Two Blues Win a Thriller

Seniors: 

There are wins and then there are away wins. And they don’t come any better than Saturday’s cliff hanger against early Division 1 premiership favourite Peninsula at the home of the Pirates.

Coach Ash Mills described the win as equal to any away win in his seven year tenure at the club- rich praise indeed and thoroughly deserved,

For this was a win of substance over style. While the Pirates looked slicker in their ball movement that was more than matched by the Two Blues commitment to the cause. Ryley Conlan and Brett Dickinson dominated ruck duels and set the scene for Prahran Assumption to hold sway in the clinches. The Two Blues burst out of the blocks with the first six goals of the match, then Peninsula responded with five unanswered goals. From then on it was an arm wrestle. Peninsula key forward Toby Taylor threatened to win the game off his own boot with seven goals but in the telling last quarter he was quelled by the collective efforts of Joel Hume, Luke Kerr and John Stocker. 

Heading into the Easter break with a 1-1 scoreline is much more palatable than 0-2. As the Two Blues found last year it is a long way back from such a start.

First quarter: Jimmy Falcone set the Two Blues alight with the first two goals. Callum Wilson passed to Jack Matherson for a third and Alex Simpson found Brett Dickinson for a fourth goal for the quarter.

Second quarter: Conlan marked and passed to Wilson for a goal in the first two minutes. Thanks to a 50m penalty Harry Taylor goaled to make it six to nil. Then Peninsula regrouped and upped the ante with five unanswered goals in 10 minutes, it was ‘game on’. A Falcone goal on the run late in then term was crucial halting the home team’s momentum.

Third quarter: Matherson missed a set shot from 25m, then Peninsula goaled from a free. A second 50m penalty gave Jimmy Brereton a gift reply. Peninsula hit back with three successive goals to take the lead for the first time in the match. Tom Quinn found Taylor for a steadying goal then Simpson found Wilson who missed from 10m out to the chagrin of Two Blues supporters.

Fourth quarter: Mistakes multiplied as players tired and goals were like gold. Points from both teams piled up until Will Brereton snapped a goal from a clutch of players in the goal square to regain the lead. A brilliant Beau Adams tackle was rewarded with a goal and a 10 point lead. Peninsula then goaled with three minutes to play. There were some frenetic efforts in the final stanza notably a solo run from Quinn. 

Goals: Falcone 3, Wilson, Taylor 2, W Brereton, J Brereton, Adams, Matherson, Dickinson

Best: Kerr, Quinn, Dickinson, Stocker, Hume, Falcone

Reserves:

Goals: Tippett, Dempsey

Best: Forbes, Seaholme, Bremner, Noonan, Webb, Hall

Club XXIII:

Goals: Rundle 5, Davis 4, T Candy, W Candy, Gouin 2, Turner

Best: Davis, Langford, Davidson, Rundle, Turnley, Gouin

Women's:

Goals: K. Hender, K. Courtidis, H. Raeburn