CAVENDISH has continued its stunning run of form with a demolition of Heywood at the Heywood Recreation Reserve on Saturday as the Bloods overran the home side by 155 points, 27.14 (176) to 3.3 (21).

The Bloods had the match won in the first quarter as they continued their recent trend of starting matches quickly and posting goals before the opposition has had time to settle, as they posted six majors for the term all while holding the home side scoreless.

 By the half time siren went, the match was effectively over after the side added a further six goals to enter the sheds in command and knowing that Heywood would have to perform a miracle if it was to regain a foothold in the match.

The second term did allow the home side to post a couple of goals as their midfield came back into the match to feed the forward line, but it was all too few as the visitors continued to win the ball at the stoppages across the ground.

The third quarter saw the Lions play their best term of the game as they held the Bloods to only five goals but from the start of the last quarter the flood gates opened as Cavendish piled on a further ten majors to run out convincing winners.

The rich form vein that the Bloods have tapped is helping the team stay in contention for the coveted top three finish for the double chance come finals and if results go their way, then they could be as high as second after the next round.

“It has been pleasing to see the form continue for the boys and there's a couple of factors driving this,” Cavendish coach, Clinton Thomas said.

“After a pretty tough run early on in the season with injuries and availabilities, each week we've been getting closer and closer to being at full strength, plus we're also very fortunate to have a group of lads that are all really good blokes that enjoy being out there and playing for each other,” Thomas said.

Thomas was reticent to choose one player for special mention, but Peter Coghlan, Samuel Gibson, Ross McNaughton, William Luhrs, Oliver Dinges and Beau Munn were excellent.

“While cliched, in the Heywood game the boys put in a really solid team effort … there really was no 'stand-out' player as we had multiple winners across all lines,” he said.

Once again, Samuel Gibson was the focal point up front and while the full forward kicked four goals, he was well held by the Heywood backs.

It was the crumbing of Ross McNaughton who collected the spoils from the marking attempts that Gibson was unable to gather as the small forward bagged six majors as he continued his great mid-season form.

The home side was well served by Jarod Donovan, Aaron Johnstone, Kostya Vallance, Jesse Ryan, Troy Lovett and Stephen Arthur but as a whole, the team was well beaten across the paddock.

“It's been a really interesting season in that while the score lines can appear lop-sided at times, the top five teams have all proven that they can mix it up given the right circumstances, while every team has had to contend with injuries and availabilities, so while we're happy with our form, we also know we've got a lot of improving to do,” Thomas said.

With only one match against a top four team remaining in the home and away season for the Bloods, Thomas wasn’t keen to rest any of his squad before finals but rather keep the continuity flowing.

​“This season, we've made a habit of not rushing lads back in from injury or giving them a week or two rest if it's required, so we'll continue to do this,” Thomas said.

“That being said, with the playing group starting to get more settled and comfortable with our game-style, we're seeing some big windows for improvement that we're keen to chase which will mean we'll continue to play as close to full strength and use each opportunity we can to get better.”

Heathmere d Westerns

HEATHMERE has seemingly relegated Westerns to be the holders of the dreaded wooden spoon for the 2022 season, after its first game of the season against the Roos at Heathmere Recreation Reserve on Saturday with a 15.19 (109) to 1.3 (9) victory.

Westerns only had 16 players for the encounter which was unfortunate seeing as the club had to forfeit the reserve grade match for the sixth time this season, one would have been forgiven for thinking the club could at least put a full side on the park for the seniors.

The players who did take the field for the visitors were totally committed to the cause and they are to be commended for their commitment to their club and to the way they fought out the entire match.

The encounter did mean plenty to them as could be seen by the spot-fires that flared across the ground as the players from both sides threw their bodies into the contest looking to gain the upper hand for their team.

The Meres kept the visitors in the contest in the first term as they had eleven shots at goal for a return of only two majors, with three shots sailing over the boundary line on the full.

With two extra players on the ground, the home side was able to impose their game plan on the opposition after quarter time and the goals started to come but the straight-shooting again failed the side.

By the end of the match Heathmere had recorded a 100-point margin and the players celebrated long and hard as Kyle Anson, Jamie West, Jaiden Spicer, Matthew Payne, Zac Deane and Luke Driscoll grabbed the individual honours.

Anson was easily the best player on the park as he directed the play from the midfield in setting up attacking raid after attacking raid.

“All 21-players did as they were asked in playing their roles, but Kyle Anson stood tall to take best on ground for us,” Heathmere coach, Adrian Hann said.

“To play out four quarters today was really pleasing as we’ve been guilty of playing well until the last five minutes of a quarter and then dropped our heads which has seen the opposition get the better of us.

“We play Tyrendarra next week and we need to carry this feeling into that game.”

Maison Pridham, Noah Knight, James Corbett, Stephen O’Brien, Samuel Atchison and Harrison Dennert never stopped for the Roos as coach Nick Alexandrou controlled the ruck contests for the visitors.

Tyrendarra d Coleraine

IF Tyrendarra was a racehorse, then no doubt the stewards would have been called in on Saturday after the Darras caused a major upset at home in defeating ladder leader Coleraine, 11.9 (78) to 8.10 (58).

The Darras were thrashed by Cavendish last week as the side only recorded a single goal but against the Maroons on Saturday, the home side was back on track as it refused to allow the visitors to play their usual fast style of play.

The home side hit the ground running in the first term as the players threw their bodies into every contest to win the ball and set up another attacking raid.

Tyrendarra had posted a three-goal lead at the half time break, and it proved crucial as the visitors came out with their usual attacking formation in the third term, but the Darras held strong in refusing to be overrun.

Both teams would post five majors in the second half, but that halftime lead would keep the Darras in front until the final siren to keep them in touch with the top three.

Sam Anson, Luke Evans, Luke Thorpe, Angus Clarke, Hayden Dyke and Jack Cocks were at their very best for the home side while Will Slattery, Sam Tooley, Cody Deutscher, Robert Mackinnon, Harry Armstrong and Jordan Plunkett never stopped for the visitors.

Coleraine has now lost two of its last three games in a worrying form slump after being undefeated up to the Queen’s Birthday break and the side needs to reverse this trend as we get closer to finals.

Branxholme-Wallacedale def by Dartmoor

BRANXHOLME-WALLACEDALE may well have seen its finals chances disappear on Saturday as it failed to get the result at home against Dartmoor, 5.5 (35) to 10.9 (69).

The Saints are still two games out of the top five and they desperately need to start winning again if they have any hopes of playing come August.

 Justin Eales was superb as he led from the front for the Giants while Jarrod O’Brien, Mark Cowland, Bailey Polaski, Liam Robinson and Christian Howlett won their respective positions and gave the visitors the points.

   Thomas Scott, Samuel Lambevski, Adam Hamilton, Colby Hammond, Rhys Wheeler and Cameron Pepper tried hard for the home side all game but despite the Saints holding an in-form Dartmoor to only ten-goals, they couldn’t win enough contested ball to make it count on the scoreboard.