Division 4: La Nina a Cobra Fan

By Rich Hummerson – @Richie_Humm

Cast your mind back to 2007, the height of the great drought. Optimistically, the VAFA season was delayed a fortnight in the hope of some mid-autumn rains, but the rain never came. The barren grounds baked rock hard, the peppering of grass bearing little resemblance to the grounds we grew up on, honing our craft.  The wet, sodden days that the big, slower players enjoyed were few and far between, and near terminal bouts of skin grazing would accompany players on the uncomfortable journey home.

On Saturday, eight years on, players were met with far contrasting conditions. After a week of solid rain, Auskick in the morning and four quarters of scrappy ressies football, the grounds resembled sties, and the big men rejoiced.

The usually tranquil streets of Canterbury were awoken when the Box Hill North army rolled into town, and it wasn’t just the incessant cries of ‘ball’ from the Box Hill North bench that had the locals concerned. Box Hill North, happily flying under the radar had come to play, and they pushed Canterbury into territory not travelled since their opening game against Parkside. Box Hill North jumped out of the gates, making the wayward Canterbury pay early, before the Cobras, like they have on so many occasions, steadied the ship. The slender lead at quarter time was as close it got, but it wasn’t until late in the fourth quarter could Canterbury afford to take their foot off the pedal, running out winners by 28 points. Despite his age, Rowan Walmsley continues to dominate, slotting four in an outstanding performance. Tommy Lowden had the sticky mits and the go-go gadget arms firing and David Gates went about his work quietly. For Box Hill it was Nicholas Lang and Dylan Liistro who impressed.

Last week, I wrote Manningham’s prospects of a finals berth off, they were gone. Out of players and out of luck, Jock McDonald and his merry men were looking towards next year. A week on, owing to a cheeky win over North Brunswick and the phenomenon that is a final six in an 11 team competition, Manningham find themselves knocking on the door.  The Bali trips must be over, and the trainers performing miracles, with a vastly improved Manningham side hitting the park this week, a move that paid immediate dividends. Given Allard Park is a slop in the middle of summer, players were forced to negotiate quicksand with Mannningham adjusting to the appalling conditions first. They lead from siren to siren, the lead nine points as the final siren sounded. Sean Leonard had a field day, collecting best afield honours, while Danny Wills chimed in with four majors. Ben Gallagher as always did his bit for the bulls, kicking three and Jimmy Hayes put his best performance in for the club.

After losing 99% of their games in recent years, the Chadstone boys had used their fair share of excuses, most of them inaccurate. However this week, they can legitimately blame the loss on their wayward kicking in front of goal. Remarkably, Chadstone kicked 14 behinds before slotting their first major. And after their first goal, they only kicked another two behinds, despite piling on nine goals. While Chadstone dominated possession, South Mornington were just unassumingly going about their business, building an unassailable lead in the process. The Tigers ran out winners by 23 points, Brendan Bryant, Jake Gaillard and Kade Woodruff all putting in solid performances. Jake Farrugia was again dominant in front of goal for Chadstone, kicking three and Carl Margary toiled hard throughout the day.

They’ve had their fair share of heartbreak this season, but you’d suspect Parkside’s loss against the rampant Point Cook will probably rank the worst. After an incredible first stanza, Parkside had shocked the one once premiership favourites, piling on eight first term goals. Shane Potter was clunking everything and Shane McLaren had more clearances than a Rebel Sport in Melbourne flogging off State of Origin merchandise. At half time, Parkside went into the sheds with a handy 34-point lead, a win for the good guys beckoned.  But it wasn’t to be, Point Cook jumped out of the gates after the main break, eating into the defecit, and then, seemingly inevitably so, winning by eight points. William Dawson was fantastic in front of goals and Matty Volk, like he has on so many occasions before was the anchor, for the ailing Point Cook.

You’d have more chance of cracking the Da Vinci Code than making sense of Mount Lilydale’s season. They started off abysmal, became frightfully dominant for three or so week’s, and now it appears, are back to where it all started. Or perhaps, we’re not giving Dale Collins and Westbourne Grammarians enough credit. Whichever the reason, Westbourne annihilated Mount Lilydale by 140-points, Collins kicking eight, again.

Tips

North Brunswick
Canterbury
Mount Lilydale
Point Cook
Westbourne