By Dylan Beaumont
Berwick Springs will look to keep its perfect start to the season alive when the Titans make the short trip to Marriott Waters to take on Lyndhurst in a south-east showdown in Southern Division 3 on Saturday.
The Titans have been electric at the start of the season, with 44 and 11-point wins over Skye and Black Rock respectively giving them early confidence after last year’s 0-18 record in Outer East Premier Division.
The Titans have taken the ‘premiership quarter’ seriously to begin the season, amassing 74 points collectively (30 and 44 points in each) in third quarters.
Ty Ellison has been the key figure up forward for the Titans, booting 11 goals in two games to sit at the top of the league goalkicking list.
Gun midfielders Hayden Stagg and Tom Stiglich have also hit the scoreboard this season, providing the Titans with several avenues to goal.
Appearances would suggest the Titans will start a short-priced favourite in this one; having two wins on the board while the Lightning have none.
But appearances can be deceiving; and the Titans will need to be at the top of their game with Lyndhurst having had the short end of the stick in their two matches…losing by a combined margin of 12 points.
The Lightning haven’t lived up to their name in both contests so far this year, conceding big starts after poor first-quarter efforts.
They kicked 0.1 in the first quarter against Heatherton in round one, trailing by 23 at the first break, and gave up a 20-point lead to Ashwood after kicking 1.0 in round two.
Match the Titans early and the Lightning could be a chance.
In other games on Saturday, Heatherton will look to bank its second win of the season when it rolls out the welcome mat for bottom-placed Hampton.
The Hammers will be no pushover however, losing to Black Rock by three points before a 16-point loss to St Kilda City.
Carrum Patterson Lakes, with a percentage of 232.53, will have the upper hand entering Skye’s home ground, who hold a percentage of 78.09.
Sitting atop of the ladder, Carrum Patterson Lakes have had winning margins of 72 and 38, asserting their dominance in the early stages of the competition.
Black Rock take to Peanut Farm Reserve to visit the undefeated St Kilda City, who are not deprived of scoring opportunities.
In their first two matches the Saints have kicked 10.20 and 13.14, with only a few multiple goal kickers overall to complement their team play.
Round three has already kicked off in Southern Division 3, with South Mornington coming from behind at the final change to score a 8.10(58) to 7.13(55) victory over Ashwood.
Trailing by 14 at three quarter time, the Tigers kicked 3.4 to 04 in the final quarter, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Jack Knox was best on ground with three goals, while Zac Kurts, Josh Brown and Connor McIntosh impressed.
For Ashwood, Billy Finlay, Jacob Hattersley and Liam Harrington were again superb, while James Flavien and Nicholas Lowrie chimed in with two goals apiece.
SOUTHERN DIVISION 3
Ladder: Carrum Patterson Lakes, St Kilda City, Berwick Springs 8, Black Rock, Heatherton, Skye, South Mornington, Ashwood 4, Lyndhurst, Hampton 0.
Fixture R3: Friday 18 April: Ashwood 7.13(55) def by South Mornington 8.10(58). Saturday 26 April: Heatherton v Hampton, Lyndhurst v Berwick Springs, St Kilda City v Black Rock, Skye v Carrum Patterson Lakes.
