Krushers hammer as Bears make it a sweet six

Jake Morris

Bouncing back from defeat last round, Oakleigh committed their namesake, crushing the Old Paradians in an historic one-way affair. Elsewhere, the Bears made it six on the trot, Therry Penola and Preston took home premiership points while UHS-VU revealed another chink in their armour, dropping their second game in a row.

After managing just six majors last weekend, Oakleigh were able to better that score five times over this week, putting the Old Paradians to the sword in a heavily one-sided affair. Their scoreline of 30.17 (197) is the most of any side in Division 1 so far this year, with their 47-scoring shots also being a season high across the competition. Their 75-point quarter-time lead was the largest lead after an opening term so far this year, with Aaron Cloke’s 14-goal haul also a season-high, passing Callum Wilson’s 10-goal showing for the Two Blues. Tim Scott popped up for four of his own while nine other players contributed on the scoresheet. Andrew Souza and Beau Calow booted two apiece for the Paradians but with an average losing margin of over 106-points in their last month of football, there is significant improvement needed from the club.

Capturing the competition’s top spot after Round 9 was Kew, as they downed a somewhat disappointing Prahran Assumption by 44 points. Leading from start to finish, this was the Bears sixth consecutive victory and seventh overall on the year, good enough to move a game clear of the falling UHS-VU. Prominent goal-scorer Nathan Sambevski booted three to push his total to 24 on the year, while Richard Wilton who produced four-majors in his most prolific performance for the year. Brayden King was adjudged best afield while Brennan Mills was also handy in the victory. The defeat brings the Two Blues two-game winning streak to a halt, and while Callum Wilson kicked another four-goals to bring his season total to 30, a lot of work needs to be done elsewhere to climb back up the premiership table.

Sitting in ninth with a 0-3 record, you would be forgiven in believing it was going to be a long year as a Lions supporter, but Therry Penola have now won four of their last five games, including in Round 9 over West Brunswick. Leading from the get-go, Jarred Eggleston was once again prominent up-forward with four, while Daniel Tadinac was inspirational in a BOG performance. The Lions are a confident bunch rolling into the second half of the season with every reason to believe they can roar into September action. The Westies continue to fall short on the scoreboard, with this defeat being their sixth in a row and seventh of the year. The omission of Bill Irving up forward made life very difficult for running mate Cameron Perkins who still managed three, but that lack of firepower proved fatal.

After shocking the competition and ending UHS-VU’s unbeaten run, Preston Bullants were in no mood to slow down, jumping out to a comprehensive 47-point lead at the first change and running out comfortable 37-point victors over St Mary’s Salesian. The Bullants 10-goal opening quarter, and consequential eight-goal lead, would have been a competition season high entering the round, but Oakleigh’s performance just takes the cake. Days out for Thomas Hill (6) and Jack Sammartino (5) helped boost the lead early, hitting triple-figure scoring prior to half time, while Nicolas De Andrade and Tyson Loewe were prominent in keeping the Saints at bay. Jack Elliston kicked three for St Mary’s Salesians while Ben Andrews was named his sides’ best in the result that ended their two-game win streak.

The recipe for success against the Vultures may have been discovered. After Preston were victorious in Round 8, it was Peninsula this time that turned the heads of the competition, taking down UHS-VU by 17 points. A game of ebbs and flows, the Pirates strong 27-point halftime buffer was withered away in a matter of minutes as the Vultures swooped in and snatched a one-point lead entering the final change. In the last, Peninsula steadied, piling on six-goals-to-three, and survived to move into the top four. Will Harbinson was prominent once again with four majors, while Stefan Harbour stole the show with five goals in a BOG performance. James McGee was named best afield for the Vultures as they drop their second straight and lose control of top spot.