DIVISION ONE
FOOTY kicked off on Good Friday with reigning premiers, Dromana, heading to Red Hill. Red Hill ended the 2023 season in seventh place, so looked to be no challenge for the Tigers, but came out blazing in the first quarter. Red Hill kicked 4.1 to just three points by Dromana to take a 22-point lead into quarter time. It was wake up time for Dromana, and they came out firing in the second quarter slotting five majors and keeping Red Hill to a solitary goal, slipping to a three-point lead at the main break.
It was the same again for the third quarter; five goals to one, and Dromana had found their stride and extended their lead to 27-points by three quarter time. In a closer final quarter, Red Hill held their own, but could not prevent Dromana running further ahead with the reigning premiers winning by a comfortable 25 points, the final scores 8.4 (52) to 13.9 (87).
Sorrento headed to Rosebud on Easter Saturday in a match up between teams that finished sixth and eighth respectively last year. Both teams have been spending time in the finals wilderness the last couple of years and were keen to get 2024 off to a solid start. It was neck and neck for the first quarter with Sorrento managing to get four points ahead by the first break 4.3 to 3.5.
In the second quarter, Sorrento were a different team, kicking the next five majors and leaving Rosebud to a single goal for the quarter. They went into the long break with an impressive 34-point lead. The third quarter was Rosebud’s turn, slotting in four goals to Sorrento’s single major, but they couldn’t quite peg back the Shark’s lead, and still trailed the visitors by 14 points at three quarter time.
In the final quarter, Sorrento went on a scoring frenzy, kicking 8.5 for the term, and kicking well away from Rosebud, finishing the day with a 49-point win. The final scores 11.13 (79) to 19.14 (128). It was a stand-out day for Sorrento’s Bailey Holt who kicked six goals for his side, while Kirk Dickson kicked five for Rosebud.
The remainder of the round one games will be held next week.
DIVISION TWO
DIVISION Two kicked off the season with two Good Friday games in a split round one.
Chelsea headed to Edithvale-Aspendale for their opening match. Both teams had ten wins last year, so it looked like a close game on paper, and it turned out that way. Chelsea went into quarter time with a slender single-point lead after a slow start on the scoreboard for both teams, with just two majors apiece.
Chelsea managed to pull a goal ahead by the main break to take a five-point lead into the main break. The visitors started hitting the scoreboard in the third, but inaccuracy cost them what should have been a much bigger lead. They kicked 5.10 for the quarter, an impressive 15 scoring shots, but with Edi-Asp’s 5.2, Chelsea went into three-quarter time with only a 13-point lead and lamenting a missed opportunity. The accuracy in front was a bit better in the final quarter, and Edi-Asp couldn’t claw the visitors back, Chelsea running out 21-point victors for the day, the final scores 14.11 (95) to 16.20 (116).
After a terrible 2023, Rye had something to prove against Tyabb in their first game. Tyabb has had a lean few years but nothing like Rye who remained winless in 2023. But it was another disappointment for the Demons, who couldn’t match Tyabb from the first bounce.
The visitors took a 20-point lead into the first quarter and extended it out to 36 points at the main break.
Rye showed some resistance in the third, slotting a couple and keeping Tyabb to a single major for the term, but in the final quarter, Tyabb booted 3.5 to Rye’s solitary point, to run out comfortable 52-point winners. The final tally being 5.7 (37) to 12.17 (89).
First published in the Frankston Times – 2nd April 2024