Hawks are too good

Monbulk 16.13.109 d Gembrook-Cockatoo 10.9.69.
GEMBROOK maintained its reputation as the enigma of the league when it blitzed Monbulk early then once again fell by the wayside to allow the Hawks a solid, if unconvincing, win in icy conditions at Gembrook.
The fickle breeze affected players’ judgement, and Gembrook capitalised to post five early goals with Harvey being the focal point.
The Brookers gained first use of the ball through champion ruckman, Clarke, while Richardson found space where little existed for others.
Monbulk rallied when the lively Creed levelled the score early in the second, but Sankey was still frustrating many forward moves with his position play.
It took inspired work from skipper Dunstan and coach Hughson for the Hawks to finally wrest the lead. From that point, the game went according to script.
Monbulk closed ranks and posted majors through a series of brilliant rebound plays, with Creed, Bartlett and Jabber Clarke exerting a strong influence around the packs. Gembrook’s Harvey assumed the role of key forward to compensate for a strangely out of form Shipp, but the Hawks were now rolling. When Hughson posted his fifth, the Brookers had all but conceded.
Best: Dunstan, Clarke, Creed, Devers, C. Hughson.
Goals: Hughson 5, Creed 3, Colee, Anderson 2.
Reserves
Monbulk 31.16.201 d Gembrook-Cockatoo 4.2.26.
GEMBROOK slammed on the first goal in the opening seconds, then stood dumbstruck as the Hawks posted the next 24 in succession to maul the under-manned Brookers in a one-sided affair.
Rookie ruckman, Maurice Weisse enjoyed a party up forward with 5 goals from strong marking, while veteran Steve Utting ruled the ground level duels, aided by impressive youngsters in Luke Knoll, Sean Lucas and Sean Weiring.
The Hawks cruised to within a whisker of top spot with a 29-goal win.
Best: Utting, Weisse, Knoll, Adams, Weiring.
Goals: Wiesse 5, Coen, Lucas 4, Adams, Broekhof 3, Comfort, Fraser, Shipsey 2.
Under 18
Monbulk 8.17.65 d Gembrook-Cockatoo 5.5.35.
IT took until the last quarter for the Hawks to wake from their slumber before finally subduing the struggling Gembrook.
Led again by the imposing presence of Dean Cleven, Chris Waldron and a dangerous Mike Coen, the Hawks held sway for most of the game, but with the Brookers fielding their first full team for the season, the Hawks met stern opposition.
Nick Den Hartog posted the first goal of his career at a crucial stage to fire the inaccurate Hawks to a welcome win.
Best: C. Waldron, D. Cleven, M. Coen, A. Greaves, N. Roca.
Goals: Coen 3, Creed 2.
Netball
Monbulk 63 d Gembrook-Cockatoo 17.
THE B Grade took to second bottom side, Gembrook and dominated from the outset with Leonie Taylor rampant in the mid-court while Emma Mullinder and veteran Jo Rutherford ruled the hoop.
The Hawks edged into top spot with the win and now set themselves for a string of tough games in the run up to the second half of the season.
Best: E. Mullinder, J. Rutherford, L. Taylor, L. Boyle.
Goals: J. Rutherford 34, E. Mullinder 29.