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Old foes in blockbuster By David Nagel Gaining a physcological edge over an equally-talented competitor is just one of the prizes on offer for Berwick and Cranbourne when the two powerhouse sides of the South East Football Netball League collide at Edwin Flack Reserve on Saturday. These two have broken the heart of the other over the last two years, Berwick winning the 2015 grand final before the Eagles turned the tables in an epic season-decider last year. But both teams will take a new look into this clash, Berwick with a new coach and new game plan under Stewart Kemperman while Cranbourne looked younger and quicker against Hampton Park last week. The biggest prize for Kemperman and his Cranbourne counterpart Simon Goosey is to gain knowledge and some intellectual property on what the other is trying to achieve. “They’re obviously learning a new system, defence comes first, and this week will give us a good look at how they’ve changed,” Goosey said. “It’s no secret to these clubs that we press pretty hard and it will be inter-
Michael ‘Pickles’ Henry was the star performer in the South East Football Netball League on Saturday booting five goals against Officer. 166734 Picture: ROB CAREW esting to see what they’re trying to implement. We’ve heard a little bit on the grapevine and I’ll watch a bit of video during the week to make sure we don’t get too surprised.” Kemperman realises this is a massive test for his club. “It’s the ultimate litmus test in this league at the moment,” a respectful Kemperman said. “They’ve got the runs on the board and they’ve beaten us the last three times we’ve played them. It’s probably
the perfect time to play them, early in the season, so we can see how our structures stack up and take that feedback and develop accordingly.” The preparation heading in is like chalk and cheese, the Eagles pumping the Redbacks by 184 points at Casey Fields on Saturday while the Wickers had to fight hard to survive a gripping arm-wrestle against Beaconsfield. Cranbourne unfurled its flag and some exciting young talent, with Jake Carosella and Brad Bigaignon making
their senior debuts and small-forward Khaled Kandakji making a lasting impression in his first game for the club. Kandakji kicked seven goals to live up to his exciting practice match form. “He’s a genuine crumber but having said that he probably took mark of the year in our last practice match as well,” Goosey said. “He comes from Oakleigh Districts and has been thereabouts but has probably never taken his footy as seriously as he should; he just wants to test himself at a better level of footy.” Hard-presenting forward Troy Tharle kicked five for the winners, Mat Fletcher four, while Bigaignon, Daniel Kitto and Luke Bee-Hugo snagged three apiece. Berwick’s Battle of the Creek victory over Beacy was exactly that - a real battle - the Wickers kicking four goals to one in the final term to run out three-goal winners. “They probably surprised us a little with how strong they were behind the footy, and that’s going to keep them in a lot of games this season,” Kemperman said. Michael Misso joined Corey Walker, Jake Bowd and Dan Hellyer as the
ROC wins battle against Doves By David Nagel The South East Football Netball League looks set for a startling metamorphosis after Cranbourne and ROC pulled off surprise upsets against two of last year’s finalists on Saturday. The Eagles proved far too strong for a disappointing Hampton Park at Casey Fields, winning 50-33, while the Kangaroos emerged victorious in the close one of the day, returning from Robinson Reserve with a gritty 48-44 triumph over Doveton. Throw in a much-improved performance from last year’s cellardweller Berwick, and a dominant display from Tooradin over Pakenham, and all sectors of the 2016 ladder look set for a reshuffle. ROC’s list has really suffered over the last few years with experience, but the Kangaroos welcomed back some familiar faces on Saturday and reaped the rewards against Doveton. The Kangaroos will have a bumper crop of juniors coming through in about 10 years’ time after the birth of child after child at the club. Sure it’s great for the future, but those baby bumps took many a fine player away from the netball court over the last few years. Returning from the maternity ward on Saturday were Amy Jones, Sarah Smith and Mel Overdyk, adding some real substance to the look of the Kangaroos around the court. Smith (GS) was in good touch under the ring, Jones (WA) quality through the midcourt, while Overdyk (GK) put her experience to good use to form a solid defensive unit with Laura Quinn (GD). The two gun mid-courters ROC’s Ash Barnett and Doveton’s Zali Mifsud - had an exciting battle throughout the day in the centre. Coach Liz Edwards and Shonalene San Jose threatened to post a winning score for the Doves but the Kangaroos held firm for a confidence-boosting victory. “Let’s call them the mature heads around the club, they were saying we just don’t win in round one so to do that was really satisfying,” said
ROC goaler Samantha Neil played a key role in the Kangaroos surprise win over Doveton. 166734 Picture: ROB CAREW new coach Sharon Hook. “We adjusted into the game style really well. Doveton play an aerial game, a physical game, and we stood up to that pressure and showed that the fitness work we’ve been doing over summer is really paying dividends.” Cranbourne’s victory over Hampton Park was also most impressive, the Eagles, the most stable list from 2016 taking on the revolving-door type approach from the Redbacks. Eagles’ coach Donna Wilson said going into the season that familiarity would be one her side’s greatest strengths -and it certainly panned
out that way. “We had a couple of things go against us that would have thrown us right out in the past but the girls just stood up,” Wilson said. Tegan Stahl was outstanding for the Eagles. The hype surrounding TooradinDalmore and its exciting crop of recruits appears to be right on the mark after the Seagulls scored the most emphatic victory of the day, 66-23, against Pakenham at Tooradin. The Gulls took a huge leap forward in 2016, going from a winless 2015 to playing finals, and appear to be on an upward curve once again. New recruits, Alex Maher, Jess Cox,
Sara Duncan and Bec Kinna all played major roles in the victory. And Beaconsfield has made a solid start to its 2017 campaign, winning 52-40 in the Battle of the Creek at Holm Park Reserve. Champion mid-courter Jasmine Jones (C) stepped straight back into the thick of the action for the Eagles, controlling her battle with Charlotte Tiplady in the first half. Boroondara recruit Emily Boribon (GA) teamed up well with goal-shooters Bianca Sanzaro and Courtney Davey, while Dani Cameron, Taylah Jencke and Britnee Tyers made life difficult for Berwick’s goalers. Narre Warren had the bye.
Eagles best contributors, while Bryce Rutherford and defenders Billy Arthurson, Bob Kemperman and Riley Heddles did a great job for the Wickers. Jayden Joyce also stood tall against the dangerous Beau Dowler. In other games, Doveton star Michael ‘Pickles’ Henry snagged five goals from the midfield as the Doves scored a 38-point victory over Officer at Robinson Reserve. Key-forward Taylor Joyce kicked three in his Doveton debut, while Jesse Longmuir matched that total for the Kangaroos. Big Russ Gabriel and Aaron Henwood joined Henry as the key playmakers for the day. And Tooradin has broken a fouryear drought against Pakenham after downing the Lions by five goals at Westernport Oval. Gun-recruit Luke McKenna was pivotal for the Gulls, matching motors with Lions-gun Steve O’Bryan. Andrew Dean kicked three, while Aisakie O’hAilpin was also influential around the ground. Youngster Liam Tyrrell played a blinder for the Lions.
SEFNL SCOREBOARD ROUND 1 - SENIORS DOVETON 0.2 7.9 10.10 16.14(110) OFFICER 3.4 4.5 7.9 10.12(72) CRANBOURNE 7.3 18.10 22.11 33.17(215) HAMPTON PARK 2.0 3.1 5.1 5.1(31) BEACONSFIELD 2.0 2.0 4.1 5.3(33) BERWICK 1.3 3.8 3.8 7.9(51) TOORADIN-DALMORE 3.5 3.9 6.10 9.14(68) PAKENHAM 2.2 2.5 3.7 5.8(38) NARRE WARREN - BYE RESERVES: Doveton 8.16(64) v Officer SFC 5.2(32), Cranbourne 27.14(176) v Hampton Park 1.1(7), Beaconsfield 5.5(35) v Berwick 6.7(43), Tooradin-Dalmore 6.6(42) v Pakenham 6.6(42). UNDER 19: Doveton 7.11(53) v Officer SFC 9.8(62), Cranbourne A 19.20(134) v Cranbourne B 2.1(13), Beaconsfield 7.11(53) v Berwick 3.9(27), Narre Warren B 2.5(17) v Narre Warren A 19.11(125), Tooradin-Dalmore 1.2(8) v Pakenham 21.12(138). SENIOR LADDER TEAM W L D B % PTS Cranbourne 1 0 0 0 693.55 4 Tooradin-Dalmore 1 0 0 0 178.95 4 Berwick 1 0 0 0 154.55 4 Doveton 1 0 0 0 152.78 4 Narre Warren 0 0 0 1 0.00 4 Officer SFC 0 1 0 0 65.45 0 Beaconsfield 0 1 0 0 64.71 0 Pakenham 0 1 0 0 55.88 0 Hampton Park 0 1 0 0 14.42 0 This week: Berwick v Cranbourne, Beaconsfield v TooradinDalmore, Officer v Narre Warren, Pakenham - Bye. Hampton Park and Doveton to play on Good Friday. NETBALL A GRADE: Beaconsfield 52 def Berwick 40, Cranbourne 50 def Hampton Park 33, Doveton 44 def by ROC 48, TooradinDalmore 66 def Pakenham 23, Narre Warren - Bye. B GRADE: Beaconsfield 50 def Berwick 31, Cranbourne 43 def Hampton Park 39, Doveton 40 def ROC 29, TooradinDalmore 43 def Pakenham 34, Narre Warren - Bye. C GRADE: Beaconsfield 41 def Berwick 21, Cranbourne 27 def Hampton Park 25, Doveton 32 def ROC 30, Tooradin-Dalmore 33 def Pakenham 21, Narre Warren - Bye. D GRADE: Beaconsfield 39 def Berwick 20, Cranbourne 32 def by Hampton Park 33, Doveton 31 def ROC 26, TooradinDalmore 21 def Pakenham 18, Narre Warren - Bye. 17 UNDER RED: Beaconsfield 38 def Berwick 21, Cranbourne 52 def Hampton Park 14, Doveton 32 def ROC 22, TooradinDalmore 11 def by Pakenham 32, Narre Warren - Bye. 17 UNDER WHITE: Beaconsfield 41 def Berwick 9, Cranbourne 42 def Hampton Park 22, Doveton 23 def ROC 11, TooradinDalmore 3 def by Pakenham 24, Narre Warren - Bye. 15 UNDER RED: Beaconsfield 14 def by Berwick 24, Cranbourne 27 def Hampton Park 15, Doveton 21 def ROC 20, Tooradin-Dalmore 11 def by Pakenham 43, Narre Warren - Bye. 15 UNDER WHITE: Beaconsfield 20 def Berwick 15, Doveton 17 def by ROC 34, Tooradin-Dalmore 8 def by Pakenham 58, Cranbourne - Bye, Narre Warren - Bye. 13 UNDER RED: Beaconsfield 19 def by Berwick 28, Cranbourne 20 def Hampton Park 14, Doveton 6 def by ROC 47, Tooradin-Dalmore 32 def Pakenham 16, Narre Warren - Bye. 13 UNDER WHITE: Beaconsfield 30 def Berwick 5, Doveton 8 def by ROC 43, Tooradin-Dalmore 6 def by Pakenham 47, Cranbourne - Bye, Narre Warren - Bye. A GRADE LADDER TEAM W L D B % PTS Tooradin-Dalmore 1 0 0 0 286.96 4 Cranbourne 1 0 0 0 151.52 4 Beaconsfield 1 0 0 0 130.00 4 ROC 1 0 0 0 109.09 4 Narre Warren 0 0 0 1 0.00 4 Doveton 0 1 0 0 91.67 0 Berwick 0 1 0 0 76.92 0 Hampton Park 0 1 0 0 66.00 0 Pakenham 0 1 0 0 34.85 0
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