VAFA ROUND 2.indd - Victorian Amateur Football Association

DIVISION 1
Darren Dawson
KNOWNS AND
UNKNOWNS
When former U.S. Secretary of State Donald
Rumsfeld infamously spoke of “known knowns
and known unknowns” he could well have been
talking about Division 1 in the aftermath of the
first round. There are so many questions still to
be answered. On a wild and windy day, Bulleen-
Templestowe and Old Mentonians suffered big
losses to Old Geelong and Whitefriars respectively.
Were these merely early-season aberrations or
pointers to the year ahead? In contrast, NOBs and
Williamstown began the season with confidence
by recording impressive home victories. Can they
capitalise on a winning start? Banyule repeated
the dose from last year’s grand final at Parade’s
expense. One round of matches does not a season
make, and it will be a good few weeks before any
definitive patterns emerge. But what is known is
that Melbourne’s fickle weather will continue to
have a say.
Review: In the first three quarters only twelve
goals were scored at Gillon, but then the floodgates
opened with both NOBs and Peninsula
booting five each in the final term. Despite some
wayward kicking, the home team, led by Lachlan
Dullard and Martin Porter, held on to its threequarter
time margin in an important first-up win.
Old Geelong unleashed two consecutive 7-goal
quarters at Bulleen Park to have the match
effectively sewn up at the orange-break. The
Oggers were led from the front by skipper Ed
Bayles, Tom Lyons and Jack O’Shea. More
importantly, they had ten individual goal-scorers,
and this could well be a worrying factor for
opposing coaches in the weeks to come. Stephen
Pallozzi was best for the home team.
A dour struggle at Whitefriars, which was up for
grabs for much of the day, was turned on its head
in the final term as the home team slammed on 9
majors to nil. The Panthers had no answers to the
Friars fire-power, spearheaded by Jean Daou with
six of the best.
Your scribe was among the fortunate to witness
a brilliant game of footy at the Fearon. The CYs,
kicking with the breeze, got out to an early 4-goal
lead, and this would ultimately prove decisive
in an encounter as hard-fought as this one. In a
reflection of the physicality of the contest, there
were concussions and shoulder injuries aplenty to
both sides with barely an interchange player left
standing. It was probably Williamstown’s mastery
of the blustery local conditions which saw it hold
sway in the end. But all other teams should make
no mistake: Parkdale will learn from this defeat
and be a force to be reckoned with this season.
The tireless Mitch Grant and Dave Robbins (4
goals) were among the Vultures’ best, whist for
Willy Craig Taylor was a livewire in the guts and
Cody “Cods” McCracken rucked unchanged
for the entire game in a herculean effort for the
victors.
The re-match of last year’s Divvy 2 grand final at
a blustery Garvey Oval was also a cracking game.
The Bears had first use of the breeze but led by
only nine points at quarter-time. Parade then
made better use of the conditions, kicking five
goals to one, and went to the long break two
goals up. The third term saw a continuation of the
home team’s ascendancy until, with 10 minutes
left in the third – and Parade leading by three
TODAY
Selections in BOLD
BANYULE v WHITEFRIARS
PENINSULA v OLD PARADIANS
PARKDALE VULTURES v BULLEEN TEMPLESTOWE
OLD MENTONIANS v NOBS/ST PATS
WILLIAMSTOWN v OLD GEELONG
8 THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER 2011
SPORTS INJURY CASUALTY - OPEN 1-7 SATURDAY