Doveton forward Ryan Hendy booted six goals in the MPNFL Sharks’ 83-point victory over West Gippsland Latrobe Football League on Saturday. 31870 Picture: Luke PlummerBy Brad Kingsbury and Ken Moore
MORNINGTON Peninsula Nepean Football League Sharks thrashed West Gippsland Latrobe Football League by 83 points in their WorkSafe VCFL Country Challenge interleague at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday.
The selection of a fast and youthful team was vindicated by the Sharks’ superiority in every facet of the game as they bolted away to retain the Pakenham Gazette Cup.
The signs were bad early for WGLFL with its defenders under extreme pressure for long periods in the first quarter and the 20-point difference at quarter-time already significant.
The game was as good as over when Ryan Hendy and Daniel Fry registered goals in the first five minutes of the second quarter.
Michael Collins and Chris Irving led a dominant Sharks midfield, while Tim Smith, Brian O’Carroll, Brad Sykes and Paul Minchington also starred.
The WGLFL did not have the defensive personnel to counter Fry and Hendy, who each had three goals on the board at half-time, as did Gippslander Adrian Burgiel, who was the WGLFL’s only effective forward.
The Sharks extended their lead at every break and the match became an exhibition after half-time.
Irving was superb and showed great courage, while Kane Taylor gave his side terrific run out of defence in the first half, along with captain Adam Hunter, who was consistent across four quarters.
Donovan Epa won the ruck contests with some assistance from Jared Goldsack and Collins, but WGLFL and former Pakenham big man Justin Sutherland was underutilised and spent a lot of time off the ground.
Hendy and Fry ended the afternoon with six goals each, while Narre Warren defen-der Lee Boyle was a rock in the backline.
The two sides went down different tracks as far as selection was concerned and Sharks assistant coach Michael Holland said the focus on youth and speed proved the right call.
“Obviously the conditions suited the side we picked, but we also picked our squad for the ground,” he said. “They picked bigger-bodied players and when we looked at them on paper we thought, ‘well if it turns wet there might be a few more packs’, but you still need the runners and they didn’t have many.
“We were a lot cleaner by hand and foot and also our pressure running back was really good.”
Coach Paul Kennedy said the maturity and dedication the Sharks players had shown was first class.
“Every player who was rotated through the bench did so without an issue and the whole day went very close to the way we had planned,” he said.
“I thought the standard of football was the best I have seen at interleague and certainly the best that I have ever coached.
“It was brilliant to watch. We went for youthful players and I think the players represented their clubs and the league with great distinction.”
Irving was awarded the medal for best afield, while WGLFL captain Gary Jones was named his side’s best player.
The match is a bi-annual event that is played in between the VCFL Country Championships round-robin that will return in 2010.
