The Rovers Seniors have finished the home and away season in second position on the ladder, securing the double chance in the finals series, after defeating Oakleigh on Saturday.
It sets up a 2nd Semi Final this Saturday against Old Carey at Elsternwick Park, with the winner to advance to the Grand Final and earn promotion to Premier B for 2025.
In blustery conditions at Scammell Reserve, the Rovers gave the home side little chance, with the 5 goals kicked in the first quarter and 9 for the half to their 0, the game was effectively over at half time.
In the first minute, Perko’s pass to Tredders for goal set the pattern, later Ant Folino roving the pack for a great goal, some great team play from Perko, Clinton Young, James Delaney led to goals to Lachy Cairns and Will Crawford and when Tredders marked at 50m and kicked truly the score line was the most accurate for the season – only one set shot missed and that went out on the full!
Against the gale in the second and the job became more difficult. Our backs held firm with Joel Melnjak controlling the back six, the Krushers just couldn’t score. With Harry Crisp knocking up possessions, Speedy McPherson providing drive forward, and Cam Carmeni fitting in well down back, we had our fifth game where the opposition hadn’t kicked a goal by the half time break. On the other hand, in a punishing 4 minutes of footy in the quarter, Will Crawford ripped the game apart where he kicked 3 goals, with the highlight being the 3 bounces he took running into the open goal with the mongrel punt somehow going through! The forwards all lifted with Clinton Young and Hugo Garrow offering options as we moved forward.
The players were buoyant at half time as was the coach, but he kept insisting that he wanted “no camping” in the second half and wanted his chargers to run the game out to the very end. Oakleigh came out charged and when they kicked their first goal against the gale you could see them and the home crowd lift. The conditions were difficult and it was only when Dillon Melnjak let fly with a big kick from the centre that we switched on and the Rovers tall timber and fast forwards could break away and that let to us kicking the last 4 goals of the quarter to extend the lead.
Ant Folino brightened the final quarter when he kicked his second from a good bit of roving and I’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the goal of the day. James Keys 40m out kicking into the howling gale, the kick off the boot was outside the LH point post, by the time it crossed the goal line it split the middle!
The domination in the ruck by Tom Ellinghaus and Liam O’Driscoll was a highlight of the day. The opposition had no counter to Tom’s height but to infringe. Our speed moving the ball from defence to attack through Aussie Parker, Lachy Costello and James Prosser was a feature and often gave our forwards the opportunity of being one out against a smaller opponent.
Oak 0.1 0.4 2.4 4.7 31
HR 5.2 9.3 13.6 15.7 97
Best Dillon Melnjak, Harry Crisp, Will Crawford, James Prosser, Hugo Lay, Tom Ellinghaus
Goals Will Crawford 6, Liam O’Driscoll 2, James Keys 2, Ant Folino 2, Jamie Delaney 1, Lachy Cairns 1, Josh McPherson 1
SENIOR WOMEN’S GRAND FINAL
It wasn’t our Women’s best performance for 2024 but against a strong opposition who only lost one game for the year, against us in round 3 where we doubled their score, the women battled it out in difficult conditions at Elsternwick Park on Sunday. With a howling gale favouring the south end, neither side had much scoreboard impact in the first three quarters and it was only in the last when Glen Eira unleashed a 5 goal burst that our hopes were deflated. We just couldn’t get into the game and whether with or against the wind, the opposition managed to win the loose balls and in doing so handled the conditions much better than we did, to run out comfortable winners. Not all doom and gloom as our best were a mixture of youngsters in Isla Tucker and Pearl Daniel Reid and veterans in Bree Kavanagh, Bryanna Arnold, Casey Politarhis and one of the skippers, Hayley Gould. Bianca Lenarcic dominated in the ruck and Lizzie Dingeldei showed her speed around the packs all day and Bella Cameron was solid all day. Overall a great season by the girls!
GE 1.2 3.5 4.8 9.11 65
HR 0.2 0.3 1.4 1.4 10
Best Isla Tucker, Pearl Daniel Reid, Bree Anna Kavanagh, Bryanna Arnold, Casey Politarhis, Hayley Gould
Goals Alana Graham 1
RESERVES
A powerful display by the Ressies in the last game of the home and away season. It appears that things are coming together as we reach final’s time. Our forwards are kicking goals and our backs are featuring in the best players. Great to see big Hugo Twigg in the goals ably backed up by Nick Jackson and Andrew Woolston who are coming 5th and 4th respectively in the goal kicking in Premier C.
Oak 0.1 2.2 3.2 4.3 27
HR 5.1 6.3 10.8 16.12 108
Best Ben Crothers, Nick Jewel, Ben Deighton, Hugo Twigg, Scott Ebbott, Dan Field
Goals Hugo Twigg 4, Nick Jackson 3, Ben Deighton 3, Andrew Woolston 2, Scott Ebbot 1, Ryan Leslie1, Peter Somogyi 1, Ben Crothers 1
UNDER 19s
The Rovers Under 19’s are through to the Division 1 Grand Final after a big win over top side St Bernards at Elsternwick Park on Saturday. A 7 goal 2nd quarter with the wind opened the game right up and with the young Rovers on top, St Bernards couldn’t breach the gap after half time. Great to see Killer in the goals again with 7 cementing his 2nd place on the goal kicking ladder. The boys now have the week off and will play the winner of this week’s Preliminary Final.
StB 3.3 3.5 8.8 9.8 62
HR 1.0 8.4 12.4 15.7 97
Best Charles Kilburn, Zac Zeisling, Blake Jenson-Muir, Lachy Celantano
Goals Charles Kilburn 7, Charlie McSwain 2, Nathan Astill 1, Ben Seddon 1, Jake Grima 1, Mason Carrigan 1, Jake Taranto 1, Will Rogacki 1
