GIPPSLAND POWER 13.6 (84)
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 11.12 (78)
GIPPSLAND overcame the greatest challenge to its undefeated NAB League record yet to hang on for a heartstopping six-point win over Oakleigh at Morwell on Saturday.
In a classic contest between two premiership contenders, scores were level three times and the lead changed hands on no less than 11 occasions, with the Power finally making its move with five of the first six goals of the last quarter to build a game-high 24-point lead before withstanding a three-goal Oakleigh charge at the death.
The Chargers led by a point at the first and final breaks but trailed by eight points at half-time and six when it mattered most, showing how tight the game was all day.
Coby Burgiel (23 disposals, five tackles, seven inside-50s, three goals), Zane Duursma (18, six marks, five tackles, five entries, three goals) and Mitchell Moschetti (28, 11 tackles) were the matchwinners for Gippsland, with second-gamer Lane Ward (19, four marks) and defenders Max Walton (19, eight rebounds), Joel Scholtes (16, five marks, six rebounds) played important roles as well.
Yuyu Ashwin (23 disposals, five entries) and Will Sexton (21, five marks) led the way for Oakleigh, while Oliver Badr (19, six marks, six tackles), Jed Rule (17, six marks, six rebounds) and second-gamer Tom Ferguson (18, one goal) also stood out, but the defeat left the Chargers in seventh spot.
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 11.8 (74)
MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 10.11 (71)
DANDENONG also found a way to win against a key challenger to its top three spot, holding off Murray by three points in another cracking battle at Shepley Oval on Saturday.
The Bushrangers held narrow leads at quarter and half-time in a game where scores were tied seven times and the lead changed eight, but they will be ruing the last term where they managed just six behinds as five-goal hero Harrison Jones snagged the only major of the quarter after 19½ minutes to hit the front for the last time.
Jones again proved he doesn’t need much of the ball to be a matchwinner, bagging his second five-goal haul in a row from 12 touches and five marks, finishing off the great work of extractor Ned Moodie (27, seven marks, one goal), defender Finn Emile-Brennan (24, nine rebounds), Nick Collier (25), Taj Campbell-Farrell (24), Kobe Shipp (21, five marks), Cooper Simpson (21) and Hugo Nosiara (18, one goal).
Toby Murray, the younger brother of former Sydney and Collingwood player Sam and Adelaide defender Nick, was just as damaging at the other end, booting 5.2 from nine disposals to give the Bushrangers every chance, with Noah Bradshaw, the son of dual Brisbane Lions premiership full-forward Daniel, starred with 28 touches, eight marks and 11 tackles.
Tom Cappellari (27, six marks, five entries), Ewan MacKinlay (22, six rebounds, one goal), Ollie Hollands (22, six marks, five entries), Nick Quigg (21, six entries, one goal), Jesse Hart (21, eight marks), Jedd Longmire (20, five marks, seven entries), Tyler Norton (19, six marks, one goal), Max Byrne (17, 10 marks, one goal) and Connor O’Sullivan (10 marks) also stood out in a game the Bushrangers will feel got away.
CALDER CANNONS 5.5 (35)
NORTHERN KNIGHTS 10.16 (76)
NORTHERN bagged its second win of the season and climbed off the bottom of the ladder with an impressive 41-point victory over Calder at Highgate Reserve on Saturday.
The Knights dominated the game from the outset and should have won by a lot more as they sprayed 16 of their 26 scoring shots to 10 advantage, but that won’t worry them as they jumped above Bendigo and Western into 11th spot, sealing the win with an impressive 5.6 to 1.1 third term.
Ben Ham was best on ground for Northern, racking up 34 disposals, seven marks and three goals, while Josh Hamilton (37, eight marks, one goal), Jonathan Tomasiello (34, six tackles, five entries, six rebounds) and Aleksandr D’Arro (30, five marks) ran riot and Matthew Ryan (25, five tackles, seven entries), Charlie Naish (24, five marks), Darcy Edmends (22, eight marks), Jack McInerney (21, eight marks), Nate Caddy (18, nine marks, 2.4) Sam Grant (18, nine marks), Adam De Propertis (19, eight tackles) and Jarred Seiter (22) all proved too much for the Cannons to handle.
Jack Brown (29 disposals, six marks) and Matthew Foley (28, five marks, seven rebounds) were best for Calder, with support coming from Reuben Rode (24, seven tackles, six entries), Kade Mueller (20, five marks, six entries), Tom O’Sullivan (17, five marks, one goal), Dane Whitnall (16, eight rebounds) and Sam Valensisi (seven marks).
GWV REBELS 10.8 (68)
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 13.7 (85)
SANDRINGHAM kept itself in touch with the top three by overcoming GWV by 17 points at Mars Stadium on Sunday.
The Dragons took control early and put a gap on the scoreboard in the second quarter, pushing out to a 25-point lead before holding the Rebels at arm’s length for the rest of the day despite being without Vic Metro talents Will Ashcroft, Harry Sheezel, Cam Mackenzie and Olli Hotton.
Matt Clarkson, the son of Hawthorn coaching great Alistair, produced his best NAB League game off half-back in their absence, putting together 25 possessions, five marks and eight rebounds, as did Ryley Sanders (23, eight tackles), while acting captain Lachie Benton (21, five marks, five rebounds) and Jamie Hope (18, five marks, three goals) also shone, James Creighton (16, six entries, two goals) and Ben Hempel (16, five marks, six rebounds) were lively and Vigo Visentini, 16, the brother of Port Adelaide draftee Dante, had 26 hitouts in his second game.
The Rebels were missing key forward Aaron Cadman (Vic Country) but fought hard and didn’t let the margin get out of hand, led by Lachlan Charleson (31 possessions, 10 tackles, one goal), Brody Pope (24, seven tackles, one goal), Vincent Huf (21, seven marks) and Deng (21, five tackles, five entries) and Luamon Lual (20, five rebounds).
GEELONG FALCONS 12.14 (86)
BENDIGO PIONEERS 8.13 (61)
TOM Gillet booted six goals to lift Geelong back into the top three by accounting for Bendigo by 25 points in the Avalon Airport Oval double header on Sunday.
The Falcons needed an after-the-siren goal from Euriah Hollard to escape with a draw against the Pioneers in Round 2, but despite his absence playing VFL for GWS, they grabbed the upper hand with 4.4 to 0.2 in the second quarter of a match where the visitors won the first and third terms and only lost the last by a point.
Gillet was the difference on this occasion, taking 10 marks, earning 20 disposals and kicking 6.2 in a dominant display, with Angus Hastie (23, six rebounds), Ted Clohesy (26), Alex Sinnot (20, five marks), Liam Kershaw (18, nine marks) and Michael Rudd (17, five marks, five inside-50s, one goal) all putting their best feet forward.
Harvey Gallagher overcame a concussion playing VFL for Carlton a fortnight ago to lead Bendigo with 24 possessions and seven rebounds at the opposite end of the ground to his usual position, while Hugh Hamilton (20, five marks, six entries, one goal), Michael Kiraly (23, five marks, five entries) and Solly McKay (19, six marks) also performed strongly.
WESTERN JETS 11.6 (72)
EASTERN RANGES 19.10 (124)
EASTERN turned in its best performance of the season to consolidate its spot in the top eight, thrashing Western by 52 points in the first of Avalon Airport Oval clashes on Sunday.
The Ranges trailed by eight points at quarter-time but piled on seven goals to two in the second quarter to stun the Jets before adding another six in the last to run away with a percentage-boosting victory.
Eastern had multiple avenues to goal as it kicked away, with Zac Greeves and highly rated 2023 prospect Nick Watson kicking four each and Riley Weatherill three among nine goalkickers, cashing in on the supply from Jye Peacock (23 disposals, one goal), Kai Windsor (22, one goal), Connor Smith (21, five marks) and Lachy Reidy (20, seven entries).
Jaelen Pavlidis backed up the form that saw him named as a VFL emergency for GWS to be best on ground in a losing team for Western with 32 disposals, six marks, 15 tackles and a goal, but none of his teammates were able to win more than 16 touches, although Matthew Payne and Logan Morris did contribute three goals each.
BYE: Tasmania Devils
NAB LEAGUE LADDER ROUND 12, click here
THIS WEEK
July 16-17: General Bye
NEXT WEEK: ROUND 13: Saturday, July 23: Eastern Ranges v Dandenong Stingrays (Box Hill City Oval, 10.30am); Murray Bushrangers v Oakleigh Chargers (Norm Minns Oval, Wangaratta, 1pm); Bendigo Pioneers v Northern Knights (Ikon Park, 1pm); Sandringham Dragons v Geelong Falcons (RSEA Park, 1.30pm); Western Jets v GWV Rebels (Williamstown Oval, 2.15pm). Sunday, July 24: Tasmania Devils v Gippsland Power (Twin Oval, Kingston, 10.30am). Bye: Calder Cannons.
THEN: ROUND 14: Friday, July 29: Western Jets v Geelong Falcons (Avalon Airport Oval, 7pm). Saturday, July 30: Gippsland Power v Northern Knights (Morwell, 1pm); Tasmania Devils v Calder Cannons (Twin Oval, Kingston, 1pm); GWV Rebels v Eastern Ranges (Mars Stadium, 2pm). Bye: Bendigo Pioneers; Dandenong Stingrays; Murray Bushrangers; Oakleigh Chargers; Sandringham Dragons.
(All games are streamed live on the NAB League app except for the Herald Sun game, which is on that website).