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By Ben O’Brien
THE YVMDFL season got under way in earnest on the weekend and, almost on cue, the rain started as well. Most games went according to plan with the favourites victorious, but there were a couple of interesting results in both football divisions that (hopefully) augur well for a competitive season.
In the Compass Group Division One grand final replay, Monbulk hosted Upwey, and the result was similar to the last time they met – Monbulk by 67 points. The returning Jarrod Clarke kicked six goals for the Hawks, in an even team performance, rendered more so by the players missing from the lineup, including coach Chris Hughson.
The Tigers could only manage 6 goals for the day, with V. Muccitelli kicking three of them and Eamonn Keogh Upwey’s best. Their road doesn’t get any easier, with Upwey hosting Silvan this week.
The Cats are coming off a similarly impressive victory, defeating Healesville 16.17 (113) to 8.4 (52) at the Colchester Road Reserve. The margin could have been greater, but for a 4.14 to 5.1 scoreline at the long break. However, Silvan kicked 12.3 to 3.3 in the second half to snuff out any challenge by the Bloods.
The Bomber Brotherhood (Haynes, Henneman and Moorcroft) kicked 12 goals between them, with Rhett Newell also having a good day. For Healesville, recruit Clint Barclay and youngster Peter Monk battled hard all day, and the team has a week to re-group before hosting a refreshed Wandin this Saturday.
Warburton resumed the 2007 season where they left off, accounting for Olinda-Ferny Creek by 97 points, with a forward (D. Hewitt) kicking seven goals. Mick Walker led from the front all day, while the Olinda side will clearly take a little time to settle, with a number of new players in the senior squad.
The final match saw Mt Evelyn upset Gembrook on their own paddock, by a narrow margin of seven points. The Brookers may have kicked themselves out of it with a 6.16 scoreline, but that would be selling the Rovers short, as they took a one-point lead into 3/4 time and held on to outscore their hosts in the last term. Jon Dalton and Luke Jones were best for the victors, while Robins was best for Gembrook.
The second round of the Commodore Press Division 2 action saw Alexandra record their first win of the season, at South Belgrave. The Rebels really weren’t headed all day, and the margin could have been greater, but for some ordinary kicking 12.20 to 6.11.
Cavill, Ward, Heyes and McKeon all kicked two goals, while Kayne Davies was BOG.
Winless after two rounds, the Saints will be hoping for a change in fortune next week, when they travel down the road to Emerald, who undertook the road trip to Thornton on Saturday in a tough 2007 opener for the club.
The Bombers actually led by 2 points at half time, but they could only manage two goals in the second half, while the Shinboners kicked nine to run out winners, 18.17 to 9.8. The win sees Thornton on top of the ladder, along with the other undefeated side, Yarra Junction.
The Eagles knocked over Seville by 50 points, with Tyson Wheeler kicking seven goals in a best-on-ground performance.
Junction host Belgrave next week, who fought out an entertaining draw with Yarra Glen, with both sides finishing locked together on 13.10 apiece when the final siren sounded. The Magpies took a three-goal lead into the final term, but the expanses of Don Rd took their toll on the side, which could only manage two more goals, while the Thunder finished full of running with 4.6.
Veteran Andy Goodwin kicked three and was best for Yarra Glen, while Handfield recorded similar stats for Belgrave, in a result that will give some heart to the rest of the division.
In the Sticks Yarra Valley netball competition, a full complement of matches in the A Grade saw Monbulk set the tone for the day, accounting for Upwey 35 goals to 23 (Amy Belton 32); Mt Evelyn had too much firepower for Gembrook, winning 68 to 2 (Simone Piper 51 goals); Warburton did a similar number on Olinda, 58 to 12 (Courtney McDonald 24 goals); while Healesville became the third side to rack up 50-plus goals, this time over Silvan, 52 to 14 (Cassie Young 22 goals).
In the B Grade, Emerald got away to a good start and kept going to upset Thornton-Eildon 25 to 20 (Bev White 13 goals) while Alexandra defeated South Belgrave 41 to 18. The ladder sees the rebels on top, undefeated in their two games to date.
