By Armin Richter
FOOTBALL
SENIORS
In Round 5 Pakenham defeated Monbulk by a single point with a kick after the final siren. Since then the Hawks have made a gallant run for a finals spot but that loss had been costly. With coach Matt Cunningham resigning for another season during the week, Monbulk were keen to continue their recent good home ground form and add the Lions scalp to their collection. An overcast day that threatened to bring rain instead turned into a sunny afternoon as Monbulk hosted their past players and supporters day.
Monbulk ran hard throughout the match to create options and pressured the ball carrier when they were not in possession. Apart from three consecutive goals in the second term from the Lions, which brought the margin back to a goal, it was a dominant display by the Hawks. Monbulk had a six goal lead by the final change and then rattled on 6.8 in the last term for an emphatic 67 point win. The final score and winning margin are both club records against Pakenham while the win takes the head to head record against the Lions to 4 wins and 5 losses since first meeting in 2019.
Monbulk 15.17.107 def Pakenham 6.4.40
Best: Joshua Spencer, Declan Browne, Joel Wensley, Hayden Finlay, Lochlan Beecroft, Campbell Evans
Goals: Joel Wensley 3, Declan Browne 3, Ben Hughson 2, Lochlan Beecroft 1, Nicholas Wall 1, Hayden Finlay 1, Brodie Emmett 1, Adam Banks 1, Mitchell Dekker 1, Lachlan Smith 1
RESERVES
Monbulk’s Reserves find themselves in ninth place and are set to miss the finals by a narrow margin. They have been showing that they can match it with most sides and were set on disrupting Pakenham’s quest for finals, who were two wins ahead of the Hawks in sixth place. Monbulk had already beaten them once earlier in the season.
After a high scoring opening quarter which reaped 5.0 to 4.2 in Monbulk’s favour, the match became an arm wrestle for the remainder of the game. By three quarter time Pakenham held a slender 1 point lead. In the final stages Monbulk did most of the attacking, scoring the only goal of the last quarter, along with 5 behinds, while restricting the Lions to a solitary behind and coming away with a 9 point win in the process. The Hawks are just a game out of the six but with Pakenham (sixth) and Woori Yallock (eighth) to play each other in the final round it seems that their fate is set.
Monbulk 9.11.65 def Pakenham 8.8.56
Best: Josh Wentworth, Dale Ross, Harry Fleming, Nicholas Heron, Cameron Griffiths, Josh Rak
Goals: Michael Langworthy 3, Matthew James 2, Ryan Gilbert 1, Thijs Koelewyn 1, Charlie Barge 1, Josh Wentworth 1
NETBALL
A GRADE
Both Monbulk and Pakenham went into their clash knowing that they were assured of a finals berth but wanting to test themselves against a possible finals opponent. Earlier in the year the Lions had triumphed 55-35, however this time around it was to be much closer. It was a game where the defences had been on top but the numerous turnovers caused weren’t capitalised upon in converting those opportunities into goals.
Monbulk 45 def by Pakenham 48
Best: Jamie Clark, Stephanie Ferguson , Georgia Himmelreich
Goals: Peri Reid 23, Stephanie Ferguson 13, Elly Stewart 9
B GRADE
Monbulk’s B Grade team were just outside the top six and had a slim finals hope which would rely on them winning and having other results go their way. In the end neither happened as the Hawks bowed out of finals contention with a spirited 11 goal loss to a Lions team that took advantage of the chances created.
Monbulk 40 def by Pakenham 51
Best: Rihanna Kelly, Elizabeth Cutting, Siobhan Munday
Goals: Jorja Wragg 29, Dayna Walsham 9, Chloe Schmidtke 2
C GRADE
The Hawks were also in seventh place in C Grade and met a finely tuned Pakenham team which accounted for the home side by a comfortable margin in the end. Monbulk are still alive and will make finals if they can defeat ROC (third) this week and also rely on Gembrook (ninth) defeating Upwey (sixth). Where there is a pulse there is life.
Monbulk 26 def by Pakenham 52
Best: Sammi Kelly, Chloe Carmichael, Tara Donald
Goals: Jamie Sands 13, Chloe Carmichael 8, Maddy Buckland 5
D GRADE
Pakenham are one of the leading teams in D Grade and accounted for Monbulk in regulation fashion ultimately, but the Hawks had improved on their earlier meeting and strung together some promising passages of play.
Monbulk 16 def by Pakenham 40
Best: Maddy Buckland, Zali Utting, Isla Stubbs
Goals: Maddy Buckland 13, Hayley Donald 2, Isla Stubbs 1
UNDER 15s
For the second week in a row it was left up to the Under 15s to fly the flag for the netballers and register a win for the Hawks. The match was critical for both the third placed Monbulk and fourth placed Pakenham. A spot in the top three would ensure a double chance under the final five system being used in this grade. The Hawks won each quarter on their way to a 12 goal victory. With a Qualifying Final now locked in, the Hawks will test themselves against the unbeaten ROC in the final round.
Monbulk 26 def Pakenham 14
Best: Bridie McCormick, Maddison Calcagno, Lara Stenhouse
Goals: Lara Stenhouse 14, Kaitlyn Summers 11, Isla Stubbs 1
