By Jonty Ralphsmith
Cranbourne is back.
Coming off consecutive losses for the first time this season, the Eagles demolished likely top-five finishers Port Melbourne, a team that beat them earlier in the year.
It was a performance in sync with the sort of footy Southern Football Netball League watchers have become accustomed to from Cranbourne.
The pressure from the first siren was outstanding, possession chain between the arcs effortless, and defensive desperation good enough to keep the Colts to one goal until 17 minutes into the last quarter.
Facing a midfield that consisted of ex-AFL players Billie Smedts and Josh Caddy, alongside the evergreen Justin Taylor, Cranbourne’s engine room cracked in.
The esteemed Colts midfield showed elements of their best in parts, but when Cranbourne won the footy, it went deep and was a major score generator on the day.
More impressive was the post clearance work.
Some Colts people estimated that Livingston Reserve was both 20 metres longer and wider as several visitors players cramped in the last quarter.
Every time Bailey Buntine intercepted, Brandon Osborne spoiled or Matthew Alister touched it in a productive milestone game, there was pockets of space ahead.
At one point in the third quarter, Zak Roscoe found himself in space in the middle of the ground and had a ball go over his head. He had time to fetch it, pass to Marc Holt in a one on one, who handed it to late inclusion Callum Pola for a simple goal.
It was training drill stuff.
When the corridor was shut down, the wings were inevitably open.
From there, it was either the bold advances of Nicholas Darbyshire and Dylan Cavalot types who got it in directly, or an aggressive transition to a player with 50 metres of real estate ahead.
Cranbourne kicked three goals before Port Melbourne had any form of uncontested possession, and had the first eight majors of the game, putting it to bed well before halftime.
Chan Hargraves, among the league’s leading goal kickers, was kept scoreless by Brandon Osborne – albeit the supply was hospital.
A spoil deep in defence in the third quarter from Alister and the defensive running of midfielders well into the second half was emblematic of a team that had far more than the four points in mind, though.
This is a Cranbourne team sharpening itself for a deep September run and is peaking at the right time.
Meanwhile, Springvale Districts was able to match it with ladder leading Cheltenham for a half before the gulf between the top two and the rest was laid bare.
Cheltenham kicked nine goals to zero after the main break against a team missing its focal point, Matt Wetering, inside 50, ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury.
In highly regarded key defender John Walker’s first game back, Rosellas’ full forward Josh Fox piled on six.
Dingley took St Kilda City, struggling to field a team, to the cleaners, slotting 33 goals in a 210-point victory.
Michael Dolan kicked 11 while Adam Lloyd and Tom Morecroft each slotted five in the demolition as the Dingoes stars stuffed their pockets.
Those results have enormous ladder implications, with Cranbourne back up to second, a win next week against Springvale Districts to all but confirm a qualifying final spot.
Dingley will rise to third with a percentage boosting win, while the Dees will slide from second to fourth, but still six points clear of the Colts and St Paul’s McKinnon.
The latter two face each other next week with the winner to control their own destiny as each navigate a tricky run home.
In Division 2, Hampton Park has all but sown up a finals spot with a convincing win over Skye, led by Trent Thomas, Tanner Stanton and Andy Parker.
Doveton eased past Caulfield to confirm it will avoid the semi final as Harley Primrose and Luke Daidone looked to hit form at the right time.
Having taken it up to East Brighton earlier in the season, Keysborough was comprehensively outplayed despite the relentless efforts of Cooper Balic, Matt Collett and Nash Graham.
Division 1
Results Bentleigh 16.12 108 v Mordialloc 14.12 96, Cheltenham 16.8 104 v Springvale Districts 7.5 47, Cranbourne 17.15 117 v Port Melbourne Colts 3.8 26, St Paul’s McKinnon 18.14 122 v Chelsea Heights 9.5 59, Dingley 33.19 217 v St Kilda City 1.1 7
Ladder: Cheltenham 56, Cranbourne 44, Dingley 42, Springvale Districts 42, St Paul’s McKinnon 36, Port Melbourne Colts 36, Mordialloc 16, Chelsea Heights 12, Bentleigh 12, St Kilda City 4
Fixture: Chelsea Heights v Dingley, Mordialloc v Cheltenham, Port Melbourne Colts v St Paul’s McKinnon, St Kilda City v Bentleigh, Springvale Districts v Cranbourne
Division 2
Results: Black Rock 14.13 97 v East Malvern 8.10 58, Doveton Doves 12.10 82 v Caulfield 7.12 54, Keysborough 4.2 26 v East Brighton 16.26 122, Hampton Park 13.13 91 v Skye 4.9 33, Highett 10.12 72 v Murrumbeena 12.12 84
Ladder: East Brighton 60, Murrumbeena 52, Doveton Doves 44, Hampton Park 36, Highett 36, Skye 26, East Malvern 24 Caulfield 24, Keysborough 14, Black Rock 4
Fixture: East Brighton v Black Rock, Murrumbeena v East Malvern, Doveton Doves v Keysborough, Hampton Park v Caulfield, Highett v Skye
