By David Nagel
It’s anyone’s guess when traditional rivals Hampton Park and Cranbourne will next meet in competition after the Eagles took a 200-point victory away from Robert Booth Reserve on Saturday.
The need for AFL South East to remain strong, and implement a full divisional structure in 2018, has never been more evident as the Eagles continued a remarkable winning streak against the Redbacks.
It’s fair to say the fortunes of both clubs have fluctuated at incredibly different rates over the last 13 years, when the Casey Cardinia Football League was first born.
The Redbacks won six of their first seven contests between the clubs from 2005 to 2009 – but the stats are horrific from that point forward.
The Eagles have now won 15 straight against the Redbacks since 2010, at an average winning margin of 147 points. They have chalked up 109 wins compared to 22 since then, those totals sitting on 79-4 since the beginning of 2012.
On those statistics alone, these clubs don’t belong in the same competition in 2018.
And it’s not cyclical – in competitive terms – these clubs, which have been side by side in competition since the mid-1950s, have simply grown apart.
The highlight of their most recent battle was a stunning nine-goal haul from clean-marking forward Troy Tharle and a 15-goal second quarter from the Eagles.
Tharle was supported by a four-goal cameo from Khaled Kandakji, with three each to Luke Bee-Hugo, Ty Ellison and Jake Carosella putting the final seal on victory. Tharle and Ellison were the best big-men on the ground, while Carosella was joined by Dillan Bass, Mat Fletcher and Kirk Dickson on the Eagles’ best players list.
Conceding 36 scoring shots in the first half the Redbacks fought the game out well, allowing the Eagles just 21 scoring attempts after half time. Experienced pair Mark Penn and Jackson Philpin never stopped trying for the Redbacks, leading the way for players like Dylan Asling, Hayden Brough, James Cross and Bryce Keyser to jump on board.
The Redbacks have a bye this week then a tough trip to Narre Warren before a good run home against Officer, Tooradin and Pakenham.
The Eagles travel to Narre Warren this week for the Round 14 match-of-the-day.
