Sport
13 August, 2023
Tight at the top
WITH just three rounds of the home and away season remaining, the Hampden League ladder is getting tight at the top.
While the Roosters have enjoyed a dominating 2023 season and now sit three games clear on top, just one game separates positions two to five.
Koroit and North Warrnambool currently sit second and third, equal on points with a small percentage between them, while Cobden sits just half a game behind in fourth, with Terang Mortlake rounding up the five two points behind.
A highlight of last weekend’s round 15 matches was the clash between the fourth-placed Cobden and bottom side Portland.
In what could have been the upset of the season, the Bombers snuck home by just three points over the Tigers who are hungry to pick up win number two.
Gardens Oval provided plenty of entertainment last weekend when the Seagulls (currently sitting six points out of the five) hosted North Warrnambool Eagles.
The opening quarter was a strong one for the home side who maintained pressure all over the ground to keep within seven points of the visitors.
However, the second term proved a costly one, with the Eagles adding six majors to the board to extend their lead to 37-points going into the main break.
The third and fourth quarters were won by the Seagulls, but the earlier onslaught from the Eagles proved the deciding factor, with the Eagles running home victors by 19 points, 14.9.93 to 11.8.74.
Best for the Eagles were Jarryd Lewis, Bailey Jenkinson, Jackson Grundy, Thomas Batten, Angus Noske and Adam Wines.
Best for Port Fairy were Andrew McMeel, Tyson Macilwain, Jake Bartlett, Oscar Pollock, Segdae Lucardie and Lochie Gunning.
Goal scorers for North were Thomas Batten (4), Charlie McKinnon (3), Dylan Parish (2), Jett Bermingham, Jackson Grundy, Felix Jones, Jye O’Brien and Matthew Wines.
For Port Fairy, Jason Rowan kicked four, Tyson Macilwain and Oscar Pollock kicked two each and singles came from Segdae Lucardie and Isaac Martin.
In other round 15 results, Koroit took the points over Camperdown, the Blues were too strong for Hamilton and South were big winners over Terang Mortlake.
Tomorrow’s round will see Cobden host Port Fairy, Portland will travel to Camperdown, Hamilton will host the Saints, Warrnambool will take on Terang Mortlake and the Roosters will travel to Bushfield to take on the Eagles.
