By David Nagel
Inverloch-Kongwak is still riding a perfect-wave of contentment after the Sea Eagles barrelled their way to an 18.8.116 to 7.5.47 victory over Kooweerup at Denhams Road on Saturday.
The Eagles started fast, before taking the Demons’ best shot through the middle stages of the match to record their eighth-consecutive victory.
Coach Tom Hams – missing for the second week running – would have been delighted with what he witnessed in the opening exchanges.
The Sea Eagles moved the ball laterally, testing the Demons ability to cover the ground and defend during a highly-efficient first term.
The Eagles have talent, but also good method, and it’s going to take a mammoth amount of dedication to the cause to knock them from their perch this year.
Hams also has options at his disposal up forward, which makes them dangerous, with Nick Baltas continuing his fantastic form with five goals, while talented duo Will Hams and Joe Soumilas chimed in with three apiece.
Ethan Park was rock-solid through the middle for the Eagles, while Marcus Toussaint had the better of the ruck duels.
Kooweerup coach Rhys Nisbet can finally sit back and reflect on a very tough month of footy.
Nobody would have expected any return from games against Phillip Island, Warragul Industrials, Tooradin-Dalmore and Inverloch…but the Demons showed periods in games where they weren’t far off the pace.
Jason Wells looked dangerous with three goals, and Adam Amin two, while Nathan and Matt Voss enjoyed the challenge of testing their talents against the best.
The key for the Demons now is to take the learning of the last month into winnable games against Korumburra Bena, Garfield and Bunyip.
Win those and a 4-7 record starts to look more respectable.
The Dees head to Korumburra this Saturday, while the Sea Eagles host a potential percentage-booster against Bunyip.
Nar Nar Goon recruit Jarrod Smith has stolen the goal-kicking spotlight as the Goon put paid to Bunyip in impressive style with a 130-point victory at Bunyip.
Smith, who kicked two goals in Narre Warren’s grand final win over Woori Yallock last year, is a valuable acquisition for Justin Stanton’s men who are looking to have less reliance on key forward Dermott Yawney this year.
Smith and Yawney proved a hot duo on the weekend, with Smith kicking six and Yawney five in the 25.12.162 to 5.2.32 thrashing.
The Goon once again had a high rotation of players, with star mid Brendan Hermann joining Flynn Parker and Nate Pipicelli on the absentee list from last week.
The Goon has been struck badly with injury this year and has a competittion-low six players that have now played every game this year.
Eamon Trigg, JJ Peni, Jed Murphy, Jed Smith, Luke Bettio and Tex Marsham are the half-dozen to have laced up the boots on all eight occasions this season.
Murphy, Trigg, Bettio and Peni were among the Goons best on the weekend, while Sam Blackwood continues to regain form in his third game back after a month on the sidelines.
This was the beginning of a very-tough run for Bunyip, who has away games against Inverloch and Tooradin over the next fortnight.
Loyal stalwart Jason Williams stepped up in Connor Steel’s absence, booting two for the Bulldogs, who had Alex Dijkstra, Mitch Sproles and Ben Stewart make valuable contributions across four quarters.
Quality players obviously make football teams better and Tooradin-Dalmore welcomed back a couple of beauties for its 98-point victory over Garfield on Saturday.
Dangerous forward Stewie Scanlon returned in devastating fashion, kicking six majors, while the class, work-rate and decision-making of midfielder Matt Livermore made a difference to the Gulls through the midfield in their 20.17.137 to 6.3.39 romp.
Livermore is a star performer, often under-rated due his no-fuss style but hugely important to the way the Gulls play their football.
And there are a few others that go alright as well.
Adam Oxley and Piva Wright supported Scanlon with three goals each for the Gulls, while reigning league best and fairest winner Brent Macaffer just continues to find the footy.
Sometimes we become a bit blasé about Macaffer, but his influence on most games of footy is simply enormous.
We just get used to his impressively high standard and probably take it for granted!
The Gulls wasted no time in asserting their dominance in this one, leading by 25 at quarter time and doubling that exactly to 50 points at the main break.
The Stars were held goalless through the middle stages of the match, but showed some attacking flair in the first and final quarters with 3.1 in each.
Their leading goal-scorer, Jack Tenace-Greenall, went goalless, while their second-highest contributor in Nick Lang was sitting on the sidelines.
John Zaccari filled the breach with two goals, while consistent midfield performers in Zac Soutar, Mark Griffiths and ruck Cooper Reilly gave their all for four quarters.
The Stars head to Warragul this week, while the Gulls are also on the road to Dalyston.
Phillip Island has now not tasted defeat since round two after the Bulldogs made light work of a potentially difficult task at Dalyston, winning by 70 points.
The Bulldogs never gave the Magpies a chance, with a mighty defensive effort keeping the hosts to just one goal in the first half.
Jesse Patullo and Tully Dickie both returned after three weeks off the scene and both made their presence felt.
Dickie kicked two goals, while the versatility of Patullo will be crucial when the Bulldogs make their premiership assault at the end of August.
Skipper Jack Taylor continued his outstanding season, booting four goals, while the nimble Bryce Hindhaugh joined his coach Cam Pedersen as valuable three-goal performers.
Hindhaugh arrived at the Kennel without much fuss or fanfare, but is now one of 12 Bulldogs to have played every game this season.
Hayden Bruce, Mark Griffin, Billy Taylor and Eli Richards were effective through the midfield for the winners, while Alex Duyker controlled things down back.
Dalyston was clearly outclassed, but did show some promising signs in the second half…kicking 5.6 to the Doggies 7.7.
They missed the influence of Michael Marotta through the midfield, although Mitch Hallahan, Curtis Murfett and Brayden Duve continued to play some solid football through that particular part of the ground.
The Bulldogs will be involved in the match of the day this week, hosting Cora Lynn, while the Magpies face another massive challenge when they roll out the red carpet for Tooradin.
Kilcunda-Bass has finally crashed through the 100-point barrier with a commanding 23.21.159 to 4.8.32 victory over Korumburra Bena.
The Panthers have been close on two occasions, knocking up scores of 98 against Kooweerup and Bunyip, but decided a half of football was all that was required to get the job done this time around.
The Panthers had 113 points on the board by half time, kicking 9.4 in the first and 9.1 in the second term.
The Panthers lost the radar in the second half, kicking 5.16 after the break, including 4.11 in the final quarter.
A red-hot Taylor Gibson kicked five, while Anthony Daraio, Dean McRae, Dan Stirling, Lleyton Cartmel, Nathan Foote and Cam McKenzie all enjoyed multiple celebrations on the day.
Gibson became just the sixth player, behind Jason Wells, Nathan Gardiner, Toby Mahoney, Nathan Voss and Troy McDermott to kick 150 goals since the WGFNC began in 2017.
Foote and Ben Eddy were prime movers for the Panthers, while big-men Dale Gawley and Sam Watson also played a huge part in the dominance.
The Giants, as expected, are starting to leak badly with the youthful enthusiasm from the early rounds now set to be tested to its limits as the winter months roll around.
Codie Anderson, Matt Kennewell and Jay Walker are three players that coach Paul Fermanis can rely on to continually take up the fight.
The Panthers head to Nar Nar Goon this week, while the Giants return home for the first time in three weeks to host Kooweerup.