MPNFL

DIVISION ONE

AFTER coming off a win against Red Hill last week, Rosebud faced Dromana at home on Saturday.

It was never going to be their day, with Dromana quick out of the blocks, slotting 3.3 to four single points for Rosebud by quarter time.

Dromana went hard in the second quarter, piling on another seven goals to Rosebud’s solitary major to be 53 points up at the main break.

It was pedestrian for Dromana from then on, maintaining the margin through to the final siren with a 60-point win 14.9 to 4.9.

Red Hill have yet to notch up a win for 2023, after going down to Mt Eliza by 65 points on Saturday.

It was a clinical exercise for the Redlegs.

While there were only 15 points in it at quarter time, Mt Eliza put the thumb screws on Red Hill in the second quarter to have a 41-point lead at the main break.

Red Hill were never in it and with the final score 13.16 to 4.5, they must be contemplating a difficult 2023 season.

Sorrento were coming off a loss last week to Frankston YCW when they came up against Pines this week.

The Pythons came out swinging in the first quarter with eight scoring shots to two. Inaccuracy in front of the sticks spoke of a lost opportunity as Pines went into the first quarter with only an 11-point lead.

The Sharks, slow in the water for the first quarter, picked up the pace in the second, slotting four majors. Pines managed five scoring shots, but while the Sharks hit the middle every time, inaccuracy in front meant they were only two points up at half time.

By the three-quarter break, Sorrento had managed to get their noses in front with a single point lead.

In the final quarter, Sorrento managed to pull away and at the final siren held on with a six point margin. Although Pines had 26 scoring shots for the day compared to Sorrento’s 17, Sorrento’s accuracy saw them with a final score of 13.4 (82) to Pines’ 10.16 (76).

Leigh Poholke was the standout goal kicker for Sorrento with five majors.

Bonbeach hit the road to Langwarrin to take on the Kangaroos.

Having played in the Grand Final last year, Bonbeach had yet to notch a win for the season. But either had Langwarrin who went into the match with a loss and a draw to their name.

It was all tied up at quarter time, 16 points each. It was only in the second quarter that Langwarrin started to show their dominance on the scoreboard, slotting three goals to one for the quarter. They went into the big break with a 14-point lead.

After half time, the Kangaroos put their feet to the floor and punched on nine goals to Bonbeach’s two in what was to prove a game winning quarter.

The status quo remained in the final quarter with both teams slotting three majors each. When the final siren came, the scores were 17.14 (116) to Langwarrin and 8.10 (58) for Bonbeach.

The best goal kickers for Langwarrin were Harrison Paul with five, Matthew Peynenborg with four and Sean Herdman with three.

Wrapping up the Anzac round was the local derby between Frankston Bombers and Frankston YCW.

Frankston Bombers came out strongly against last year’s Premiers and ladder leaders. They had an impressive nine scoring shots to three in the first quarter, but inaccuracy left them with only a six-point margin at the first break.

The Stonecats managed to claw back in the second half to have it all tied up at 32 points each at the big break.

The third quarter was a war of attrition, as each team slogged it out in a back-and-forth affair that saw no change in the scoreboard.

It was only in the final quarter that Frankston YCW drilled down against the Bombers to show why they are the best team in the league again in 2023. In a free-flowing quarter, the Stonecats added eight goals, while restricting the Bombers to five.

The final score ended up in Frankston YCW’s favour 12.13 (85) to 9.11 (65).

DIVISION TWO

IT’S been a lean few years for the Crib Point seniors. They finished bottom of the ladder last year notching up two wins. But after a stunning first round in 2023, the belief is back, and anything could happen in 2023.

Rye, on the other hand, has had a terrible start to 2023. Yet to get a win, they have taken the Magpie’s spot as the division’s cellar-dwellers.

Things were only going to get worse for the Demons on Saturday as Crib Point undertook a systematic dismantling of Rye throughout the day.

The Magpies got off to a flying start, slotting eight goals to two in the first quarter to go into the first break with a 36-point lead.

Rye managed four majors in the second quarter to bring Crib Point’s lead back to 30 points at the main break.

The third quarter, Crib Point put Rye to the sword, kicking nine goals to three and opening up a 70-point lead by three quarter time.

The Magpies kept the Demons goalless in the final and finished up dishing out a 93-point drubbing with the final score 23.16 (154) to 9.7 (61).

Crib Point must be feeling like the tide has turned for them, while it looks like nothing short of an exorcism will save the Demons in 2023.

Chelsea hit the road and headed to Karingal for their Saturday game, fresh off a nice win over Somerville last week.

Karingal had yet to lose a match in their first two rounds with one win and one match abandoned due to the injury of ruckman Reuben Hanson.

It was close in the first quarter with Karingal seven points up at the first break. They applied some more pressure in the second and third quarters, going to the breaks 16 points and 18 points up.

In the final quarter, Karingal restricted Chelsea to a single major and managed to move away to notch up a 29-point win. The final score was 9.14 (68) to 4.15 (39).

Edithvale-Aspendale were fresh off a loss last week when they came up against Seaford Tigers on Saturday.

They weren’t going to make the same mistake twice, and they came out firing in the first quarter. In fact, it was pretty much all over by quarter time as they slotted 8.2 to a single major for Seaford Tigers. That’s a 44-point lead by quarter time!

The Tigers tried in the second with an impressive nine scoring shots in the quarter, but with seven of them going through for minor scores, they couldn’t make a dent on Edi-Asp’s lead. It was 50 points at the big break.

The Eagles continued to apply more pressure in the third quarter to take the lead out to 64 points at the three-quarter break and bought it home in the final for a drubbing.

The final score was Edi-Asp 18.12 (120) to Seaford Tiger’s 6.11 (47).

Kurt Lo Po was the leading goal kicker for the victors with seven goals.

Tyabb and Hastings were both coming into this week’s round with a loss last week. Tyabb have struggled over the last few years but, like Crib Point, had started 2023 with an inspiring win.

Saturday turned out to be a walk in the park for the Yabbies as Hastings failed to put up any real resistance.

Held scoreless in the first quarter, and only managing two points in the second, Tyabb went off for the main break 9.8 (62) to 0.2 (2).

Hastings managed to get a couple of majors on the board in the third, but it was too little, too late and Tyabb extended their lead to 78 points by three-quarter time.

Both teams managed to score four goals in the final terms, but the Yabbies had it in the bag and hit the showers 78-point winners.

Among a raft of goal kickers, Jake Anderson was the best for Tyabb with six.

On paper, Somerville and Pearcedale looked evenly matched. And the scoreboard reflected that all day.

Somerville went into the first break with a six-point lead and the main break with a 13-point lead.

The Dales were never out of it and back and forth in the third saw them two straight kicks down at three quarter time.

They managed to peg it back a little in the final term but fell nine points short, with the Eagles running out winners.

The final match of the round was a see-sawing affair between Devon Meadows and Mornington.

Mornington got the best start with seven scoring shots to three in the first quarter giving them a nine-point lead at the break.

Devon Meadows found the middle of the sticks five times in the second to edge ahead by three points at half time.

The third quarter should have seen the Panthers run away with it. They had eight scoring shots to three but put six of them through for minor scores. So, despite all the effort, they went into three quarter time still with only a three-point lead.

Mornington managed to grind back against Devon Meadows in the last and got their noses in front. When the final siren came, the Bulldogs were just five points up, but it was enough to get the chocolates.

First published in the Mornington News – 25 April 2023