Mozzies on hold

EYES ON THE BALL: Mount Burr’s Henry Crauford keeps his eyes on the ball despite pressure from Hatherleigh in Round 7 of Mid South East football on Saturday. Picture: J.L “FRED” SMITH

THE Eagles were unable to reverse the result of the 2017 grand final and the Mozzies won by 10 points at home in Round 7 of Mid South East football.

Injuries to many first-choice players as well as transfers and retirements meant over a third of the players who faced off in last season’s decider were not on the oval.

Mount Burr 11.18 84 d Hatherleigh 11.8 74

Among the first-gamers were Mount Burr pair Taylor Allan and Bradley Scott and Hatherleigh’s Cade Bradley.

Hatherleigh took a six-point lead into the first change and then booted six goals without a miss in the second term to go to the long break with a lead of 16 points.

The Mozzies were able to only claw back three points in the third term.

A Jack Sullivan goal from a set shot after the siren gave the Eagles great impetus going into three-quarter time.

It was a torrid last 30 minutes which was exemplified by an incident involving Mount Burr’s Dale Bowering and Hatherleigh’s Ciaran Buckley.

The pair were involved in a heavy clash of bodies and a free kick was won by Bowering only 30m from goal.

Bowering was perhaps fortunate to not surrender the free kick as he showed his displeasure with Buckley in a physical sense.

Mount Burr eventually stamped its authority on the contest in the dying minutes of the last term when Ethan Glass and Tyler Stanley took control in the mid-field and the forwards led by Allan and Cory Gamble kicked vital goals.

Others to do well for the victors were Sam Wallis and Jake Dowdy.

The visitors were best served by Todd Watson, Jase Bateman and Mitch Pulmer.

The Mozzies celebrated on Saturday night by welcoming AFL legends Chris McDermott and Tony Modra to a sports night.

The pair and ex-local media identity Leith Forrest had earlier been feted on Can Hill where a large crowd was in attendance.

The reigning premiers have a bye in Round 8, while Hatherleigh features in a cross-town derby at home against Tantanoola.

Robe 17.20 (122) d Kongorong 9.7 (61)

THE Roosters made their occupancy of third place a little more secure with a 61-point win at the home of the Hawks.

The “battle of the birds” had been decided by three-quarter time as the visitors had a superior on-ball division and an effective forward line.

Robe Football Club vice-president Roger Sweetman said the first half of the game was closely fought with both sides having passages of clean football and the Roosters were surprised by the determination and skill of Kongorong.

“Robe started to gain some ascendancy in field play during the back half of the second quarter but inaccuracy in front of goal let them down and kept Kongorong in the game,” he said.

“Conversely Kongorong made the most of their limited forays into their forward line and were very accurate in front of goal.

“After half time Robe started to gain ascendancy all over the ground with their back six tightening up and their midfield moving the ball forward where the Pitt brothers showed their dominance in the air but again inaccuracy in front of goal cost the Roosters an even greater lead at three quarter time.

“In the last quarter Robe fitness and skill level came to the fore and they improved their accuracy.”

Brothers Craig and Jake Pitt contributed 10 of the 17 Robe goals and Kongorong had no answers.

Craig Pitt maintained his lead at the head of the MSEFL goalkickers table with 30 goals, while his younger brother also has 30.

It has been quite a while in the Mid South East Football League since a pair of brothers had provided such an avenue to goal.

The seasiders are poised to return to major round after an absence of several seasons and this is due in no small measure to the ample skills of its capital city players.

Some wags have even speculated that Robe might soon be re-named the Prince Alfred Old Collegians Football Club given the presence of several past players in the lineup.

Robe hosts Glencoe on Saturday, while Kongorong heads to Port MacDonnell in search of the elusive Ian Smith Trophy.

This piece of silverware is awarded each year when the teams meet at the Bay.

It has seldom left Port MacDonnell in recent years, while the seasiders also have their name engraved many times on the other trophy involving the two neighbouring clubs.

The Bruce Lightbody Memorial Trophy is awarded after their annual meeting at Kongorong.

Glencoe 28.25 (193) d Nangwarry 5.5 (35)

THE Murphies defeated the Saints by 168 points and claimed the Phil Muhovics Memorial Cup for the eighth consecutive year.

First awarded in 2011, the Phil Muhovics Memorial Cup honours the memory of a former Nangwarry and Glencoe coach.

Phil Muhovics was a noted football identity in this region and he died of bone cancer in 2010 at the age of 53.

He played at five clubs across the region and was an A Grade coach at four of them, while an underage coach at the fifth.

The Phil Muhovics Memorial Medal recognises outstanding sportsmanship and has been shared between the two clubs.

The latest recipient was Nangwarry’s Aaron Heron who displayed outstanding qualities of sportsmanship over the four terms.

The selection was made by the field umpires, Glencoe and Nangwarry officials and members of the Muhovics family.

The stand-out players for the Murphies were Clay Von Duve (eight goals) and coach Zacc Cocks and teen Adam Gregory (seven each).

Glencoe now has two of the four memorial awards in its keeping as it retained the Neil Von Duve Memorial Shield against Tantanoola at Tigerland on April 21.

The Murphies plan to bring home the Ian McInnes Memorial Shield at Mount Burr on June 23.

It is also a while since the Murphies had the Max Matthews Memorial Cup in their keeping and this will be decided at home on July 28 when current ladder leaders Kalangadoo pay a visit.

Looking ahead to Saturday, Glencoe journeys to Robe, while Nangwarry hosts unbeaten ladder leader Kalangadoo.

Port MacDonnell 11.13 (79) defeated Tantanoola 9.8 (62)

THE Demons have competed in seven of the past eight major rounds and will add another finals appearance in 2018 if they can continue the form they showed at Tigerland on Saturday.

After two poor opening quarters, Port MacDonnell kicked away in the third and fourth terms and went on to record a 17-point victory.

The win made the club’s occupancy of fourth position a little more secure.

It was as if the teams had swapped guernseys at the long break.

Tantanoola led by 23 points at half-time, but posted just one goal in the second half.

Neither side was at full strength as the seasiders were not able to welcome back their skipper Zack Williams who has been sidelined for many weeks due to a hamstring complaint.

In his absence, the captaincy duties have been shared around members of the leadership group with Daron McElroy nominated to toss the coin on Saturday.

Tantanoola competes at Hatherleigh on Saturday, while Port MacDonnell returns to the Bay to face arch rivals Kongorong for the Ian Smith Trophy.