Favourites hold sway

By Ben O’Brien,
LAST weekend saw a return to typical winter weather for the YVMDFL, and it was reflected in some scores that were more in keeping with soccer scores than AFL.
There is a theory that wet weather narrows the gap between sides, but with one possible exception, the results in the first division went the favourites’ way, and all four in the second division were won by the side higher on the ladder.
The two games with the narrowest margins were the two games with the lowest aggregate score. Mt Evelyn defeated Wandin by four points, 2.9 to 2.5, to keep the Rovers very faint finals’ hopes alive, and to make Wandin’s task even more difficult.
Yarra Junction survived a danger game against finals’ aspirant Seville, getting over the line 4.8 to 3.7.
In the remaining matches across both divisions, comfortable victories were recorded. Silvan held Olinda goal-less all day, kicking 15.16 to 0.4, with Kit Dale receiving best on ground honours; Woori Yallock (10.17) were too good for Belgrave (2.1); it took Healesville three quarters to subdue Gembrook-Cockatoo, before they kicked five goals to one to run out 49 point winners (Jye Conrau 6 goals); Monbulk managed to keep Upwey goal-less after halftime, to assert their dominance at the top of the table with a 65 point win, 11.19 (85) to 3.2 (20).
The ladder now sees the top five teams unchanged from last round, and time is rapidly running out for those sides ranked sixth and below to figure in finals’ action this year. The game of the round this week (on paper at least) should be the battle of fifth (Woori) against fourth (Silvan).
The remaining three games in second division also saw comfortable victories to South Belgrave over Yarra Glen (17.15 to 3.7) and Alexandra over Emerald (27.11 to 8.11 – Len Jenkins 6 goals).
The much anticipated top-of-the-table clash between Thornton-Eildon and Warburton-Millgrove saw the visitors prevail to keep their undefeated record intact, 14.7 to 7.11, and 10 goals from Vincent Muccitelli sees him still on track to surpass 150 goals for the year.
Top two clashes weren’t exclusively the preserve of football, with Monbulk hosting Upwey in Division 1 A Grade of the Sticks netball competition, and the Tigers inflicted their hosts’ first defeat of the year, 18 to 15. Bearing in mind that Upwey came with a late rush last year to claim the premiership, they could now be on track to repeat the dose in about two months.
Healesville kept in touch with the top two, defeating Gembrook 41 to 19, as did Woori Yallock, 42-24 over Belgrave, while Silvan notched their second victory of the year, beating Olinda 27 to 18. Sixth-placed Wandin narrowed the gap to fifth place, as they defeated the current occupiers of that position, Mt Evelyn, 19 to 17, but the Rovers still hold a two-game break, with six rounds remaining.
The ladder in second division A Grade looks almost as settled, with a four game margin between fourth and fifth, but there is likely to be some shuffling of positions ion the top four before the season is out. With Yarra Junction having the bye, Alexandra moved one game closer with a 42 to 18 win over Emerald – the Eagles host Alex this week, after the two sides drew at their previous encounter earlier this year.
South Belgrave prevailed over a determined Yarra Glen, 32 to 24, while Thornton-Eildon swapped ladder positions with Warburton, after defeating the Burras by the narrowest possible margin.
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