Sharks & Cardinals leading the way in Premier B

By David Chalmers – @DAChalmers

Beaumaris and Old Scotch consolidated their positions at the top of the Premier B ladder after they handed out thumpings to Old Brighton and Parkdale. Beaumaris also remain the only undefeated team. Conditions were quite windy and blustery on game day, but it didn’t stop both sides kicking mammoth scores. Stephen Milne leads the goalkicking with 18, ahead of Nathan Smith (Hampton) and Tim Macmillan (Old Scotch) on 17. Fitzroy finally got on the winners list after defeating Hampton, leaving the Rovers as the only winless team.

This week it was Old Brighton’s turn to see if they could knock off ladder leaders Beaumaris. The Tonners started better, kicking four goals to three, to take a narrow lead into the first break. From there it was all Beaumaris. Nick Dickinson jumped in with three goals and was joined by Matt Lovejoy, Daniel Gribbin and William Murton as they piled on six goals and the Tonners hardly got a look in, to blow the game out of the water. Twenty minutes into the quarter Harrison McIntyre got the ball out of the centre which allowed Harry Hill to kick a goal, completely against the flow of play. Both teams then traded behinds before Stephen Milne earned himself a free kick and 25m penalty to extend the Sharks lead. Though the Tonners only trailed by five goals at half time, things got a whole lot worse in the third, with the Sharks kicking eight goals and holding the Tonners scoreless, then adding another eight goals to two in the last, running away with a 119-point win. Both teams made three changes. For the Sharks, Taylor Grace and Nick Dickinson played their first games for season and kicked 3 goals each. For Old Brighton, Thomas Larkworthy was again among the best in his second game for the season, while Harry Hill and Dan Anthony were again impressive.

Old Haileybury hosted Monash in the 2015 Premier C Grand Final replay. The Blues would have been keen to ‘get one back’ after the Bloods came from fourth and won the flag quite comprehensively on the day. Monash made three changes, while Daniel Harrison returned for Old Haileybury and kicked three goals. The visitors started better, kicking four goals to none with the wind. They increased the lead with the first goal three minutes into the second term. From this point, the Bloods fought back. Sean Macpherson took advantage of a couple of Monash defensive errors to kick truly, and Daniel Harrison took a good contested mark after a dash from James Paul. Monash got one back, then the Bloods struck again twice through Nick Gooda and William Mctaggart. There were no goals kicked in the final ten minutes of thee quarter. Monash took full advantage of the wind in the third quarter to extend a 14 point half time lead out to beyond 40. It was always going to be a big ask for the Bloods, and they kept Monash goalless while adding three themselves, but it wasn’t enough. Monash have now won two in a row and move up to sixth, while Old Haileybury round out the top four despite the loss.

Fitzroy and Hampton met at Boss James Reserve to see who could finally get on the winners list. The Roys made six changes to the side that was well-beaten by Old Scotch last week and while they missed regular goal scorer Corbin Stevic, Will Pickering was a huge inclusion and he kicked the visitors first goal three minutes in. Hampton replied, but the next few minutes were all Fitzroy as they piled on four more goals thanks to Pickering (2), Aiden Burke and Sam Baker. A couple of late ones to the Rovers from Adam McNeil and Nathan Smith brought the margin back to 14 points at quarter-time. The Roys 6.1 was their highest first quarter total of the season, and they did the same with their second (4.2) and fourth (5.4) quarters, defying the windy conditions to notch an incredibly accurate 18.7. Hampton made four changes including Matthew Robbins, who has seemingly made a comeback after retiring at the end of 2015. Nathan Smith was again a shining light for the Rovers and he sits second on the Premier B goalkicking with 17.  

Old Scotch continued their impressive start to the Premier B season with a demolition of a hapless Parkdale Vultures. Aside from their seven point loss to the Tigers on Anzac Day, the Cardinals have barely been troubled and are rightfully perched in second place hot on the heels of Beaumaris. Old Scotch started with six goals to one and notched season high totals in each quarter on their way to a 112-point win. Despite missing consistent contributor Jack Bull, Jack Furey came in for his first game of the season and kicked five goals, while Conor O’Beirne was again among the best in his second game. Tim Macmillan kicked five and is equal second in the Premier B goalkicking, while Matthew Seed added four. The Vultures were missing Nathan Peterson but were well served by regular contributors Charlie Dillon and Alexander Derzekos, who both kicked two goals and were among the best. Old Scotch (4-1) consolidate second on the ladder, while Parkdale (2-3) slip to eighth.

I went along to Brindisi St to see if Ajax could get four in a row against the Tigers, who had played both top sides in the previous two weeks with mixed results. The Jackas lost Geoff Measy but got good value from their inclusions, with Ash Burstin kicking two goals and Andrew Thurin in among the best players. The visitors started with the wind but failed to take advantage, and when Luke Velluto goaled late in the quarter, the Tigers held a seven point lead. The home side went nuts in the second term, kicking 8.9 to zero to blow the game apart. The Tigers started the quarter with five behinds before Chris Mangoni found the middle twice in quick succession. Six other Tigers joined him on the goalkicking list for the quarter. The Jackas kicked the first three goals of the third quarter thanks to Ash Burstin and Stuart Fayman, before Paul Wintle and Michael Barnes replied for the Tigers. Burstin scored again just before three quarter time and the Jackas had won the quarter. The Tigers piled on six goals to three in the last to run out with a 73 point win, which lifts them to third place. The Jackas slip to fifth and lose 17% off their percentage.    

Round 6 Tips:
AJAX vs. Parkdale Vultures
Fitzroy vs. Old Brighton
Hampton Rovers vs. Beaumaris
Monash Blues vs. St Bedes/Mentone Tigers
Old Scotch vs. Old Haileybury