FOOTBALL

NORTH GIPPSLAND

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

COMPETITIVE matches couldn’t last longer than a week in the North Gippsland Football-Netball League senior competition.

The total margin across the five matches that made up Round 7 was 525 points.

Only two games were of much note.

As such, it’s already apparent that only six teams will be fancying finals by season’s end.

 

Heyfield 17.16 (118) def YYN 12.8 (80)

MADE to work for the home victory, Heyfield eventually took down Yallourn Yallourn North, 17.16 (118) to 12.8 (80).

Out at Gordon Street Reserve, the visiting Jets quickly jumped out of the gate with the first three majors, including debutant Ryan Davis scoring his first senior goal.

The Kangaroos’ Mitch Bennett then put it into his own hands, converting on consecutive goals to trail by just two points.

Josh Keyhoe then pinched another for YYN, seeing the visitors lead by eight points at the first break.

Heyfield returned from the break with a vengeance, owning the second quarter, including the first four goals of the term.

One of those majors came from Harry Tatterson, who returned for the Kangaroos after making his VFL debut for Casey the week before.

Reversing their early misfortunes to lead by 18 points after a another goal for young Phoenix Cox, son of former Hawthorn player Adrian (who coaches Heyfield Under 18s), YYN playing co-coach Dean MacDonald booted his first late in the first half.

The halftime score read 53-29 Heyfield’s way.

Bennett etched the opening goal of the third quarter for the Kangaroos, only for the Jets to respond with consecutive majors to cut the deficit to seven points.

Kyle Graham then produced two through the big sticks for Heyfield, in between teammate Shaun Humphreys’ major and another Jets score, as the final break arrived with the home side ahead by 18 points.

Much to the same as what had occurred throughout the rest of the match, Bennett opened the fourth quarter with another goal to extend the Kangaroos lead.

While MacDonald answered for YYN, Liam Heasley and Jack Challands doubled in response for Heyfield, which made up part of a five goal to one run for the Kangaroos to end.

Tatterson couldn’t be stopped in the blue and white, while Tom Marchesi, Tyler Anderson, Challands, Caleb Ronan and Tyson Birss also performed well for Heyfield.

Jai Massese, Campbell MacInnes, Cody MacDonald and Lachlan Little were best for the Jets, along with Keyhoe and Dean MacDonald with four goals apiece.

 

Churchill 14.15 (99) def Glengarry 11.9 (75)

NEEDING to turn it on in the fourth quarter, Churchill got it done late against Glengarry, 14.15 (99) to 11.9 (75).

At Fred King Oval, the visiting Cougars started red hot with the opening four goals of the match.

After establishing a 24-1 lead through the first 10 minutes, momentum drastically shifted, with the Magpies responding even better with the next five goals through to the end of the term.

Churchill nabbed the next two majors as the second quarter opened, only for Glengarry to secure three of the next four to enter halftime ahead, 53-49.

Despite the fair conditions, scoring became less prominent as the second half came.

Each side split with two goals apiece during the third quarter, lastly with Glengarry’s Andrew May adding his third of the day thus far to trail by a point heading into the final term.

A win was required by any means for Churchill, positioned outside the top five heading in, and the Cougars finally rose in estimation with five of the six goals in the last quarter.

The winners had four players with two or more goals, including playing coach Chris Williams with three.

Jordan Fenech, Hayden Weir, Nathan McRae, Jye Williams, Travis Nash and Matthew Portelli were other standouts for Churchill.

Michael Ryan, Kade Marsh, Austin Blackford, Ewan Williams, Thomas Harris and Andrew May were best for Glengarry.

 

Cowwarr 29.22 (196) def Sale City 4.6 (30)

COWWARR tallied its best scoring output and overall win of the season over Sale City.

The Saints were world’s apart their opponent, winning 29.22 (196) to 4.6 (30) at Cowwarr Recreation Reserve.

In a matchup between first and last on the ladder heading into the game, while the result was clear, the manner in which Cowwarr dominated may have provided some surprise.

The home side jumped out to a seven-goal lead at the first break, which then turned into a near 70-point halftime margin.

The Saints then added 10 goals to nothing in the third quarter alone, followed by five of six goals in the final term.

Cowwarr key forward Keenan Hughes had seven majors in the second half alone for a total bag of 12 and a best-on-ground performance, followed by Tristen Waack (four), Sam Hallyburton, Nick Twomey (two), Goanar Ruach (four) and Jake Brown.

Riley Mizzi, Sam Treglown, Hudson Tollner, Joel Gray, Bailey Harrison and Jaxsyn Whitehill were listed as Sale City’s best.

Cowwarr currently sit with an unbeaten 7-0 win-loss record for a percentage of 358. Meanwhile, the Saints reserves side are at 604 and Heyfield’s reserves in second with an insane percentage of 1146.

 

Rosedale 28.18 (186) def TTU 1.3 (9)

ROSEDALE also produced its biggest win of the season, coming at the expense of Traralgon Tyers United.

The Blues won 28.18 (186) to 1.3 (9) over the Bombers at Tyers Recreation Reserve.

TTU’s Nick Fox booted the opening goal of the match, giving Bombers supporters some hope that their side would put up a fight against a finals contender.

However, that would be the home side’s only major score for the day, conceding the following 28 goals to finish.

The Blues finished strongly, showing no signs of slowing down, pouring on 17 goals in the second half.

Rosedale had six players with three-plus goals, including Spencer Fox with a bag of five.

Declan Barnett with four goals, Riley Boyle, Lachlan McDonald (three), Brandon McConnell and Jed Murray were others of note for the Blues.

Flynn Shields, Liam Michie, Josh Twite, Justin Savige, Dylan McLure and Ryan Massaro were best for TTU.

The Bombers will look ahead to a matchup with Yarram this weekend, just two slots ahead of them on the ladder with two wins on the year.

 

Woodside 25.16 (166) def Yarram 7.4 (46)

WOODSIDE, technically, added its first 100-point win of the season against Yarram.

The Wildcats defeated the Demons 25.16 (166) to 7.4 (46) at Woodside Recreation Reserve.

Despite only holding an 11-point lead at the first break, Woodside then booted nine goals in the second quarter to blow the margin out to 61 points at halftime.

Another nine-goal quarter followed in the third, seeing the lead go above triple figures, and for Yarram’s sake, each side evened out the major scores in the final term.

The Wildcats had Brody Stainer walk in to kick six goals in his first game of the season, followed by Luke Johnson (three) and five others with multiple goals.

Michael Stockdale, Cameron Whiteoak, Ben Johnson, Ashton Janssen, Josh Morgan and Adam Janssen were others to play well for Woodside.

Yarram had Tyler Chisholm, Will Bodman, Daniel Vardy, Toby Mitchell, Owen Gourley and Angus Brunton as its best.

This result followed a fortnight prior when the Wildcats destroyed TTU by 206 points in Round 5.

 

GORMANDALE had the bye.