By Brad Kingsbury
Casey-Cardinia league – Round 18
DOVETON completed a stunning undefeated home-and-away season with a three-point victory over a fast-finishing BERWICK at the Robinson Reserve on Saturday.
The effort was a triumph for the club with players wearing a specially designed heritage jumper as acknowledgment of its 50-year celebration season.
A devastating seven-goal-to-nil third term put predictions of internal disharmony to the sword and re-established the Doves’ aura of invincibility.
Doveton fielded close to its best side with the return of rover Michael Henry and spearhead Danny Casset and opened the game with the aid of a strong wind.
The home side led by 10 points at the first change and that proved insufficient as the Wickers upped their work rate to pile on seven goals to two and take a handy 21-point half-time lead.
However, the Doves regrouped at the break and came out with intent in the third term.
Ryan Hendy worked his way on top in the midfield along with Henry and Aaron Henwood, while Casset and captain Justin Hill created a dangerous two-pronged attack.
After booting seven unanswered majors, Doveton led by 25 points the final change but the Wickers responded with the wind and continued to come at the home side.
A great VanSchilt goal reduced the margin to 10 points with eight minutes to play and then Grant Noonan gained one of his few possessions for the day to goal and make it only two points the difference, but the Doves held firm.
Assistant coach Clint Wilson acknowledged that the effects of an off-field incident at a social event two weeks ago had been felt, but said that was now history and the focus was now on finals.
CRANBOURNE secured third place and the McAleese-Flanigan Cup with a convincing 35-point victory over DEVON MEADOWS at Glover Reserve.
The defeat assigned the unlucky Panthers to the bottom of the ladder.
The home side kicked against the strong wind and took the game right up to its highly fancied neighbours, but conceded two late goals to trail by 13 points at the first break.
However things quickly unravelled for the Panthers in the second term, with a combination of injuries and an extraordinary quarter from Eagle strongman Marc Holt changing the course of the game.
First key Panther forward Aaron Henneman aggravated a calf injury he carried into the game and then tragedy struck when Devon Meadows captain Scott Young, who was playing his first game after recovering from a broken arm, left the field after the same limb snapped again.
The Eagles dominated against the breeze with Holt booting three goals while his team-mates kept the wounded Panthers to only four behinds for the quarter.
The difference was 29 points at half-time and the match was over as a contest.
The Eagles extended their advantage to 56 points at the final change but were outscored in the final term as the Panthers lifted to finish with some pride in their jumper.
NARRE WARREN completed the home-and-away season with a runaway 39-point result over KEYSBOROUGH in windy conditions at Fox Road.
Kicking against a four-goal wind in the opening term, the home side booted four goals to two and led by five points at the first change, before Brett Evans opened the Burra defence up in the second quarter and helped the Magpies to a 26-point lead at half-time.
On the downside, playmaker Daniel Borninkhof left the field with a hamstring injury, but that did not stop his team-mates, led by Lee Boyle and young guns Nathan Brewster, Justin Marriott and Jackson Parker, running riot through the midfield.
Keysborough coach Greg Siwes swapped his side around at the long break with effect and the Burra made a strong run at their opponents in the third term. Clinton King got away from his minders and led his side back into the contest. Had it not been for inaccuracy in front of goal the Burra would have turned the three-quarter time deficit of four points into a decent lead.
Narre Warren’s superior fitness told the story in the end and, led by an eight-goal haul from Evans, the Magpies cruised away to record a solid win.
MICK Moylan celebrated the end of a long and successful football career with a 57-point victory over TOORADIN at the Western Port Oval.
The Kangaroos led by five points at half-time after a low-scoring and at times dour half of football, but always looked to have control of the tempo in the swirly wind.
Despite the dominance of Tooradin ruckman Steve Arvanitis and centreman Beau Miller, the Kangaroos maintained a two-goal advantage at the final change and then opened the game up, running away to complete a convincing win.
PAKENHAM overpowered neighbours BEACONSFIELD in the second half and cruised to an easy 70-point victory to retain the Highway Cup at the Perc Alison Oval.
Beaconsfield coach Robbie Taylor led from the front in his last game at the helm, but the power of the Lions was too great in the end.
PEARCEDALE crashed out of the 2009 Nepean League premiership race, going down to RYE by 24 points in the elimination final on Saturday.
The Panthers were under pressure from the first bounce with former Richmond ruckman now Demon Greg Stafford controlling the air and creating a potent forward double act with veteran spearhead Stephen Ryan. The pair finished the day with seven of the Demons’ 13 goals.
The Pearcedale forwards were unable to break free of Rye’s smothering tactics in defence, although Gary Carpenter, Shane Urbans and Chris O’Dell kept the Panthers within striking distance with superb games.
