ROBE 10.12 (72) d HATHERLEIGH 10.10 (70)
THE Eagles remain at the top of the perch despite losing to the Roosters in the battle of the birds at the seaside on Saturday in round eight of the Mid South East Football League.
The Robe Roosters may be the reigning premiers and holding the home ground advantage, but they were almost matched by Hatherleigh as the margin was a mere two points.
The home side took to the field without Tom Wachtel, Terrence Wilfred and assistant coach Kane Cuthbertson, so coach Jack Kelly called on some B Grade players to step up and take the opportunity which was presented to them.
Robe Football Club vice president Roger Sweetman said the first half was high pressure football from both teams with the defences on top and opportunities for scoring usually being as a result of turnovers rather than structured and flowing football.
Sweetman said the second half continued in much the same vein with the pressure from Robe causing considerable problems for the Hatherleigh players as they had not been confronted by this style of football this season.
According to Sweetman, the fierce attack on the ball by the Roosters did not give the Eagles room to establish set plays.
“It became evident the pressure from Robe and the implied pressure was causing many handling errors,” Sweetman said.
“Robe did open the match up in the third quarter and the majority of the last quarter to kick eight goals to three and lead by 20 points with three minutes to go.
“Hatherleigh however would not lie down and for the last three minutes of the match showed why they are a team that can play fast-moving and quick-scoring football.
“Robe will have to do some work on systems to be able to close games down.
“However there is a strong belief within the Roosters in their game plan and confidence in their team mates that is slowly welding together a formidable team.”
Hatherleigh’s next challenge is a top-of-the-table clash at home over Glencoe on June 15 while Robe heads to Nangwarry.
MOUNT BURR 10.14 (74) d KALANGADOO 10.5 (65)
THE prestigious Harry Bott Memorial Shield will return to Mount Burr after the visitors took the premiership points at Kalangadoo in the round eight match.
It honours the memory of the last Kalangadoo Football Club president, Mount Burr general store proprietor and MSEFL interleague team manager.
The shield last changed hands in 2017 when it was claimed by the Magpies on their home ground.
Yet again, Mount Burr selectors showed their confidence in their six talented teenagers after training on Thursday night.
They named three in the starting 18 and three on the interchange bench.
While these six youngsters played their part in the nine-point win, it was the more seasoned hands who stood out for Mount Burr.
On a tough day for forwards, Mozzie skipper Jack Gregory led the way for his side with a game-high return of five goals.
Teammate Dylan Ridley chipped in with three majors and joined his captain in the best players list.
The other Mozzies to feature were best-on-ground Tyler Stanley along with Josh Fiebig, Nathan Muhovics and Josh Wallis.
The pick of the Magpies were Jason Bannister, Tyler Jones and Sam Casey,
The loss pushes Kalangadoo further away from the “double chance”, while the win kept Mount Burr in touch with the top four.
After a break for the South East zone carnival at Naracoorte on Saturday, Mount Burr hosts Tantanoola.
Kalangadoo now has a three week lay-off and does not play again until May 22.
GLENCOE 22.14 (146) d PORT MACDONNELL 15.18 (108)
THE chances of the Demons returning to the major round for the first time since 2017 have plummeted with a 38-point away loss to the Murphies.
After an even first quarter, Glencoe pulled away to claim its sixth win of 2019 and it continues to share the lead at the head of the MSEFL premiership table with Robe and Hatherleigh
Although Port MacDonnell kicked a creditable tally of 15.18, it had two telling lapses.
The Murphies booted the opening four goals of the game before the Demons responded well and briefly gained the lead before quarter time.
The second major lapse by Port MacDonnell came in the second term when it allowed Glencoe to lead by as much as 43 points.
This proved to be insurmountable.
Although assistant coach and reigning Mail Medallist Daron McElroy had recovered from injury, it was always going to be a tough ask for the seasiders as it was sixth place taking on second.
It was the fifth defeat of the season for the Demons and time is running out to reverse their fortunes.
To make the finals they will probably have to win all their remaining nine games, rely on other teams losing or a combination of both.
Home team forward Tory Weaver celebrated his return to the team and was one of 11 goal kickers.
Weaver had to serve a three game suspension after being found guilty of striking Kalangadoo’s Sam McManus in the round-three match.
It was a memorable match for star Glencoe recruit Brodie Foster whose equal-high five-goal haul took him to 45 for the season.
He leads the MSEFL goal kickers and remains almost on target to boot the “ton” in 2019.
Among the other happy victors was Dylan Pfitzner who played his 50th A Grade game.
He had made his first appearance in senior company at the age of 14 in 2015 when he played in B Grade.
Pfitzner’s first possession at the three minute mark of the game on Saturday was a mark/kick/goal combo.
After a break for the South East zone carnival, Glencoe has the toughest assignment of the season to date.
It plays undefeated ladder leader Hatherleigh on its home ground.
Meanwhile, Port MacDonnell hosts arch rival Kongorong at the seaside.
As the match will be played at the Bay, the two teams will compete for the prestigious Ian Smith Trophy.
Along with the Bruce Lightbody Memorial Shield which is awarded for contests between the two clubs at Kongorong each year, it has taken up almost permanent residence at Port MacDonnell.
TANTANOOLA 29.17 (191) d NANGWARRY 5.6 (36)
IT has taken almost a year but the Tigers finally have had the opportunity to sing their victory song.
The 155-point home ground win came at the expense of the hapless Saints whose losing streak now stands at 73.
Tantanoola last won a game on July 21 of last year.
The defeated team back then was again Nangwarry and it came in round 14 and the margin was 211 points.
The scores were somewhat closer on Saturday, but the contest was again lop-sided
Coming into the match, the local rumour mill had suggested some retired AFL players may have pulled on the boots for the Saints.
Nangwarry officials are hopeful some such players may be available at some time in 2019 given their involvement in charity events in Mount Gambier.
As it was, the visitors had to rely on local players alone and they proved no match for the home team.
In simple terms, the Tigers pole-axed the Saints in the first term to set up a match-winning lead of 46 points.
The imbalance was not as pronounced in the second term, but Tantanoola hit top gear again in the third with a 10.3 to 0.2 blitz.
With 124 points separating the teams at three-quarter time, much of the interest in the last stanza focused on the goal-kicking exploits of Tantanoola assistant coach Sam Haniford.
No Nangwarry defender could block his fast leading and strong marking,
Showing no ill-effects of a leg injury which has sidelined him for much of 2019, Haniford finished with a bag of 13 goals and several behinds.
As a side light, both teams recalled veteran full-forwards in a bid to secure their first win of the season.
Both Nangwarry’s Tyson Ploenges and Tantanoola’s Robbie Versace have had lengthy absences form A Grade.
Ploenges had been the hero with seven goals in Nangwarry’s last win which took place at Robe almost five years ago.
However, there was to be no sentimental end for Ploenges in his 2019 comeback game as he booted one of his team’s five goals.
It was a much happier outcome for Versace as he was on the winning team.
On a sombre note, both sides wore black armbands to honour the memory of two local community members who had recently lost their lives in separate road smashes.
Nangwarry completes the first half of the home-and-away season with a game at home against reigning premiers Robe.
Tantanoola will be seeking its second win of the season at the home of Mount Burr at “Mick” and Jean Walker Oval.
