Panthers Rigg up a top show

By Mark Gullick
DEVON Meadows dramatically concluded Cranbourne’s 13 match winning streak with a determined 26-point win at Casey Fields on Saturday.
The match was played in awful conditions, with strong winds blowing toward the southern goals.
Cranbourne kicked with the wind in the opening term, but was wasteful, kicking 1.8, while Devon Meadows scored a crucial goal.
The Panthers took control with a brilliant second term.
They kicked five goals, including three within a five minute period, to take an imposing 30-point lead into the long break.
The report of Curtise Barker, just on half-time, reduced Cranbourne to 17 men for the crucial third quarter.
Justin Berry gave Cranbourne a perfect start, with a goal within two minutes, while Nick Barker added another major.
His brother Curtise returned to the field halfway through the quarter and made an immediate impact.
He took a mark and handballed to Berry for a clever goal from the pocket.
Devon Meadows made a rare forward foray, where Billy Hayes kicked a crucial goal to give his side an eight-point lead into the final term.
Panther Brett Armitage booted a long goal within seconds of play in the final term.
A massive goal to winger Ryan Jones gave Cranbourne a chance, but Devon Meadows kicked three late goals – to captain Jesse Dehey, Daniel Verlado and Daniel Rigg – to seal the big win.
“We executed the game plan really well,” Devon Meadows coach Steve O’Brien said.
“We planned earlier in the week. It was a battle of the two best defences in the competition. We had to work out a way to restrict them, because they’re a high scoring side and we had to work out a way to kick goals. We were able to do that. We changed things up and moved a few things around and they all worked for us, which was good.”
A massive factor was the Devon Meadows defence, especially during the third term.
They held onto the ball and chipped wide to control the tempo and deny Cranbourne scoring chances.
“Our backline has been fantastic all year,” O’Brien said. “They are statistically the second best group in the comp and I haven’t had a problem with them. They’ve been rock solid. During the bad patch (two months ago), we probably weren’t getting help from our midfield, but they really work hard for us both ways now.”
The rivalry between the two teams attracted a massive, boisterous crowd.
“We’ve probably been lacking support over the last couple of months,” O’Brien said. “Maybe they gave up on us a little bit, but they were there in full support and that was fantastic. (The rivalry has) been built over 30 years now. I didn’t talk about it to the players; it was more about the challenge of coming up against the best rated side in the competition, and beating them when they’re in good form on their own ground.”
Rigg was superb for Devon Meadows.
He kicked two crucial goals and gained a tonne of possessions around the ground, and used his trusty left boot to precisely deliver the ball to teammates.
Ash Adams, Pat Harmes, young star Steve McInnes and Luke Hamilton played well in a comprehensive team effort. Verlardo kicked three goals.
Cranbourne has played brilliant football for the majority of the season, but was clearly outgunned on the day.
Its best player was Berry, who gathered many possessions in the midfield and also drifted forward to score two goals.
Ryan Jones, defender Matthew Rus and forwards Curtise Barker, Troy Tharle Adams and Matthew Fletcher tried hard.