Sport
31 May, 2024
Around the grounds
SOUTH Warrnambool’s senior footballers held off a gallant Camperdown Magpies team last Saturday to keep their undefeated streak alive this season.
The scores were kept close at the first quarter with Camperdown carrying a narrow three-point lead before a points explosion saw the Roosters surge in to the half-time with an 18-point lead.
The Magpies were able to draw within six points at the end of the third, but the battle-tested Roosters held their nerve and run away winners.
Final score South Warrnambool Roosters 9.11.65 defeat Camperdown Magpies 9.6.60.
Roosters coach Matthew Battistello said the contest had been tight for the final 10 minutes but his side felt confident they had the game well under control.
“Credit to Camperdown, they just kept coming and it made for some learning opportunities for us,” he said.
“Our first half was probably the best footy we’ve played all year in terms of our ball movement and ball movement craft.
“We probably didn’t score as heavily as we would have liked, we felt like we had good looks but kept them in the game.
“To their credit, they dominated the contest in the second half.
“We were lucky to come away with the win because they had some opportunities to probably win it there.”
Best players for South Warrnambool was Liam Mullen, Shannon Beks, Josh Saunders, Patrick Anderson, Myles McCluggage and Harry Lee.
Beks led the scoring for the Roosters with three majors.
Battistello praised the efforts of Beks having made all the difference on the day.
“He was probably the difference in the end,” he said.
“I think he had about 15 marks so it was a fairly dominant game from a key forward – he was outstanding.
“Liam Mullen played a key back role, so those two were bookending both ends of the ground and probably were our best two players.”
Battistello said he was wary of this weekend’s game with Port Fairy, who are coming off an impressive 37-point win over Hamilton.
“They had a great win last week, which was great for their footy club,” he said.
“They beat us convincingly at around the same point last year so we’ve got a huge amount of respect for them.
“It doesn’t matter what personnel they’ve got, they always seem to be competitive against us so it’ll be no different this week.”
Meanwhile on the courts, South Warrnambool’s open netball squad suffered it’s first loss of the season.
The Roosters fell 46-44 against a determined Magpies squad despite strong performances from Ally O’Connor, Genevieve O’Connor and Meg Kelson.
Emma Buwalda led the scoring with 20 while Hollie Phillips added 16 and Meg Carlin hit eight.
Koroit’s open netballers pulled off a strong win in Terang over the weekend with some of the youngest Saints making their mark on the game.
Despite dealing with a slew of injuries this season, the side was able to find passages of play which culminated in a 63-43 victory.
Saints coach Danielle McInerney said the game had started tight but Koroit had found its groove in the third quarter.
“We really settled in despite still having players out, so right now it’s about finding combinations sorted,” she said.
“Chloe Gleeson is only 14 and she was great in what is only her third game with us.
“I played her at wing defence, a position she hasn’t really played, and I thought she did a great job.
“We also had Shelby O’Sullivan and Indi O’Connor, who are 14 and 15, who play for Geelong College back and they’re beautiful players who we don’t often get to play with as a squad – so it takes time to find those combinations.”
McInerney said there would again be changes heading in to this weekend’s clash with Hamilton, who boast their own array of talented young players stepping up.
“It’s going to be tough,” she said.
“We’ll have a different line up and different players, so we’re going one game at a time with the amount of injuries we have.
“But Hamilton are a young squad with a few players I coached in the under 13s who I am looking forward to seeing their growth.
“As a young side, it’s always unpredictable because the kids are capable of having really strong performances so Hamilton are not a side you can take for granted.
“Hamilton have a lot of talent so we can’t underestimate them, so we will really look to establish our game.”
Meanwhile in football, the Saints senior squad marched in to Terang to record big wins in back-to-back weeks.
Fresh off a 13-point upset win over North Warrnambool, the Saints rattled off another top side with a thumping 70-point victory over the Terang Mortlake Bloods.
The first quarter saw the Bloods race ahead but a few late goals saw the Saints claw their way to a two-point lead.
Terang Mortlake started the second quarter well with two unanswered goals before the Saints went on a rampage of five-straight goals to head to the sheds leading 7.11.53 over the Bloods at 2.4 16.
Despite a strong beginning to the third quarter from the Bloods which began to chip away at the lead, Koroit was able to wrestle control which did not relent for the remainder of the remainder of the game.
Final score Koroit Saints 18.15.123 defeat Terang Mortlake Bloods 8.5.53.
Koroit coach Chris McLaren said he felt his side really pressured Terang Mortlake in to making errors in good positions, which gave us scoring opportunities.
“I thought what shone out was our work without the ball, defending the ground and attacking the ball carrier,” McLaren said.
“We’re not usually a high scoring team but the way we’re forcing turnovers with pressure is giving us better looks at goal.
“We’re right up the top in the league in inside 50s so it’s really a strength of ours.”Best players for the Saints were Paddy O’Sullivan, Connor Byrne, Liam Hoy, Jyron Neave, Talor Byrne and Angus Campbell.
The Blues open netballers managed to get the better of North Warrnambool on the courts over the weekend, with Warrnambool earning a 57-49 win.
The game was kept close but a strong third quarter from the Blues proved too much for a late fight from the Eagles to overcome.
Carly Peake, Amy Wormald and Eva Ryan were named best on the court for the Blues, with Ryan leading the scoring on 35 while Isabella Baker added 22.
For the Eagles it was Kate Omeara, Skye Billings and Matilda Sewell named best.
Billings led North in scoring with 27 while Chelsea Quinn added 16 and Victoria Grundy shot six.
Meanwhile in the senior football, North Warrnambool’s strong second quarter proved too much for the Blues to overcome on the weekend.
Scores were tight in the first quarter for both senior sides but a five-goal haul in the second sent the Eagles in to the main break with a commanding 31-point lead.
While the Blues found form in the second half to narrow the deficit the initial damaged had proven too much to surmount, with North Warrnambool earning the points 11.12.78 victors over Warrnambool Blues 8.16.64.
Jordan Dillon, Adam Wines, Jarryd Lewis, Reece Scoble, Jackson Grundy and Xavier Harris were named best for the victors while Sam Cowling, Taylem Wason, Thomas Ludeman, Jye Turland, Austin Steere and Rhys Jansen van Beek were the best for the Blues.
Harris led the scoring for the Eagles with three while Wines put two through the middle and Alexander Jennings, Harley Cobb, Bailey Jenkinson, Dylan Parish, Jackson Grundy and Tom Keast each added one.
For the Blues it was Turland, Wason and Ben Cunnington adding two while Jye Turland and Sam Cowling each added a score.
Port Fairy’s senior footballers rallied in the second half to run away 37-point winners over Hamilton on Saturday.
The scores were neck-and-neck at the half with Hamilton leading 7.6.48 over the Seagulls at 7.2.44.
But a six-goal third quarter saw the home side pull ahead while the Kangaroos could only manage one major in the third, with Port Fairy finding stride and not looking back.
Final score Port Fairy Seagulls 18.6.114 defeat Hamilton Kangaroos 11.11.77.
Best players for the Seagulls were Lochie Gunning, Isaac Martin, Matthew Sully, Oscar Pollock, Jason Rowan and Oliver Myers.
On the courts Port Fairy’s open netball side notched a 56-30 win over the Kangaroos.
Jessika Tobin Salzman shot a whopping 48 goals while Emily Forrest added eight.
Tobin Salzman joined Ellie Coulahan and Alicia Moloney as best players.
