By Nick Creely
OUTER EAST FOOTBALL
DIVISION 1 REVIEW – ROUND 13 (SPLIT)
The presence of former St Kilda great Stephen Milne was enough for Emerald to upset Doveton at home in front of a monster crowd, 12.11 (83) to 10.11 (71).
Despite the Doves never really going away, the Bombers always looked like the better side on the day, with Milne slotting two and getting the crowd up and about.
Milne – who slotted 574 goals for the Saints to be one of the most prominent small forwards in AFL history – kicked an early goal, and with the momentum of this, and the vocal home crowd, the Bombers always looked likely to cause an upset.
The Bombers took in a four-point quarter time lead, with the Doves unable to convert some of its chances despite James Gascard and Mitch Pierce looming as a threat in the forward line.
While Milne was relatively well-held after his early injection of class on the contest, the Bombers just looked ominous every time it entered the forward half, with Jake Pedder’s strong season continuing with another excellent performance.
The Doves came back hard – particularly in the final half – but couldn’t quite find enough momentum to force its way over the line.
Slashing the margin back from five goals to just two straight kicks at the final change, with a lift from Luke Daidone and former Western Bulldog great Matthew Boyd picking up stacks of the footy to assert himself on the contest seeing the visitors increasingly likely to run over the top.
But the Bombers’ defensive unit was simply sublime in the final 30 minutes, quelling everything in its path and making the Doves’ life even more difficult with repeat intercepts.
Both sides had their moments in the final half, but the Bombers had an answer for every challenge from the visitors, kicking two goals apiece in the final term to hold on and bank a morale boosting win.
The loss, however, for the Doves could prove somewhat costly, with Daniel Charles’ side now no longer holding onto third spot comfortably, with Mount Evelyn breathing down the necks in fourth and with a superior percentage.
And in the remaining match in what was a split round, The Rovers stormed home from a six-goal deficit at home against Officer to win comfortably at home, 14.12 (96) to 12.13 (85).
The Kangaroos were dealt several key injury blows – including gun defender Stephen Heppel to a calf – but started absolutely superbly to take in a 17-point quarter time lead, and that ballooned out to 32 at half-time after a four goal to two second quarter.
But the Rovers slowly got its game up and running, taking control of the contest to narrowly win the third term, before a devastating final term proved too hot to handle for Doug Koop’s side.
The Rovers slammed on six goals to one to run away with the game, with the home side enjoying 10 individual goal kickers, with Max Kleverkamp once again extremely impressive, while for the Kangaroos, skipper Matthew Clarke slotted four while Jake Ingaliso, James Waldon and big man Sean Roach were all in the best.
Earlier in the split round, Monbulk defeated Warburton Millgrove, 11.22 (88) to 5.2 (32), while Pakenham were a class above Belgrave at home, 16.24 (120) to 3.4 (22).
The race for the make-up of the final five will continue this weekend, with a monster clash at AJ Robinson Oval between Doveton and Monbulk extremely important in the context of the season.
A win for the Hawks away from home would all but seal its minor premiership, while if the Doves can bounce back; they can stave off a fierce challenge from Mount Evelyn for third spot, who is expected to account for Belgrave.
Officer hosts Emerald and will need to win so it can completely seal itself in the finals, while Pakenham travels up to take Warburton Millgrove, where Ash Green’s side should be able to get the points and place pressure on Monbulk on the top of the ladder.
In Division 2, Seville got the better of Gembrook Cockatoo, but the margin could have been bigger if not for inaccuracy, 13.21 (99) to 7.9 (51).
The Brookers couldn’t reel the margin in after conceding seven second term goals, but battled the game out well to square up the final half.
