By DAVID NAGEL
IT’s a scary thought, but reigning Casey Cardinia league premier Narre Warren may just be hitting its straps after belting Beaconsfield by 103 points at Fox Road on Saturday.
The clash between the undefeated Magpies and third-placed Eagles was supposed to be a muscle-flexor, the two in-form teams in the competition locking horns just a fortnight out from the finals.
Beacy, with a three to four goal breeze at its back, started well. Troy McDermott slipped off the chain to kick three for the quarter as the Eagles took a 14-point lead into quarter time.
But from there it became a procession with the Magpies relentless pressure and intensity at the ball resulting in a remarkable 19.12 to 1.3 score-line after quarter time. Nick Scanlon was the Magpies best, relishing his unfamiliar role deep in defence, while electrifying left-footers Josh Tonna and Jackson Parker put on a centre-wing clinic. Lee Boyle kicked five from his key-post up forward while Justin Marriott’s three goals came with a rush at the start of the third term. Aaron Gwozdziewski was the Eagles best after nailing his run-with role on Narre skipper Michael Collins.
CRANBOURNE locked in second spot with a gutsy nine-point win over Pakenham at Casey Fields.
The home-side looked shaky, leading by just four points after a fiery second term, but kicked 6.6 to 2.3 in the third to take a 31-point lead into the final quarter. The Lions rallied, and with ruck-recruit Michael Sikora dominating, got to within three points in the dying stages before a late Cranny goal sealed their fate.
Ryan Jones and Matt Rus were prime movers for the winners while Sikora, Jacob Huisman and Jack Kowarzik tried hard for the Lions while regular full-back Nathan Brown drifted forward to kick three six pointers.
BERWICK will play finals -and could even snatch an unlikely top-three berth- after dealing cellar-dwellers Hampton Park a 181-point flogging at Edwin Flack Reserve.
Should Beaconsfield slip-up against Keysborough, the Wickers are ready to pounce after their percentage jumped a whopping 14 percent against the Redbacks.
Mitch Johnson’s seven goals, and Nathan Waite’s five, led the goal-kicking exploits for the hosts while Jack Opteynde and Brad Fowler were others to figure prominently throughout the day.
DOVETON gave ROC a taste of its own medicine after a late goal to Dean Kelly gave the visitors a thrilling one-point win at Starling Road.
ROC dished out a similar fate to the Doves in round eight, but was smarting on Saturday after losing its third game for the season by a single-figure margin.
Mitch Viney and Nick Battle got plenty of the ball for the Doves while Frank D’Agostino had a great duel in the ruck with Kangaroo tall Dane Roy. KEYSBOROUGH swamped Tooradin, coming from 23 points down at three-quarter time to get the choccies by seven points at Rowley Allen Reserve.
Two third-quarter goals from coach Chris Bryan sparked the Burra to life, the home side rollicking their way to 5.2 to 0.2 last term to steal the points.
