By Stephen Walter
WARBURTON got off to a flying start kicking 7.4 to Silvan’s 2.1 in the first term and looked set for a comfortable day. Silvan slowly clawed its way back into the game with an outstanding performance from Owen Weatherley who ended the day with eight goals. Warby could thank its first quarter for the win as Silvan looked the better side in the last three quarters but the bad start most probably cost it the victory.
Warburton Millgrove 15.12.102 d Silvan 14.7.91
Best – Warburton: Michael Walker, Vincent Muccitelli, Shawn Andueza. Silvan: Dean Carswell, Owen Weatherley, Stephen Andrews.
Tight play saw a game with nothing in it all day. Monbulk had been brilliant of late as Healesville’s form went up and down. Monbulk would have been expected to win this game quite comfortably but the Bloods found some of their early-season form and almost pulled off a victory over one of the flag favourites. The sides may meet again in finals and if this game was any indication.
Monbulk 14.13.97 d Healesville 13.12.90
Best – Monbulk: Jared Devers, Shannon Koole, Michael Hughson. Healesville: Casey Adams, Beau Wilkinson, Matthew Fraraccio.
Wandin won its second game in a row with a come-from-behind victory over Alex, which looked the goods at half-time with a 14-point lead. But Wandin played a top third quarter with 7.3 to Alexandra’s two goals. Alex did outscore Wandin in the final term, five goals to four, but didn’t look in the hunt after half-time.
Wandin 18.17.125 d Alexandra 17.10.112
Best – Wandin: Adam Oxley, Andrew Goodwin, Mark Seeger. Alexandra: Brayden Norris, Luke Heard, Adam Oakley.
Woori held a 40-point lead at quarter-time and looked set for a percentage boost. But in the last three quarters Gembrook proved it could play some excellent footy and outscored Woori by one goal. Despite the disappointing last three quarters the tough game would have stood Worri in good stead come the finals.
Woori Yallock 19.15.129 d Gembrook Cockatoo 13.17.95
Best – Woori: Danny Ryan, Michael Riseley, Patrick Sharp. Gembrook: Andrew Shipp, Ricky Clark, Nathan Muratore.
Upwey stamped itself as the true flag favourite after an emphatic win over Mount Evelyn. Not only did it start with a 10-goal quarter but it finished full of running, kicking another 10 goals in the last. Wade Porter had a day out with 12 goals.
Upwey Tecoma 28.11.179 d Mount Evelyn 14.8.92
Best – Upwey: Wade Porter, Liam Burke, Lucas Matthews. Mount Evelyn: Cameron Buckland, Steven Tesoriero, Jon Dalton.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:DIVISION 2
Emerald never looked in trouble from the outset as it ran all over Powelltown with a great team performance. Powelltown did try hard but had no answers for a team that is priming itself for finals. Emerald finished the day with an eight-goal quarter to win comfortably and will be giving itself every chance in the finals.
Emerald 24.12.156 d Powelltown 10.6.66
Best – Emerald: Steven Wright, Thomas Williams, Kristian Fidanza. Powelltown: Russell Cowan, Luke Darwall, Lindon Walker.
For three quarters Yarra Glen was quite sharp and took it right up to Kinglake. Yarra Glen trailed by five goals at the last change before Kinglake kicked into action finishing the day with a superb 12-goal final term. Kinglake’s finish has been nothing short of brilliant, which should give it confidence when it finds itself behind, knowing it can come home with a flourish.
Kinglake 23.13.151 d Yarra Glen 8.5.53
Best – Kinglake: James Walker, Adam Butterworth, Jacob Sibenaler. Yarra Glen: Leigh Hoffman, David Watt, Ethan Shaw.
Yarra Junction bounced back after last week’s shock loss to Yarra Glen. Seville’s form had been all over the place of late and coming into finals with no consistency will be a worry. Junction held sway by only 13 points at half-time but its seven-goals-to-two third term put an end to any hope that Seville might have had. It’s hard to put a form line on Yarra Junction but if it plays at its best in the finals it could cause some damage.
Yarra Junction 15.11.101 d Seville 9.8.62
Best – Yarra Junction: Brad Charman, Daniel Edwards, Travis Barton. Seville: Mark Cerece, Leigh Aitkins, Dean Troyahn.
The battle for the wooden spoon appaers to have been decided with one game to go with Belgrave surrendering to Thornton Eildon. The game was no great spectacle and looked nothing more than what it was, a bottom-of-the-ladder clash.
Thornton Eildon 9.8.62 d Belgrave 6.10.46
Best – Thornton Eildon: Zachary Carden, Adam Mclean, Daniel Creed. Belgrave: David Bilston, Benjamin Harris, Tim Riley.
Olinda showed no mercy as it smashed a hapless Yea. Olinda had 16 separate goal scorers, 11 of them kicking two goals or more. Yea had only one goal scorer and both its goals were scored in the first quarter. Olinda will be hoping for a harder hit-out next week against Junction before beginning its assault on the flag.
Olinda Ferny Creek 38.15.243 d Yea 2.2.14
Best – Olinda: Benjamin Day, Michael Scott, Mark Stevens. Yea: Jake Connell, Patrick McKenna, Chris Graham.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:UNDER 18
Bad kicking is bad football and Emerald found that out as it kicked itself out of the game after half-time with 1.9. Powelltown took its opportunities in the second half, kicking 4.4 to continue a promising season.
Powelltown (D2) 8.9.57 d Emerald (D2) 5.15 45
Best – Powelltown: Jayden Mullan, Aaron Wilkes, Phillip Cowan. Emerald: Matthew Livermore, Kieren Roberts, Nicholas Lang.
Healesville secured a great come-from-behind win after being 21 points behind at the first change and had not kicked a goal. The Bloods kicked 11 goals to 5 after quarter-time to win an entertaining game.
Healesville (D1) 11.12.78 d Monbulk (D1) 9.8.62
Best – Healesville: Nick Wenhuda, Tom Costigan, Wade Samudi. Monbulk: Benjamin Bedford-Lee, Sam Whittington, Darcy Jones.
Gembrook came from behind to upset Woori Yallock by five points. Woori could manage only two behinds in the last quarter and although Gembrook kicked an inaccurate 2.5 it was enough for a heart-stopping win.
Gembrook Cockatoo (D1) 6.13.49 d Woori Yallock (D1) 6.8.44
Best – Gembrook: Jason Bova, David Cracknell, Damien Rozenboom.
Kinglake held a five-point lead at quarter-time but then Alexandra found its run and outscored Kinglake in each of the last three quarters, including a seven-goal last quarter.
Alexandra (D1) 17.15.117 d Kinglake (D2) 5.3.33
Best – Alexandra: Stephen Steiner, Nicholas Armstrong, Grant Halligan. Kinglake: Tyler McDonald, Thomas Sibinaler, John Burns.
Seville did not give Junction a look-in right from the outset. At quarter-time Junction had not scored and if not for some inaccurate kicking, the 31-point margin should have been greater. Junction did manage to score three after quarter-time but Seville slammed on another 14 to win handsomely.
Seville (D2) 18.19.127 d Yarra Junction (D2) 3.4.22
Best – Seville: Thomas Groen, Tim Nankervis, Michael Gavric. Yarra Junction: Elliott Chris, Devon Collins, Daniel Robert Beaven.
The Upwey Tecoma and Mount Evelyn clash was a close game right to the end with both teams giving it everything. Upwey had just a little more polish than Mount Evelyn, which eventually got it over the line.
Upwey Tecoma (D1) 11.13.79 d Mount Evelyn (D1) 9.9.63
Best – Upwey: Tom Barnard, Daniel Waters, Jackson Lucas, Mount Evelyn: Samuel Harrod, Callum Urquhart, Jayden Clarke.
Belgrave (D2) Bye.
