CAUGHT RED HANDED: Powelltown’s Billy Merrin rides Seville’s Sean Minetti in to the ground in full view of the umpire. By BEN O’BRIEN
THE completion of the Compass Group First Division home and away season was a microcosm of the year as a whole, with its share of upsets and tight results.
It saw Wandin cause the upset of the round (but fall short of a finals’ berth) and the raging flag favourites, Monbulk, get over the line by a solitary point, against a side that won’t even feature in finals this year.
The Bulldogs hosted Silvan, in the clash of sixth versus third, with Wandin having to win to keep their finals’ hopes alive. They managed it by one straight kick, 8.8 to 7.8, but, unfortunately for Dogs supporters, they also had to rely on Mt Evelyn knocking off formside Woori Yallock, a task that proved beyond the Rovers who went down by 34 points.
The younger legs of the Tigers are proving more than a handful for most sides at this late stage of the season, and when coupled with the experience of skipper Danny Ryan (another best on ground performance), Woori must fancy their chances in next week’s elimination final against UpweyTecoma.
The southern Tigers, won their first game in seven weeks, overcoming a determined WarburtonMillgrove, who were seeking to get off the bottom of the ladder and avoid possible relegation. Only three points separated the sides at the final break, and it was the home side that proved the steadier to run out 10point victors, 16.15 to 15.11. Brent Coviello, with four goals, was Upwey’s best, as his side regained some badly needed confidence going into the finals.
The other match with a bearing on relegation was between Belgrave and Healesville, with the Magpies looking to maintain their game, and their percentage break over Warburton. A 21point margin, in Healesville’s favour, was the result, with Belgrave surviving in first division for another season, and some of Healesville’s lesser lights getting a chance to prove themselves before their qualifying final this week against Silvan.
Ladder leaders Monbulk survived a brave comeback by GembrookCockatoo, who kicked five goals to one in the last quarter to fall short by a single point, 11.13 to 12.8. The Hawks have next week off, before fronting up to either Healesville or Silvan in the second semifinal.
Second division
THE CadburySchweppes finals series got underway last weekend in the Commodore Press Second Division, with OlindaFerny Creek doing battle with South Belgrave, and Powelltown clashing with Seville.
Perhaps surprisingly, both matches were blowouts in favour of the lower ranked sides. The Saints hit the ground running against Olinda, never letting the Bloods get settled, and didn’t stop running for the next two hours, comfortably accounting for Olinda (for the first time this season) by an even eight goals to move straight into the grand final. Olinda found South’s ‘ABCs’ difficult to master, with Apps stymieing any forward moves, Bakens and Burley controlling the forward line, and Condor getting the ball moving in the ruck.
The precise foot skills on display, combined with hard running and harassing from the Saints, all proved too much for an Olinda side that, on paper anyway, was one of the strongest to take the field this year.
It was a similar story at Healesville on Sunday, where Seville got on top of Powelltown in the second quarter, and went on with the job in the second half, running the Demons into the ground to eventually win by 57 points. Shaun Wilson and James Quilty each kicked four goals, often as a direct result of an imperious Dean Troyahn at centre half forward, whose constant leading, marking and spearing kicks into the 50 would have provided the Olinda players in attendance with plenty of food for thought.
Netball
THE Burras claimed the minor premiership in the Sticks Yarra Valley netball competition, defeating secondplaced Upwey Tecoma 26 to 19 both sides will meet in this week’s second semifinal. In the remaining match, Monbulk showed a welcome return to form, getting over GembrookCockatoo 35 to 16 (Renee Dekker 22 goals).
Finals Division One
Saturday at Gembrook: Healesville v Silvan.
Sunday at Healesville: Upwey v Woori.
Division Two
Saturday at Warburton: Olinda v Seville.
