Division 2: Gryphons devour Snakes

By Brenton Mann – @BrentyMann

Monash put in its best performance of the year and as a consequence, jumped out of the relegation zone with a 57-point win over Richmond Central. The Gryphons fell agonisingly short of victory against Eltham a week prior, and seem determined to once again, consolidate their spot in Division 2. The result took most by surprise, including yours truly, and highlights that with the threat of relegation on the horizon, the lower teams will fight with their pride on the line. Monash burst out of the blocks and held a three-goal buffer at quarter time. The Gryphons’ intensity lifted again in the second as they banged on five goals and held the Snakes goalless and opened up a 49-point lead at the main change. The Snakes offered some momentary resistance post half-time but unfortunately for Richmond Central…it was too little too late. Monash showcased its new found attacking prowess with Erwin-Ross kicking four who was handsomely supported by Cassidy (3) and Nuguid, Pound and Bye who bagged two apiece. Richmond Central on the other hand is not the attacking force they once were, as Jake Munro could only manage two majors, and stood alone as their only multiple goal-kicker. Monash this week face the sternest test of their season as the head north to take on Ivanhoe, who aren’t firing on all cylinders. Richmond Central travel to Eltham College in a game that both sides simply must win.

St John’s held on by the skin of their teeth in a gutsy eight-point win over a fast-finishing Eltham at Thomas Carroll Reserve. In what was a strange game, Eltham for the majority played the better football but simply ran out of time. The loss saw them drop out of the top-four, with Northern Blues taking their spot. St John’s class shone through when it needed to but their decline in intensity in the last-quarter wasn’t ideal. The momentum swayed to the team that kicked with the wind, as both sides took full advantage throughout the day. Goals against the wind were at a premium and heading into the last, St John’s could only manage a solitary goal. Holding a 34-point lead at the start of the last, and kicking against the wind, the JOCs on-ball brigade took control and their forwards took full advantage. They banged on three goals in quick succession and looked home. The Turtles however, with their finals hopes quickly drifting away, they threw caution to the wind and stormed home with seven unanswered goals, but simply ran out of time. The JOCs simply couldn’t get their hands on the ball, and if the game was allowed to go two-minutes longer, they might not have held on. It may have been ugly, but the win was well and truly needed. St John’s are now a game clear in second and will be hot-favourites this week against South Melbourne. Eltham welcome Richmond Central and the equation is simple…just win.

Northern Blues dealt South Melbourne a harsh reality check after their maiden Division 2 victory with a thumping 95-point win at W.R Ruthven Reserve. The win saw the Blues leapfrog Eltham and entered the top-four for the first time this year. Northern was back to its attacking best with a seven-goal-to-nil blitzkrieg opening term. Oddly however, both sides shared the points in the second with five goals apiece. The third was where the Blues put their foot flat to the floor and banged on ten goals to two and held a 99-point win heading into the last. The Districts valiantly won the final term, and must take that into this week’s clash against St John’s. The Blues put the cue in the rack in that last quarter and are now finals smokies and a force to be reckoned with. This week they host Melbourne High fresh off their demolition of Elsternwick.

Melbourne High completely humiliated Elsternwick with a 99-point demolition on the wide expanses on Sportscover Arena. The Unicorns showed that their effort to get over Ivanhoe a week prior was no fluke with its near flawless performance over the lowly Wicks. They were defensively sound and dominant in attack as they never gave Elsternwick a sniff, who are now a game behind the relegation zone. Elsternwick was jumped early and their first-half was forgettable, however the one positive to take out of the day, was winning the last quarter by a point. Elsternwick can’t be fazed by the enormity of the task of beating Old Paradians at Garvey Oval and simply must win if they’re to avoid relegation. Melbourne High still has a mathematical chance of sneaking in the top-four and with the form they’ve shown over the past fortnight, they could certainly hold their own. We’ll know more after Melbourne High take in Northern Blues this week in the Match of the Round.

Ivanhoe recorded a memorable come-from-behind victory over Old Paradians, as the Hoes stormed home with a six-goal-to-one final term and recorded a 13-point win. The Raiders will be rueing that last quarter, as they led for the majority of the day and had Ivanhoe on the ropes. One of the performances of the year was not enough to hold off a determined Ivanhoe, who has had a tricky couple of weeks. Paradians will be heartened by their effort and shows that if they hold their spot, will not simply “make up the numbers” come finals time. They welcome a desperate Elsternwick this week; in a game the Raiders must win to keep their finals dreams alive. Ivanhoe host a resurgent Monash who the Hoes shouldn’t take lightly.

Tips:

Eltham vs Richmond Central

Old Paradians vs Elsternwick

Ivanhoe vs Monash

South Melbourne vs St John’s

Northern Blues vs MHSOB