Football
Emerald took on Yarra Glen away in great football conditions.
Whilst Yarra Glen started well in general play they were unable to connect when going forward. At each turnover, Emerald used precise field kicking to set up a 3.6 to 1.0 lead at quarter time, with a number of rushed behinds as Yarra Glen defenders put the Emerald forwards under intense pressure.
In the second quarter, the River Pigs continued with the pressure and improved their field kicking and piled on 5 goals to the Bomber’s solitary goal to go into halftime with a 2 point lead.
Emerald was stung into action, lifting their intensity and continuing with their clean ball handling and precise kicking. They outscored Yarra Glen 5 goals to 2 to take a 14 point lead into the last quarter. Yarra Glen battled hard in the early part of the quarter to keep in touch but eventually ran out of steam as Emerald kicked late goals to win 14.12 to Yarra Glen’s 9.7.
Best for Emerald were Mitchell Thomas, Ty Ellison, Brendan Wilson, Patrick Chin, Dale Karacsonyi and Jake Pedder.
Emerald was only a point up in the Reserves at quarter time. In a tough second quarter, both teams added 2 goals, with Emerald 6 points up at the main break.
Yarra Glen seemed to stop in the third, having appeared to have thrown everything at it in the first half. Emerald were playing much better football to add 3.4 while Yarra Glen didn’t add to their score. Yarra Glen fought back to outscore Emerald with 3 goals to 1 in the last quarter but Emerald held on, the final score 7.1, 43 to 8.13, 61.
Best for Yarra Glen were Brendan Davis, Jacob Reddaway, Craig Dodsworth, Anthony Harman, Zac and Nate Capuano. Goalkickers were Stirling Twite-Moore (2), Drew Brodie (2), Nate Capuano, Max Forbes and Brendan Davis.
Netball
An aggressive and intense Emerald jumped Yarra Glen to up by 11 at quarter time before the Yarra Glen girls gradually got back into the game.Emerald’s great goalshooter, Kaylah Loulanting (35 goals) started to be restricted by Yarra Glen’s Peta Fay as Yarra Glen started to control more of the game. The poor start from Yarra Glen was a bit too much as Emerald held on by just 3 goals, to win 41-44.
In B Grade it was a battle for 4th spot, with Emerald losing out in a devastating 1 goal loss. Up by 3 goals at halftime, Yarra Glen kept the pressure on to overhaul Emerald to be in front at the final siren.
C Gradebrought back an Emerald team stronger and more aggressive than their opponent, despite a nasty head injury to Yarra Glen’s Jacinda Fraser causing a major time delay. It was distressing for the Yarra Glen girls, with Emerald ending up on top 37- 56.
D Grade was a hard-fought game with Emerald just 2 goals up at three-quarter time before proving too strong in the last winning 27-35.
