Two Blues Make a Statement on Eve of Finals

Seniors:

Prahran Assumption delivered a performance of intent heading into the VAFA Division 2 finals series with an emphatic 90 point win over Bulleen Templestowe at Toorak Park on Saturday.

While second placed West Brunswick and third on the ladder MHSOB suffered surprise losses, the top-of-the-ladder Two Blues were back to their ruthless best with just one home and away game remaining before a second semi-final appointment. At quarter-time this seemed to be a genuine contest with the visitors 4-0 trailing the home team's 5-2 by just eight points. Aided by some free kicks and turnovers the Bullants traded goal for goal with the home team with only Ariel Steinberg's three goals keeping the Two Blues in front. But by half-time the result had been put to bed, the Two Blues adding 5-6 in the second term to the Bullants' 1-1. Ben Leske turned in perhaps his best quarter for the season at half-forward while Tom Atwell and John Stocker made telling dashes to convert defence into attack. The Two Blues run and spread from stoppages began to take its toll as the visitors defiance gradually ebbed away. The third quarter emphasised the gulf in class between the teams as the Two Blues slammed on seven goals, three from key forward Ged Hogarth.  Steinberg (seven goals) and Hogarth (six) posed double trouble as they put on a goal kicking clinic with 13 goals between them while Trent Rogers again gathered disposals at will. As the intensity of the game subsided in the last quarter there was one remaining highlight - a long bomb goal from outside 50m from full-back Stocker which delighted his teammates as much as supporters. The lowlight was the farcical situation where both teams wore away strips. As a jumper clash game the onus was on the visitors to use their away strip, but when they arrived with only their predominantly blue home game strip, Prahran Assumption switched to their away strip while in the meantime the visitors had gone back to their club rooms to get their away strip.

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 5-2 10-8 17-12 21-16 (142) d BULLEEN TEMPLESTOWE 4-0 5-1 7-3 8-4 (52)

Goals: Steinberg 7, G Hogarth 6, Gottschalk 2, Maya, D Freeman, Leske, Quinn, Stocker, Dickinson.

Best: G Hogarth, Steinberg, Atwell, Rogers, N Costin, Stocker.

Reserves: 

Games don't come anymore one-sided than this, 46 scoring shots to none!

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 5-6  13-8. 20-15 26-20 (176) d BULLEEN TEMPLESTOWE 0-0 (0)

Goals: Simpson, E Scicluna 5, Walford, Conlan 3, McCulloch, Hutchison, Marmo, 2, Williams, R Costin, Forbes, Delahenty.

Best: Conlan, Kenny, J Brereton, McCulloch, Simpson, R Costin.