By Nick Creely
OUTER EAST FOOTBALL
PREMIER DIVISION REVIEW – ROUND 10
It was the game they set themselves for.
It’s wasn’t quite redemption, but the chance to slowly wrong the rights of what’s held them back in the past.
For Beaconsfield, Saturday’s dominant win against the struggling Cranbourne – a side battling its share of injuries – won’t dissipate the lingering questions that remain about their ability to get it done come finals time, but what it has done is prove just how far the Eagles have come since its opening round loss.
The home side – in almost torrential conditions for the second consecutive week – were merciless against Cranbourne, doing the damage early and holding firm despite the visitors fighting hard after quarter time, 12.7 (79) to 4.6 (30).
It was a win that coach Leigh McQuillen – after losses to Cranbourne in the semi-final last year and opening round of the season this year – knew his side needed for its own confidence.
“Pre-game, we spoke about the last two times we met them, and in Round 1 they derailed us a bit, and we spoke about the final last year too, and it was ironic, because 90 per cent of our players played in either one or both of those games,” he said.
“We made a pact that it had to be on our mind all day if you’re looking for that bit extra, and we used that as a real driver.”
Cranbourne struggled to string together consecutive possessions in the opening term, and as the rain tumbled down and the ball surged towards the home side’s goal, there was ominous feel about how the game could pan out.
In reality, with the conditions setting in for the day, the damage was done within 10 minutes of the opening bounce.
The home side’s aggressive nature, ability to hunt the football and play a brand of football that stacks in the wet conditions was particularly evident early, with the likes of Michael Misso, Jack Griffiths and the dynamic Riley Verbi having a major impact in the opening stages.
After piling on two goals in the opening few minutes, Misso launched one from almost 50 after a standstill of almost 10 minutes, roaring with delight as the ball sailed over the umpires head. Moments later, Verbi used all of his goal nous to kick a freakish goal and open up a 28-point lead.
Another goal before quarter time saw the home side open up a whopping 33-point lead, with the visitors being held goalless and with seemingly no answers.
But the visitors fought, and to their credit, never wavered in intensity, and enjoyed a more fruitful second term, which included a brilliant goal from a tight spot from leader Luke Bee-Hugo and some great energy from Stuart Morrish and Jordan Bertrand in the back half.
Despite pegging the margin but to 26 at the major break, the Eagles once again surged in a dominant third term, adding even further percentage to an already impressive 6-3 record.
McQuillen said that the key in wet weather football is the intensity early, and his side brought it in spades, a far cry from the lacklustre start in the previous match’s narrow win against Woori Yallock.
“We didn’t feel like we set the aggression early against Woori, so we felt like we had to drive that, and we did that from the outset,” he said.
“We had a week in those conditions at the same ground, which helped.”
Preventing the visitors from their usual drive out of the back half and surge mentality was an important aspect of the result, according to McQuillen.
“We spoke about how Cranbourne likes space, and we knew that with their players we needed to adjust with width and take time away from the kicker,” he said.
“We had to hold and trust one another – we took their kickers out of the game, which helped our defenders.”
Elsewhere across Premier, Healesville showed glimmers of hope, and Saturday provided its fans and footballers with plenty of encouraging moments.
The previously winless Bloods – who sit bottom of the ladder, snatched an incredible victory from the jaws of defeat on the road against Upwey Tecoma, 10.11 (71) to 8.14 (62).
While the win will have no bearing on the race for finals, it was a win for all involved in the Bloods community.
The Bloods trailed for most of the day, with the Tigers always seemingly having the upper hand, but crucially the visitors stuck fat and entered the main break with a manageable 13-point deficit.
Fighting hard – and making life difficult for the home side – the Bloods just kept on ticking along, with Rodney Woodford (six goals) completely dominant as the game started to heat up and giving them a fighting chance of stealing the win in the final term after kicking three goals to one in the third.
With conditions less than favorable for free flowing footy, the Bloods – against the odds and with pressure to finally push for its first win of the season – surged home, kicking two unanswered goals in the final term to walk away nine-point winners.
Woodford was clearly best afield, snaring six goals in an indomitable display, while Nick Mende and Ash Hamer were superb.
Berwick, meanwhile, flexed its muscles when it mattered to run away with a dominant win against Wandin at home, 15.22 (122) to 5.6 (36).
Incredibly, the Dogs came out snarling, kicking five first quarter goals, opening up a 16-point lead on the dominant Wickers.
But that’s where its competitiveness ended, with the Wickers holding the visitors goalless over the next three quarters, adding a further 13 themselves in a ruthless display in the rain.
Jordan and Madi Andrews were superb for the Wickers – particularly after the first break – while Travis Tuck and Dog Tom Hinds were influential.
In the final match of the round, Narre Warren held off a brave Olinda Ferny Creek, 13.20 (98) to 9.4 (58).
The Bloods battled hard and held a slender lead at the first break, but Matt Shinners’ charges were a class above thereafter, kicking 11 goals to six after quarter time to set up a comfortable win.
Jake Richardson continues to build on his terrific season with another class display for the Magpies, while Trent Cody and Dylan Quirk were industrious in the middle.
Woori Yallock had the bye.
