Two Blues Edge Closer to a Finals Berth

Seniors:

Prahran Assumption edged closer to a Division 1 finals berth with a dominant 42 point win over West Brunswick at Ransford Oval on Saturday. With four rounds to play the Two Blues finals ascent is akin to climbing a mountain. We are over half-way to the summit, every step is important, one mistake and it’s back to base camp. And as unpalatable as it is, the Two Blues need to rely on mistakes from those above. Last Saturday it was Preston Bullants who stumbled with a surprise loss to Kew- result the Two Blues rise from sixth to fifth, still one game behind Oakleigh which is on a winning streak. This was more like a regulation win rather than the exhilarating match v Ormond the previous week. At times it was scrappy at best, but a five goals to one second quarter made the game safe. Evidence of the gulf in class between the teams came in the first 20 seconds of the second quarter. From the centre bounce Brett Dickinson palmed to James Musster who burst clear of the centre square, passed to Dan Freeman who goaled on the run, thanks to a fortuitous ‘off break’. That trio continued to have a major influence on the game. With a half-time scoreline of 1-2, the defence oriented Magpies clearly needed to attack more. The hosts won the third quarter 3-3 to 2-4 without threatening to take control. Any thought of a late rally were  snuffed out when Jack Matherson and Brent Chapman goaled in the opening minutes of the last term, Matherson and Chapman kicked six goals between them and are the dominant key forwards in the competition. Again the Two Blues on ballers ruled the clearances thanks to some silver service from Dickinson, the dominant big man on the ground. Dan Freeman and Musster,  who shrugged off his tag after a quiet first quarter, were outstanding. One of the reasons the Two Blues are winning is the progress of its young players such as Joe Whiting. In a virtual replay as last week Whiting took another spectacular intercept mark deep in the Two Blues forward line, unlike last week this time he converted.

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 1-1 6-6 8-10 14-11 (95) d WEST BRUNSWICK 0-1 1-2 4-5 7-9 (51).

Goals: Matherson 4, Taylor 3, Chapman 2, Maya, Musster, D Freeman, Simonetta, Whiting.

Best: Musster, Matherson, D Freeman, Whiting, Taylor, Kerr.

Reserves:

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 2-1 2-3 5-4 7-4 (48) lost to WEST BRUNSWICK 3-2 6-3 7-7 8-11 (59).

Goals: Dempsey 6, Taylor.

Best: Dempsey, Donahoo, Luff, Dodson, Capra, Panagiotaros.

Club XXIII:

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 15-4 9-8 11-10 7-13 (115) d MHSOB 1- 3 2-4 4-8 4-12 (36)

Goals: Vine 4, Eundle 3, Slaven, Wall, Gouin 2, Goraya, MacDonald, Langford, Berger.

Best: Anderson, Phelps, Smith.

Women's:

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 0-0 1-1 3-1 3-3 (21) lost to POWERHOUSE 2-1 4-5 6-7 7-10 (52)

Goals: Guest 2, Peel.

Best: Mohammad-Zayee, Hastie, Peel, Stewart, Bransden, Smith.