By DAVID NAGEL
Doveton 9.15 (69) Hampton Park 5.8 (38)
DOVETON has two weeks off to ready itself for its biggest challenge of the season after an uninspiring 31-point victory over Hampton Park at Robinson Oval on Saturday.
The Doves are happy – they have a four-one start to the season – but they’re far from satisfied, clear in the knowledge that rounds six to nine are going to give a better understanding of where they really do sit this season.
The bye, then the interleague break, is the precursor to a tough run for Shannon Henwood and his side which faces Pakenham, Narre Warren, Berwick and Cranbourne.
Split that run two and two and everyone will stand up and take notice!
The Doves were slow to begin with on the weekend, Hampton Park showing a greater appetite for the contest with the efforts of Bryce Keyser, Luke Nunan, Cory Phillips and Kane White keeping the home side goalless in the first term.
The Doves wasted opportunities, kicking 3.7 to 1.1 in the second quarter, before controlling the contest after half time.
Doveton has already used 34 players this season (the same that ROC used for the whole of last year) and had names like Jarrad Boumann, Michael Henry, Simon Black and Frank D’Agostino sitting on the sidelines.
Its consistency this season has come from Russell Gabriel in the ruck, Mitch Viney in the centre, and from livewire forward Mitch Pierce.
All three were once again valuable contributors against the Redbacks while first-gamer Andrew Humphries impressed in his debut.
Pierce was the top goal-scorer on the ground with three, with Viney, Mitch Davies, and Redbacks’ forward Nathan Carver all ending the day with two apiece.
The Redbacks, who had big-man Rod Blackbourn return for his first game of the season on Saturday, host a red-hot Berwick outfit this weekend.
