ROUND 16 REVIEW
Oakleigh District 8.10-58 defeated Endeavour Hills 4.4-28
Endeavour Hills were no match for last year’s premiers, going down by 30 points in a tough home hit out.
Brett Crane and Dylan Brambleby took the reins for Oakleigh District, who after tying with Endeavour Hills on seven points at the first term, began to run away with a 4.4 to 1.0 scoring effort heading into half time.
Despite trailing by 22, the Falcons were able to minimise District’s damage in the second term, with Khaled Fares and Hewad Taniwal leading their side to a fairly competitive remainder of the game (2.3 to District’s 3.5)
Oakleigh may have taken the brakes off in the second half, but an early workload proved effective for the win. Endeavour Hills look for a chance to reconcile when they face East Brighton in Round 17.
St Kilda City 12.9-81 defeated East Brighton 1.7-13
St Kilda City had a day out at Hurlingham Reserve, running over the home side by 68 points.
The Vampires struggled from the get-go in this match, with City piling on the damage increasingly at each break.
Best efforts by Vampire Preston Coombes were outnumbered by a relentless St Kilda, with their best Joshua Cochrane proving nightmarish for his opponents, next to Matthew McNaughton who booted four.
With two matches remaining for the season, the win translates as a clear message that City mean business, as they chase Grand Final redemption following heartbreak in 2017.
Dingley 5.9-39 defeated Parkmore / Springvale Districts 2.4-16
The Dingoes look red hot heading into the pointy end of the season, with a 23-point victory over the fourth placed Parkmore / Springvale Districts.
A strong blow hit early for the Dingoes, with tenacious mid Stefan Lamble leaving the ground due to injury. Parkmore / Springvale capitalised here, and a competitive first term followed with a three point lead favouring them at the first break.
The second term was similar to the first, with back and forth competition between both sides making it difficult for any team to make a solid dent in the margin.
However, a momentum shift was close to follow, with a rejuvenated Dingley returning to the field in the third term and leaving their visitors far in the distance.
Despite tiresome efforts by Parkmore / Springvale’s Lachlan Milne, all of his side’s attempts were slammed by their opponents, who booted 3.1 to just one point in the third term.
With Rory Goldsmith providing a second consecutive best on ground performance, the Dingoes dominated in the second half– and with notable outs (Lamble, Gray and Lehne) still to return, they are proving a force reckoned with come finals series.
Bentleigh V Keysborough
Bentleigh defeated Keysborough via forfeit
@brittgoldsmith2
