Week Eight Recap

The weekends action in Outer East FN again saw some great victories and surprising upsets which produced a mixed bag of results for the competition.

Narre Warren continued its winning ways with a win over Olinda Ferny Creek, while Officer put the bad memories of the recent past behind them with a superb win over Mount Evelyn.

Olinda Ferny Creek lost its first A Grade game of netball in four years while Pakenham Lions made it three in a row with a win over first time rivals Wandin.

Berwick Springs capped off a superb month of football with a win in the broadcast game against Healesville, Yarra Junction made amends for a Round One loss to Powelltown with a revenge victory against its close rivals while Warburton Millgrove took the chocolates against Alexandra on both the football field and the netball court.

The women’s football fixture also saw some interesting results with Seville getting its first win of the year while Healesville spoiled the party for Olinda Ferny Creek who had been dominant this year up to that point.

Read all about the action this weekend with the week eight recap here:

Premier Data Premier Division Football

Despite a slow start, Officer have taken its first win of the season in sensational fashion with a 33-point defeat of a depleted Mount Evelyn side. The Kangaroos took control of the match from the second quarter, kicking 15 goals to seven which has propped them up into eighth on the premier division ladder. Anthony Bernardo, Riley Clark and Sean Roach came up with three goals each while Luke Smaluch, Daniel Taylor, Josh Westra, Harry Dean and Tanner Thomsen were all named as best on ground. On an afternoon to forget for the Rovers, Callum Urquhart provided a highlight with three majors to his name.

Narre Warren have continued its merry way as the team to beat in premier division, taking a 64-point win over Olinda Ferny Creek. Despite the Bloods managing to stay in touch with their opponents early, it was apparent that the Magpies were the superior side as the day wore on with 10 goals in the first half and 11 in the second. Kurt Mutimer was key target up forward with six goals while Joel Zietsman, Jarrod Smith, Josh Tonna, Lachlan Benson and Tom Toner were all named best afield for the Magpies.

BH Photography

A slow start for both sides in the Upwey Tecoma and Monbulk match was quickly forgotten about from the first bounce of the second quarter, with the Hawks taking control to get out to a 35-point lead come matches end. The Tigers of the Burwood Highway did their best to stay in touch with deficits of only 21 points at each of half time and three-quarter time, but it was ultimately not enough as the Hawks carried on from there. Glenn Strachan and Max Thornton were heavyweights up forward with three majors each while Tom Taylor, Jayden Joyce, Mitch Dekker and Joel Wensley were named as the standouts on the day. For the Tigers, Carmine Porcaro and Rory Sinclair each kicked two goals while Liam Beacom, Stuart Hill, Bailey Oates, Marc Peduto and Daniel Waters were the best for the Tigers.

BH Photography

A tough matchup occurred in the Yarra Valley over the weekend with Wandin getting the chocolates in its first ever matchup over Pakenham. The Bulldogs were strong out of the box early and were never headed, building its lead throughout the game despite fluctuations in margins to finish with a 31-point victory. Clint Johnson was a strong target up forward for the Bulldogs with eight majors while Patty Bruzzese, Chayce Black, Cody Hirst, Patrick Hodgett and Sam Hodgett were all named as their best players. For the Lions who were competitive but now need to work on strengthening themselves to compete better with the top four had some highlights of their own with Tom Gamble and Matthew Vaiano sharing three goals each while Ben Green, Zac Stewart, Jaiden Camenzuli, Cooper Sheppard, Matthew Debruin and Jake Thompson were the Lions best.

Karcher Premier Division Netball

Following a disappointing loss to Olinda Ferny Creek the previous week, ROC settled themselves back down again with a 15-goal win over Mount Evelyn. Isabella O’Shanassy and Keely Burgmann were the heavyweights in front of goal with 22 and 15 balls through the net respectively while Sam Neil, Mikaela Dakic and Katherine Grigoriou were the best on court for the Kangaroos. For the Rovers, Kaitlyn Black, Kate Montgomery and Montana Wallis put in their best efforts to be named best on court for them.

The highly anticipated contest between second-placed Olinda Ferny Creek and first-placed Narre Warren was a great matchup with the Bloods going down to the Magpies in what was the first loss for the A Grade side since 2018. With momentum shifts and a close margin throughout the game, the Magpies held on in the final quarter to win by eight goals. Erin Bell shot 38 goals for the winners while Taylah Jencke and Corrina Emery were also considered the best for the Magpies. Jackie Cutting scored 28 at the other end of the court for the Bloods while Holly Taubert, Jackie Cutting and Brianna Hipwell were their best.

BH Photography

Monbulk took its second win of the season over the weekend with a 10-goal victory over Upwey Tecoma in an effort that ensures they keep knocking on the door of a move back into the top five on the ladder. The Hawks were in front at every change and kept the lead at a consistent margin throughout as Tarnee Adams and Stephanie Puopolo were the leading goal shooters with 40 and 17 goals to their name while Nicole Macdowell and Paige Whitworth were the best players. Rachel Grawich and Jessica Black shot 26 and 21 goals respectively for the Tigers.

BH Photography

Just as it was on the football field, Wandin and Pakenham Lions met for the first time on the weekend with the Lions claiming first bragging rights over their newest rivals. Despite trailing by four goals at half-time, the Lions put the game on their terms in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 36 to 15 and finishing with a 17-goal win. The victory continues the great form in recent weeks for the women of Pakenham, with three triumphs in a row further providing strong evidence for its momentum growth. Chloe Morgan led the goal shooting tally with 24 majors while Caitlin Cooke, Chloe Morgan and Emma Jones were the best on court for the Lions. For the Bulldogs, Abby Gedge shot 30 goals while Kali Dolphin, Taiysha Wallis and Ruby Tidd were the best.

The broadcast game of the weekend saw Woori Yallock grab its second win of the year when they travelled to Holm Park to play Beaconsfield, taking a 27-goal win. The Tigers were dominant from start to finish as Elizabeth Murphy shot 36 goals in a match which saw her go up against her former teammates. Coaches Mia Sudomirski and Alana McGurgan were also the best on court for the Tigers, Sudomirski herself shooting 34 majors while Zara Treweek shot 18 goals for the Eagles.

Community Bank Division One Football

Berwick Springs have continued its run of good form of the past month, posting a 39-point win in the match of the round contest against Healesville. Despite starting off really well and getting out to a five-goal lead at quarter time, it all went downhill from there for the Bloods as they relinquished the lead by half-time which they never recovered from. The play of the day, without a doubt, came from Tom Nelson of the Titans, who took an extraordinary mark in the goal square to excite the local crowd. It was Nelson and Dysan Morris who kicked four goals each for the afternoon while Aidan Nelson, Rhys Fletcher, Bryce Keyzer and Nick Rattle also starred to be best afield. Max Donegan provided entertainment at the other end of the ground for the Bloods with five majors to his name.

Despite being in front at half-time, Yarra Glen could not keep the might of Emerald under wraps in the second half, as the Bombers waltzed out to a 28-point win come the final siren. Continuing his run of good form, Patrick Chin was a standout for the Bombers with three goals to his name with Mitch Thomas, Ty Ellison, Brendan Wilson, Dale Karacsonyi and Jake Pedder all named in the best for the Bombers. Despite welcoming captain Ben Ashton back into the senior line-up, following some time off with injury, the River Pigs have still got plenty to work on but were well represented through the likes of Ashton himself, Blake Binion, Jason Godfrey, Billy Gardner, Jim Marks and Jayden Schille.

Despite an improved performance from Belgrave, in comparison to its Round One performance when they last matched up with Seville, the Blues continued doing what they do best and put another win on the board. Leading from start to finish, the winners were dominant once again as Domenic Aloi and Sonny Saniga kicked four majors each while Rhys Djohan, Rob Petracca, Alistair Gray, Jye Sciortino and Brendan Dickinson were all named best afield. On a better afternoon for the Magpies, Nathan Dawson and Anthony Johnston kicked three majors each.

Karcher Division One Netball

A competitive matchup took place in the Yarra Valley over the weekend, with the River Pigs going up against Emerald for what became a close contest in the second half. The Bombers were successful for the second time this season, with a three-goal victory over the River Pigs. Kaylah Loulanting was a prominent figure once again in front of goal with 35 majors while Matilda Preston and Jammy Scott were also named as the best players. The River Pigs will be disappointed to come up short against a competitive outfit but will take a lot of confidence away knowing they can challenge themselves.

Seville have continued its merry way at the top of the Division One ladder with a 34-goal win against Belgrave on Saturday afternoon. Leading from start to finish, the Blues were well represented by the likes of Alanna Lennie who shot 46 goals as well as Cleo Minney and Emily Wicks who were named as their best players. On a tough afternoon for the Magpies, Sophie Hart, Krystyna Gabell and Amy Robinson starred to be named as its best players.

Playing on its brand-new netball courts for the very first time, Gembrook Cockatoo put in a competitive performance against Berwick but were unable to pull off a victory as they went down by nine goals come the final siren. The Brookers have, however, showed signs of great improvement against some quality opposition, particularly with superstar Paige Ladner missing from the line-up and will take this as a real positive going into its clash next week. They were well represented through the likes of Chelsea Ingram, Laura Christie and Ashlee Bowden while Danielle Hanley, Melissa Webster and Kyla Quinn were the best on court for the Wickers.

ATC Traffic Division Two Football

The matchup between local rivals Powelltown and Yarra Junction, as expected, was an absolute thriller and provided great entertainment for the crowd who travelled down the Yarra Junction-Noojee Road to watch the contest unfold. The Demons were in control for the first two quarters, leading by 15 points at half-time, but the Eagles worked their way back into the contest to hit the front in the final quarter. The Demons did their best to keep themselves in the contest but couldn’t quite hold on come the final siren with a six-point victory to the Eagles which was, remarkably, the same margin in round one, only with the result going the reverse way. Sam Morton was a powerhouse in front of goal with five majors while Ewan Wadsworth, Cooper Holmes, Josh Wall, Sam Cannon and Tim Peters were the best on ground for the Eagles. Joel Perry kicked six majors for the Demons while Sam Meadows, Jayden Mullan, Ben Wratten, Josh Johnson and Russell McCrimmon were the best on ground.

Despite getting the jump on them early, Alexandra were not able to hang on for a win over the weekend, losing to Warburton Millgrove for the second time this season. The Burras were brilliant after quarter time, putting 15 goals on the board to skip away to victory. Returning to the line-up this week, Mitch Bonuda put five goals on the board for the Burras as his teammates Mitch Gordon, Nelson Aldridge, Tim McKail, Brady Mitchell and Tom Marr featured as the best on ground. On an afternoon where the Rebels will be kicking themselves for giving up the lead, Lachlan Nankervis provided some positives with a five-goal haul.

Hosting Kinglake at Harley Hammond Reserve, the Broadford Yea outfit showed signs of improvement this week putting seven goals on the board in its 77-point loss to the ladder leaders on Saturday afternoon. Neil Johnson, Braydon Hardstaff, Sean Duggan, Tynan Howard, Neeson Cook and Nick Gilbee put in their best performances to be the standouts for them. For the winners, it was Leigh Gilbert who was the star in front of goal with four majors while Ethan Robinson, Bailey Robinson, Matthew Coen, Tom McErlain and Tom Clarke were named as the best players.

Karcher Division Two Netball

In a new initiative, a Thursday night clash up at Alexandra saw the Rebels take a 45-goal win over Yea in a spectacle which attracted a good crowd from locals and footballers who had finished their training sessions. Ellie Hedger, Katherine Quinsee and Lauren Steyger were the best on court for Alexandra while Meg Sundblom, Ruby O’Dwyer and Alicia McLeod all tried hard for the Tigers.

Just like their football counterparts, the matchup between Powelltown and Yarra Junction produced same level of intensity as it did last time out, with the two sides once again locked in combat all throughout, the Eagles appearing to be the better team at half-time and three-quarter time. The Demons, however, worked their way to the front in the final quarter to take a five-goal win and move into second on the ladder. Stepping into the A Grade line-up for the day, Jess Coffey was one of the best on court while Hayley Debuf also performed well, Amy Stanley was the leading goal shooter with 42 majors. Jodie Terry, Jessica Ellwood and Stephanie Ratcliff were the stars for the Eagles who despite losing by a small margin, put in a terrific performance.

Backing up again 42 hours later following its Thursday night clash, Alexandra were brilliant against ladder leaders Warburton Millgrove but couldn’t quite hang on for a win and went down by a small margin of two goals. Locked in combat for the entirety of its match, the Rebels were in front at half time, but the Burras proved to be just that little bit better as Ashlyn Elliott, Bianca Daniels and Kirralee Luiyf starred as their best players. For the Rebels, Ellie Hedger backed up her performance from Thursday night to again be considered one of the best while Nicole Hadgkiss and Stef Jager were also the standouts.

Broadford made up for some lost ground in recent weeks to take a much-needed win against Kinglake in an effort which has shot them into fourth on the ladder. Leading from start to finish, Broadford were well represented through the likes of Amanda Rothwell, Brooke Currell and Renee Sari who were best on court, while Jacinta Benson, Matilda Whiters and Courtney King all tried their heart out for Kinglake.

Karcher Senior Women’s Football

The highlight of the weekend in women’s football was reward for hard work which has taken place over many weeks, with Seville taking its first ever win as a football side with a 38-point victory over Thornton Eildon over the weekend. An even contest throughout the first half, the Blues stepped on the gas from there, piling on seven goals to two to take a win which brought great smiles for all involved in the women’s football program at Seville. Madi Ward was the leader in front of goal with four majors while Jess Beraud, Orla Murray, Lilian Pagels, Tamara Kendall and Kylie Ockwell were considered the best on ground in a true team performance.

An extraordinary performance from Healesville has seen them deliver ladder leaders Olinda Ferny Creek with its first loss of the season in an effort which has now proven to them that the Bloods counterparts can be beaten. In what was a true team performance for the women of Healesville, the best acts came from the likes of Alexandra Bryan, Indigo Wraith-Tenson, Sarah Frazzetto, Paula Pavic and Emily Hay while Danielle Carrucan was the leader in front of goal with seven majors. With an effort that will see Olinda Ferny Creek have a lot to think about during the week, there was only one goal kicker for the home side with young gun Grace Belloni hitting the scoreboard in the second quarter.

BH Photography

Pakenham grabbed its fifth win of the season over the weekend with a 22-point defeat of Belgrave in the twilight of Saturday afternoon. With another great performance which is reflective of a terrific last month of footy, Abbey Tognazzini, Bianca Moody, Melina Eppel, Courtney Stephens, Jenna Green and Tayla Sbisa were the standouts while it was the likes of Jana Jordan, Orla Cook, Nicole Baboucek, Samantha Temopoulos, Abigail Wilson and Yvonne Pleydell who were the best afield for the Magpies.

The women of Upwey Tecoma put in a dominant display over the weekend with a 140-point defeat of Monbulk in a match which followed the senior men’s game in the twilight of Saturday afternoon. Alexandria Bantock and Jess Occhipinti were the sharp shooters in front of goal with five majors each while Kiana Oates, Emma Caccetta, Penelope Dousset and Corrina White were the best afield for them.