Star Narre Warren full forward Lee Clark flies over Cranbourne coach Brett McMaster in a marking duel on Saturday.By Brad Kingsbury
KEYSBOROUGH downed Tooradin by 48 points at the Westernport oval in a victory described as the most important of the year by Burra president Clay Cullen.
“In the context of where we were, it was. We were under the pump and if we didn’t win we were in danger of falling off the pack,” he said.
“The players were magnificent all day.”
Keysborough was on song from the first bounce, despite the unfamiliar away venue.
Through the dominance of star forwards Michael Davis and Warrick Hanks, combined with a winning ruck combination led by Shaun Witherden and Clinton King, Keysborough slammed on 10 goals to five in the first half to lead by 31 points at the main break and have the match within its keeping.
Tooradin was lethargic and seemed intimidated by Keysborough’s physical pressure throughout the contest, despite intense efforts from Scott Weekley, Seamus Scanlon and Justin McGrath.
Keysborough lost key forward Stuart Nagle to a calf injury before half time, but it made little difference as the Burra powered away to a 48point lead at threequarter time and maintained that advantage in a dour last quarter.
Tooradin coach and key playmaker Dan O’Loughlin moved himself onto Davis during the game, but the elusive Keysborough halfforward continued his domination to earn best afield honours with seven goals.
In a further blow to the Seagulls, talented youngster Blake Batt suffered a knee injury that will be assessed during the week, but it is expected to keep him out for up to four weeks.
O’Loughlin was dejected after the game and called an immediate team meeting to thrash out the reasons for a midseason slump that has seen the Seagulls fall out of the top five.
“We were flat as a tack. It’s the same crew that were running around four or five weeks ago matching it with the best teams and we’ve lost that edge at the moment,” he said.
“It’s not fitness, we’re just not playing for the right reasons.
“We addressed that as a playing group after the game. We all put our twobob’s worth in and hopefully came up with the right answers.”
Cullen said that the Keysborough players also had a meeting among themselves during the week and set individual goals that they applied on Saturday.
“They had a meeting on Thursday night. I thought they were underachieving a little bit and encouraged them to do that,” he said.
“They just needed to sort out what they want to do this year and this was the result.”
NARRE Warren celebrated the 200th appearance of one of its favourite sons with a hardfought 60point win over a tenacious young Cranbourne side at the Fox Road ground.
Assistant coach and key defender Steven Kidd returned from a knee injury to play his milestone match and a big crowd attended for the occasion, despite the windy and cold conditions.
Cranbourne took the match up to the league leaders in the opening term with big Marc Holt imposing himself in attack and talented young defender Matthew Rus sticking close to gun Magpie forward Lee Clark.
The weight of experience and class told as the match wore on and although the visitors remained within three goals of their opponents at each change, Narre Warren lifted a cog in the final term and ran away to record another solid win.
Coach Brett McMaster was in good touch for Cranbourne and led his team well with the support of Matt Grazules, Ryan Davey and Matt Thompson, while key Magpies Shane Dwyer, Michael Collins and Daniel Field were among the victors’ best performers.
Narre Warren president Kim McGill was keen to praise both sides for the effort after the game.
“Cranbourne was quick and hard at the ball. It was just the fact that we can go for four quarters and caused them to fall away in the last,” he said.
“They’re promoting their kids and giving them a go and that will really benefit them in years to come. They ran out of legs in the end.
“It’s gone pretty well this year and we’re at the stage where we haven’t really got any areas on the ground that we are not playing well in. We have to keep that going.”
DOVETON covered an horrifically long injury list with eight teenagers in its methodical, but unspectacular, 122point result over winless Dingley.
A strong wind blowing to one end marred the game and after the Doves took advantage and booted eight firstquarter goals to none, the game was as good as over.
Again the Dingoes were competitive with their effort and despite being completely outclassed, players such as Stephen Pitt, Tony Lavars, Andrew Frost, Bret Lavars and Adam Sikora showed enough to give supporters hope for the future.
Doveton’s best included captain Clint Wilson in the ruck and as a key forward, Matt Miller, Peter Pullen and Dandenong Stingray big man Glen Manson.
Doves’ coach Steve Henwood listed Ricky Hayes, Brad Downe, Ryan Hendy, Aaron McIver, Dale Kilpatrick, Steven Wulf, Daryl Thomas and Michael Davies among those unavailable on Saturday and said, under the circumstances, it was a good win.
“It was a good hitout. They had a crack and that was good, but it was really windy and near impossible to kick goals into it,” he said. “I was pretty happy overall. Our forward line was probably too big for the conditions, but we got away with that. Hopefully we will have a few players back next week. I think we’ve had our share of injuries now.”
