Turtles ruin Lakers run

■ Old Eltham Collegians led from start to finish to record an impressive 40-point victory over the previously undefeated Kinglake in their NFNL Division 3 clash at Eltham College

A four goal to one second term set the tone for the day, with the Turtles never looking back in the 9.7 (61) to 2.9 (21) result.

With a 26-point half time deficit, the Lakers toiled hard after the main break but were not able to find an avenue to goal.

They had more scoring shots than the home team, but their forward thrusts yielded only 0.7 after the main break.

“We got it back to square at 3-3.” Old Eltham Collegians coach Matt Sleeman said.

“We now have a couple of weeks to rest before setting up for the back half of the season.”

The fact that the Turtles were so difficult to score against was thanks to a dominant defence led by Daniel Hallett and Nathan Byatt.

Hallett has been especially notable as he hadn’t played for seven years prior to this season and Saturday was only his second senior game.

Mitchell Rodda debuted for the winners and impressed down back. Rodda had previously played a senior game for West Preston-Lakeside in 2019, while fellow 2023 recruit Jaedyn Kearney was also terrific in the defensive half, winning one-on-one battles and using the ball well.

Part of the reason Old Eltham Collegians defended so well was that the Kinglake players would constantly bomb the ball into forward 50 to an outnumbered contest.

Sometimes the pressure applied to them caused this and at other times it was just poor decision-making.

The Turtles outworked the Lakers and it sometimes appeared that they had more players on the ground due to their superior work rate, with Nicholas Milne and Matthew Williamson being the beneficiaries of that effort, kicking three and two goals respectively.

The work of Sebastian Francis-Perkins and Jack Fitzgerald in the engine room was exemplary.

Fitzgerald managed to grab a couple of crucial centre square clearances which led to goals, while Francis-Perkins was named the unanimous best of ground.

He played all over the ground, winning clearances, helping out down back, also going forward to kick a goal.

After the game, Francis-Perkins spoke of the team focus to go in hard and to be first to the ball.

Goulburn Murray Junior Football

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Outer East Junior Football

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“Grit won us the game today,” he said.

Benjamin Cox had a great day on the wing and kicked two goals, while Matthew Quinton worked tirelessly in the ruck.

Winners for Kinglake were harder to find as they registered their first loss in the 2023 competition.

“They were too good for us,” Kinglake coach Andrew Fairchild said.

Fairchild had praise for Riley Kennedy who was a stand-out across half-back with his intercept marking, and was also a reliable linkman from defence to midfield.

The coach also gave a tick to Thomas Clarke for his ruckwork and thought that the defence as a whole stood up well.

Matthew Langford was busy through the midfield and half forward area, while Lachie White and Mason McAllister contributed well.

Matthew Coen was best on ground at quarter time after dominating the first term with some brilliant contested and intercept marking, all while playing a role in the ruck.

A pleasing fact for Lakers fans, despite the loss, was that they fought the game out well once it was done and dusted.

It didn’t really show up on the scoreboard as they were unable to put the ball through the big sticks, but they could’ve easily fallen away in the final quarter.

However, the ball lived mainly in their forward half late in the contest.

The opening term began plenty of intensity, but very little scoreboard contributions.

Against his old side for the first time, Nathan Howard would kick the opening goal of the match for the visitors, a reward for his side’s territory wins in the early stages of the quarter.

Jamie Smith’s rucking was impressive at stoppages, and his ability to bomb the ball across the ground meant that Bundoora were only able to hit the scoreboard with two behinds by the time the siren sounded for quarter-time.

Michael Ryan instructed his side to “be smart when you win the ball”, and “facilitate your teammates to make good decisions.”

Zane Barker was able to capitalise on this advice, as he kicked the Bulls’ first goal in the opening minutes of the second quarter.

The ball bounced between defenders and forwards inside Bundoora’s attacking 50, as the Bulls turned up the pressure.

Peter McEvoy was a highlight for the hosts in the second quarter, chasing down his opponents and winning the ball at every opportunity.

However, the Boro still managed to kick two second quarter majors, taking advantage of the very few opportunities the visitors had in their forward 50, keeping them in the lead at half time as a result.

The rain started to come down over an already-muddy Yulong Reserve in the third term.

Greensborough were kept goalless in the quarter with Bundoora turning up the pressure. But the Bulls could only muster one goal themselves courtesy of Jesse King.

Rayden Garrard was a stand-out for the visitors in difficult conditions, and for Bundoora, Ben Young was dominant around the ground throughout the third quarter.

With a 12-point lead at three quarter time, Saade Ghazi’s message was clear, “win the quarter”.

The Boro came out on top in the final term, with two quick goals from Daniel Ferronato and Harrison Andronaco extending the visitors lead out further.

However, Bundoora quickly responded with a major from Nathan Phillips and then from Jesse King to reduce the deficit back to two goals.

Lachlan East was a clear highlight for the Bulls and a major contributor to Bundoora’s last-minute surge.

Pressure from the Bulls saw them with multiple inside-50 opportunities, however an inability find the goals allowed Greensborough to keep their tight lead intact. The work of Angus Seivers was critical in this period, allowing no easy avenues to goal from his direct opponents.

A goal after the siren by Peter McEvoy saw the home team’s losing margin shrink to 11 points, but it was Greensborough who would register their fourth win of the season.

- Sheridan van Gelderen/NFNL

Creek v Monbulk. Wesburn 5.4 (34) d Wandin 2.0 (12). Mt Evelyn 1.2 (8) d Healesville 0.2 (2). Upwey-Tecoma: Bye. Under 13 Mixed Ranges. Mt Evelyn 3.4 (22) d Gembrook-Cockatoo 0.4 (4). Belgrave 10.14 (74) d Olinda-Ferny Creek 0.0 (0). Upwey-Tecoma Yellow 12.14 (86) d Woori Yallock Yellow 0.0 (0). Wandin 9.7 (61) d Wesburn 4.2 (26). Seville 4.5 (29) d Healesville 1.1 (7).

Under 13 Mixed Yarra. Emerald 9.3 (57) d Yartra Glen 1.1 (7). Mt Evelyn 8.5 (53) d Healesville 0.2 (2). Olinda-Ferny Creek 5.9 (39) d Monbulk 4.1 (25). Woori Yallock 5.7 (37) d Upwey-Tecoma 2.3 (15).

Under 14 Girls. Healesville 11.15 (81) d Seville-Yarra Glen 0.0 (0). Belgrave 8.4 (52) d Mt Evelyn Maroon 5.5 (35). Mt Evelyn White 11.8 (74) d Olinda-Ferny Creek 0.0 (0). Upwey-Tecoma 7.4 (46) d Emerald 2.0 (12). Wesburn: Bye.

Under 15 Boys ranges. healesville White 11.10 (76) d Wandin 0.5 (5). Yarra Glrn 9.14 (68) d Upwey-Tecoma Yellow 1.1 (7). Mt Evelyn 7.4 (46) d Emerald Red 6.4 (40).

Under 15 Boys Yarra. Woori Yallock 12.12 (84) d Wesburn 0.4 (4). Wandin Blue 17.18 (120) d Gembrook-Cockatoo 4.3 (27). Olinda-Ferny Vreek 5.14 (44) d Monbulk 4.4 (28). Upwey-Tecoma 9.7 (61) d Emerald Black 8.8 (56). Mt Evelyn 8.13 (61) d Healesville 5.5 (35).

Under 16 Girls. Yarra Glen 9.6 (60) d Monbulk 2.7 (19). Mt Evelyn 9.2 (56) d Belgrave 1.5 (11). Healesville 12.12 (84) d Wesburn 0.0 (0).

Under 17 Boys. Upwey-Tecoma 10. (67) d Seville 5.3 (33). Healesville 23.13 (151) d Wandin-Yarra Glen 1.2 (8). Mt Evelyn v Gembrook-Cockatoio. Olinda-Ferny Creek 8.13 (61) d Monbulk 8.5 (53). Woori Yallock: Bye.

Outer East Junior Netball

■ 17 And Under Premier Division. Seville 37 d Narre Warren 230. Wandin 32 d Beaconsfield 11. Olinda Ferny Creek 36 d Mt Evelyn 13. ROC 25 d Berwick 11.

Pakenham Lions: Bye.

17 and Under Blue. Warburton-Millgrove 18 d Alexandra 16. Powelltown: Bye.

17 and Under White. Narre Warren 22 d Beaconsfield 11. ROC 21 d Berwick

16. Pekenham Lions: Bye.

15 and Under Blue. Narre Warren 30 d Beaconsfield 13. ROC 29 d Berwick 11.

Pakenham Lions: Bye.

15 and Under White. Narre Warren 20 d Beaconsfield 9. ROC 24 d Berwick

15. Hampton Park 18 d Pakenham Lions 10.

13 and Under Blue. Narre Warren 32 d Beaconsfield 7. ROC 28 d Berwick 24.

Pakenham Lions: Bye.

13 and Under White. Narre Warren 18 d Beaconsfield 11. ROC 9 d Berwick 8.

Pakenham Lions 21 d Hampton Park 8.