By Lachlan Mitchell
Cranbourne had a much needed break this week as it tries to regain some troops heading into the next quarter of the year.
The Eagles were the new-kids on the block with this season being their first in the Southern Football League.
The Eagles faced Cheltenham on Good Friday in an early-season opener to round six.
Cranbourne suffered its first and only loss of the season against the Rosellas by 18-points.
Cranbourne currently sit on top of the ladder with just percentage separating the top two sides.
Cranbourne coach Steve O’Brien has taken the first six weeks as a learning curve as his side build towards finals.
“It’s been a real learning experience for us, given the new competition and the new challenges I think we have adapted pretty well,” he said.
“We have had a lot of injuries we have had to deal with, we have to work with that and we are pretty well placed at this point.”
Covid lockdowns have caused the last two seasons to be prematurely cut short and abandoned, but O’Brien is confident his side has bounced back bigger and stronger than ever.
“There is no doubt it has an impact,” he said.
“Particularly early in the year and whether that has to do with some of the injuries we got, I suppose we will never know.
“We feel like we are starting to click and get some things looking the way we want them to look on the field and track the right way.
“It was always going to take a little bit of time to gel together. There are some things we need to tidy up but we think we are tracking alright.”
Cranbourne has been ravaged by injuries this season with its last clash against Dingley ending with no rotations.
“We got a couple that are out for the year, but hopefully they start filtering back over the next month or so,” O’Brien explained.
The rest of round-six had a mixed back of results.
Springvale lead at every change to eventually be overrun by St. Paul’s McKinnon. The Demons conceding 4.6 in the last quarter.
Bulldogs Stephen Muller kicked four goals to run over the Demons.
Port Melbourne had the run of the mill against East Malvern at Dunlop Reserve. The Colts led at every stage to win by 94-points with Rikki Newton kicking eight goals in the trouncing win.
St Kilda City showed it’s a contender with an 82-point win over the Bentleigh Demons. Saints Daniel Deogis, Eduardo Espinosa and ex-Richmond and North Melbourne player Aaron Edwards all kicking four goals.
The win sees St. Kilda sit in second place on the ladder.
SOUTHERN DIVISION 1
RESULTS – ROUND 6
Good Friday
Cheltenham 13.11 89 v Cranbourne Eagles 11.5 71
Saturday 14 May
Mordialloc 6.9 45 v Dingley 19.14 128, East Malvern 7.14 56 v Port Melbourne Colts 22.18 150, St Paul’s McKinnon v Springvale Districts 9.9 63, Bentleigh 4.11 35 v St Kilda City 17.15 117.
LADDER
Cranbourne Eagles 20, St Kilda City 20, Cheltenham 16, St Paul’s McKinnon 16, Dingley 12, Port Melbourne Colts 12, Mordialloc 12, Springvale Districts 8, Bentleigh 4, East Malvern 0.
FIXTURE – ROUND 7
Port Melbourne v Cheltenham, Cranbourne Eagles v Mordialloc, St Kilda City v St Paul’s McKinnon, Dingley v Bentleigh, Springvale Districts v East Malvern.
GOAL-KICKERS FOR THE EAGLES
PLAYER TOTAL GOALS
Marc Holt 30
Kirk Dickson 13
Tyson Barry 9
Jake Carosella 6
Nicholas Russo 5
Zak Roscoe 4
Ryan Davey 3
Luke Bee-Hugo 3
Nicholas Darbyshire 2
Jake Stephens 2
Matthew Alister 1
Luca Bellinvia 1
