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Ballarat Football Netball League Results – Round 13 A GRADE Melton South 44 def Bacchus Marsh 28 Ballarat 29 lost Redan 40 North Ballarat – Bye Darley – Bye Lake Wendouree – Bye Sebastopol 31 lost East Point 34 B GRADE Melton South 41 def Bacchus Marsh 38 Ballarat 25 lost Redan 30 North Ballarat 26 def Melton 9 Sunbury 29 lost Darley 56 Lake Wendouree – Bye Sebastopol 22 lost East Point 44 C GRADE Melton South 53 def Bacchus Marsh 23 Ballarat 33 def Redan 22 North Ballarat – Bye Darley – Bye Lake Wendouree – Bye Sebastopol 19 def East Point 25 D GRADE Melton South 35 def Bacchus Marsh 29 Ballarat 32 def Redan 12 North Ballarat 27 def Melton 13 Sunbury 23 lost Darley 32 Lake Wendouree – Bye Sebastopol 14 lost East Point 20 E GRADE Melton South v Bacchus Marsh (No Results) Ballarat 18 lost Redan 19 North Ballarat 19 def Melton 15 Darley – Bye Lake Wendouree – Bye Sebastopol 14 lost East Point 20 19& Under Melton South 41 def Bacchus Marsh 15 Ballarat 26 lost Redan 35 North Ballarat – Bye Sumbury 11 lost Darley 62 Lake Wendoure – Bye Sebastopol 47 def East Point 15
Photos - Tim Saultry / sportingherald.com.au
Sport
The Moorabool News – 19 July, 2022 Page 19
Finals hopes still alive By Todd Whelan Bacchus Marsh led from go-to-woe on the road to secure the Premiership points with a 22-point win over Melton South at the weekend. In tough conditions the state of play wasn’t pretty to the eye. Both sides struggled to gain any impetus on the scoreboard, locked on four goals apiece at three quarter time. But it was the Cobras who broke the shackles to open up in the final term adding four goals to one. Cobras forward Aaron Willetts (5 goals) was the star forward on the day and arguably the difference. According to Panthers coach Heath Pritchard his boys disappointed in a game that held greater expectations for the club and a fourth win of the season. The Panthers home record extends to 0-7 for the year. The Cobras would be delighted with a seventh win, remaining just percentage outside of the six. Jack Williams, Tom German and Nick Stuhldrier overwhelmed the Panthers winning plenty of their own ball while youngster Joshua Huxtable continues to progress. Experienced Panthers trio Billy Lloyd, Dylan Jones and Matthew Nottman featured prominently for the home side while Cody Chapman continues to thrive in his most consistent year at the level. Dylan Conway returned for the Navy Blue and White while concerns on Cobras ruckman Daniel Burton’s (foot) prognosis gains momentum (missed last 3 weeks). The Cobras have Sebastopol (home), BYE, Darley (home), Redan (home) and Sunbury (away) to round out their 2022 home and away season. If they can win them all, finals are certain. WHAT THE COACHES SAID Where was the game was won and lost? GERMAN (B/Marsh) - We played a good four quarters without the scoreboard results for the first three. In the
fourth, the game broke open for us. We had a really wide spread of contributors across the field from our younger guys to our elder statesmen. Rate your ‘forwards’ performance GERMAN - Functioned well. Had some good fast movement going in there which gave good opportunity. Aaron Willetts got off the chain for his best game for the year. Jack Parente played a really good game and we had plenty of scoring opportunities. Ideally we would have liked to convert better. Rate your ‘midfielders’ performance GERMAN - We won the battle on the day. Young Spencer Meagher went well against a premier ruckman in Dylan Jones. We had a really even contribution from all our mids. Good spread and hard running until the final siren. Rate your ‘defenders’ performance GERMAN - Jake Owen and Jack Williams worked really well in tandem. Our backs across the board held up really well and gave us good drive. Rate your ‘Overall’ performance PRITCHARD (M/South) - We were disappointing. We really just didn’t get our game going at all and we know we can perform much better than what we did. The good thing about footy is you get the opportunity to show improvement the next week. FINAL SCORES Melton South - 1.0-6, 3.1-19, 4.4-28, 5.5-35 lost Bacchus Marsh - 2.3-15, 3.8-26, 4.12-36, 8.19-67 B/Marsh (Best) - J. Williams, T. German, A. Willetts, N. Stuhldrier, R. Huxtable, M. Eastmure. B/Marsh (Goals) - A. Willetts 5, J. Freeman 1, R. Hickman, H. King. DON’T MISS “THE PRESSER’’ - LIVE EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT FROM 8PM. LISTEN TO APPPLE 98.5FM OR STREAM LIVE www.apple985fm.com.au
Devils hold off Lions attack By Todd Whelan A late goal to Devils defender Mitch Ward against the breeze has helped secure a nervous 12 point win over Sunbury at the Clark Oval last Saturday. The Devils left the door slightly ajar after a wasteful 3.9 third quarter return with the stiff breeze. Admittedly the Devils were made to arrest a nine point half time deficit but their inability to make the Lions pay on the scoreboard after three quick goals left them vulnerable. An 18 point three quarter time lead could easily have been much greater if not for seven straight behinds to close out the term. Questions would be asked of the Devils collective, asked to defend an 18 point lead into a five goal breeze. Devils coach Dan Jordan hit the nail on the head, summing up the nature of the win. “We were better in the key moments,” he said. Near all the Devils 22 had defining moments that I’m certain had an impact on the result. Billy Myers, Darren Leonard and Shane Page saved the day on the last line on numerous occasions while the dare of youngsters Mitch Ward, Bailey Young, Zane LeHuray and Mace Cousins was significant. Midfield guns Dylan Landt and Brett Bewley were pivotal. Landt, especially in the second half with his relentless run and carry was a feature while Bewley delivered on the inside and with poise late when required. Luther Baker had one of his better days suited to the big ground that is the Clarke Oval. Baker’s cleanliness at ground level early on gave every indication he was in for an impactful afternoon. Hitting a target on his non-preferred out of congestion to set up a shot on goal confirmed the forecast. Joel Cadman continues to warm into his season, his output over recent weeks has helped lesson the load aerially placed on NIck Rodda. Leigh Spiteri looked sharp in his return game before the recurrence of a hamstring injury in the second term saw him out of action for the remainder and potentially, the home and away season. Jordan conceded there was considerable merit to be taken from the win despite Sunbury’s 2-9 record heading in. “I put some time into Sunbury, they’re playing some good footy,” he said. “I’m sure they will finish off their season well. “They’ve got to be one of the best ‘two win’ teams going around!”
The win / loss returns for the Devils over the next month will determine whether they or cross town rivals Bacchus Marsh, sneak into a finals berth. I’m not sure there’s room for both. Darley’s destiny lies in their own hands - Redan (home), East Point (home), Bacchus Marsh (away), Bye, North Ballarat (home) awaits. The Cobras (7th and 97%) are just percentage shy of the Devils (6th and 110%) on the BFNL ladder with Sebastopol (home), Bye, Darley (home), Redan (home), Sunbury (away) - to come. Every game counts. WHAT THE COACHES SAID Where was the game was won and lost? JORDAN (Darley) - We were better in the key moments big and small. We won or halved some crucial contests. Rate your ‘forwards’ performance JORDAN - Tough day for forwards. They competed hard and their endeavour was good. Rodda again, gave us a target. Joel Cadman, Brady Wright and Will Johnson tick. Leigh Spiteri was looking really good before he did his hamstring. Rate your ‘midfielders’ performance JORDAN - Solid. I thought they got hold of us early on the outside but the response was pleasing. Brett Bewley’s inside work led to our best result at clearance for the year. Dylan Landt was very good with his run especially when the game was in the balance. Luther Baker gave us good service as well. Rate your ‘defenders’ performance JORDAN - Hats off to our defenders. Billy Myers, Darren Leonard, Bailey Young, Mitch Ward, Zane LeHuray all good. And Shane Page was important for us when he went back as we tried to free up Myers. They’re playing some good footy. Rate your ‘overall’ performance HODGSON (Sunbury) - Super first quarter into the breeze. We challenged the opposition with our run and carry. We failed to utilise the scoring end in the second and that was the beginning of the end. Credit to Darley, they know how to win, an element of footy we are clearly, still trying to learn. FINAL SCORES - Sunbury 1.2-8, 3.6-24, 3.6-24, 4.12-36 lost Darley 2.1-13, 2.3-15, 5.12-42, 6.12-48. Darley (Whelan’s Best) - D. Landt, B. Myers, B. Young, L. Baker, S. Page, B. Bewley, M. Ward, D. Leonard, M. Cousins. Darley (Goals) - N. Rodda 2, B. Wright 1, M. Cousins, D. Landt, M. Ward. DON’T MISS “THE PRESSER’’ - LIVE EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT FROM 8PM. LISTEN TO APPPLE 98.5FM OR STREAM LIVE www.apple985fm.com.au