Pirates keep plundering on

Amateurs: Round 5

It is all beginning to fall into place very nicely for Peninsula Old Boys. The Pirates, unbeaten through the first five rounds, are demonstrating a ruthless streak that was missing for much of last season. (Four of their victories have been by 75 points or greater). Instructively, it is not just down on the Peninsula where they are inflicting defeat on their hapless opponents. These Pirates don’t mind travelling, and following their pitiless dismissal of Glen Eira last week, they are rightly beginning to believe that 2012 could be their year. And who would argue? After a fairly even first term, the Pirates piled on seven in the second quarter to effectively extinguish whatever hopes the visiting Saints may have harboured of causing a boilover. Although Glen Eira outscored their hosts in the third, Peninsula were really just going through the motions after half-time and recorded a comfortable 75-point win. Their free-wheeling style of play resulted in an amazing spread of thirteen different goal-kickers. This statistic is just another reason why the Pirates are now firm premiership fancies.

Obviously stung by their surprise loss the previous week, Ormond caused an upset of their own by downing Whitefriars on their own patch at Friar Park. The Friars were left to rue a slow start, in which they conceded eight first term goals, six of which were amazingly booted by Dwain Bailey. All of a sudden, Ormond were the best part of eight goals up at the main break. However, Whitefriars were not going to go down without a fight, and fight back they did, with six in the third to be only 20 points down at the last break. The final quarter was a hum-dinger, with Friars scoring the first three goals to make it a two-point game, but the Monders hung on grimly to reinvigorate their season with a thrilling five-point win. Best for Ormond were defender Boyd Upstill and Wayne Cove, whilst for the Friars it was big man Jean Daou and little man Emille Abdallah who led the way.

North Old Boys-St Patrick’s scored an important win over fellow finals aspirants Old Mentonians in an entertaining match at Gillon. NOBs snatched the lead just prior to three-quarter time and were never headed from that point on, despite kicking a wasteful 3-6 in the final term. Tim Brady and Matt Keown were best for NOBs, whilst flanker Jack Janssen and defender Nick Imlach were amongst the Panthers’ better performers on the day. This win by NOB-SP elevates them to second place, and they are now a realistic threat for the double-chance.

There are not too many better places to be watching footy on a fine Saturday afternoon than by the Yarra at the Woodfull-Miller Oval. With the Melbourne High School peering over the ground imperiously, I was fortunate enough to take in these most pleasing of surroundings as MHSOB notched up their second win of the season by defeating the winless Williamstown. (The half-time tea and scones were also well received!) The Unicorns got off to a flyer, with the first six goals, and that early break was to prove decisive, even though the CYs managed to pull themselves back into the contest. The visitors clawed their way to within nine points just before half-time, but two buzzer-beating goals gave the Unicorns a more comfortable buffer, which they maintained for the rest of the match.

After the previous week’s heroics, St. John’s came crashing back to earth with a thud at Como Park.  Centre half-forward Callum Wood was in excellent form with seven goals, and was ably assisted by Paul Ellis with 4. Old Geelong showed no mercy, and gained some valuable percentage in a 93-point thrashing of the young JOCs.

Preview: With their tails up, the Monders will be looking to build on last week’s win when they host the Unicorns today, and I see no reason why they cannot make it two on the trot. Despite their occasional troubles on the road, NOB-SP should not have too many difficulties in accounting for St John’s at Doveton, whilst Old Geelong will be too strong for Glen Eira. The match of the day sees Whitefriars travelling to Mordialloc to face Old Mentonians. Both of these teams will be looking to return to the winners’ list, but I think the Panthers may just hold an edge at home. The Pirates are in marauding form, and will be looking to inflict even more pain on their bitter cross-bay rivals Williamstown CYMS at the Fearon.

Smokie says: With the Pirates out in front early, the jockeying for an all-important top-two position has already begun in earnest. I can’t help thinking that last week’s narrow defeat will prove very costly for Whitefriars in terms of the double-chance.

About Darren Dawson

Always North.

Comments

  1. Dave Nadel says

    I wouldn’t mind seeing a few players’ names in your report of the Peninsula games, Smokie. I used to teach a few Pirates players at Monash Peninsula a couple of years ago and I’d love to know how they are going.

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