mistake from just inside the 50m arc and the Towners trailed by just two points.
Dunnstown then hit the front after Auchettl kicked truly after another crunching tackle, before Waubra's Nathan Waterson's scrambled goal regained the lead and set the scene for Neville's last-quarter heroics.
Daylesford 13.13 (91) d Clunes 7.8 (50)
By Brendan Wrigley
A second term Daylesford blitz proved the difference at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon as the Bulldogs made it two from two over a winless Clunes outfit.
On a perfect day for football it was the visitors who landed the early blows, ramming home four unanswered majors thanks to some efficient foot skills.
However in the second quarter Daylesford’s classier ball users such as Xavier Walsh and Dylan Muscat were able to find more of the ball as the hosts piled on six unanswered goals to hit the lead.
The Magpies managed to draw first blood after the main break, but this would be their only major for the quarter as the hosts efficiency out of the stoppages translated into scoring opportunities.
While a shootout early in the final term provided some spark for spectators, the result was all-but decided as the Bulldogs finished comfortable 41-point victors.
Joel Cummings, Emlyn Nettleton and Muscat looked consistently dangerous for the Bulldogs, while Conor Hatfield and Luke Davidson were among the better contributors for Clunes.
Ballan 10.10 (70) d Rokewood-Corindhap 10.6 (66)
By Tim O'Connor
Ballan coach Jason McNamara is a relieved man after his side broke through for its first victory of the season on Saturday.
The Blues’ four-point triumph over Rokewood-Corindhap leaves Clunes as the only winless team in the competition after eight rounds.
McNamara said it was great for his boys to get some reward for effort, with the victory coming on the back of a humiliating defeat at the hands of Waubra the week before.
Missing key onballer Darren Tanti with a hamstring issue, the likes of Sam Sher and Harley Bongart played well in the middle for Ballan, while forward Brody Richie kicked four goals in front of home fans.
Rokewood-Corindhap was without star onballer Sam Chapman due to a calf problem and rated Troy McLaughlin as best for his tagging job on McNamara.
Ballan is 16th on the ladder, two spots behind the Grasshoppers.