WITH Round 4 of the NAB League Girls complete the Geelong Falcons have continued their winning streak while the Northern Knights have moved into second spot on the ladder after a convincing victory over Sandringham. Up the other end of the table the Jets, Dragons and Power are yet to win a game.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS 1.2 | 2.4 | 5.4 | 5.6 (36)
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.3 (15)

By: Michael Alvaro

GOALS:

Northern: N. Morris-Dalton 2, B. Gutknecht, E. McKenzie, M. Papachristos.
Sandringham: S. Rothfield 2.

BEST:

Northern: G. Newton, N. Morris-Dalton, S. Sansonetti, E. McKenzie, T. Smart, P. Chisholm
Sandringham: W. Laing, C. Saultry, B. Arnold, C. Cody, T. Grasso, D. Walker

Northern Knights remain undefeated in 2019 after an impressive 21-point win over Sandringham Dragons to open the round. After a tight first half under intermittent rain, the Knights could only manage a nine-point buffer at the main break, but broke the game open as prime movers Britney Gutknecht and Ellie McKenzie stood up to hit the scoreboard. Nell Morris-Dalton was another to score in the third term, putting through her second to be the Knights’ only multiple goal kicker, while Sophia Rothfield booted both of the Dragons’ majors. While Gabby Newton was the prime ball-winner for Northern on top of McKenzie and Gutknecht, Winnie Laing and Alice Burke were constants in the engine room for Sandringham and tried hard all day. Bottom-ager Sarah Hartwig was also important for the Dragons having played at both ends, and took a couple of important intercept marks while in defence. With two wins on the trot after a draw to Oakleigh, the Knights moves on to another clash at La Trobe University with the 3-1 Eastern Ranges, who are coming off a big win over Western. Meanwhile, Sandringham faces a tough task to back up this one, set to do battle with Oakleigh at home on Saturday.

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 (9)
BENDIGO PIONEERS 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 3.5 (23)

By: Peter Williams

GOALS:

Murray: E. McPherson.
Bendigo: A. Strahan, E. Gretgrix, J. Jolliffe.

BEST:

Murray: M. Quade, H. Doohan, A. Morphett, C. Gogoll, M. Brown, A. Favell
Bendigo: A. Strahan, K. Douglass, B. Hards, J. Jolliffe, M. Tupper, R. Stubbings

Bendigo Pioneers balanced their season ledger with a terrific 14-point win over Murray Bushrangers at Deakin Reserve in Shepparton on Saturday, The Pioneers booted the first goal of the game through captain, Eloise Gretgrix, but it was a tough struggle after that as both teams refused to give an inch. The Bushrangers got on the board through Emilee McPherson in the third term. It wasn’t until the final term when Annabel Strahan and Jordyn Jolliffe put the final nails in the coffin to see the visitors hold Murray scoreless and take home an important four points. Strahan was terrific, picking up more disposals (20) in the game than she had in her first three, while also laying seven tackles, having five inside 50s, two rebounds and booted that all important second goal. Brooke Hards was strong again with a game-high 11 tackles as well as 17 disposals, three marks, four inside 50s and three rebounds. Maeve Tupper was prominent in the midfield with 16 disposals, while up either end, Jolliffe and Kate Douglass were solid. For the Bushrangers, Millie Brown had her best game of the season with a game-high 27 touches as well as two marks, while Abby Favell had another 22 disposals and eight tackles. Mindy Quade and Hayley Doohan were named among the Bushrangers’ best in the defeat.

WESTERN JETS 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 (3)
EASTERN RANGES 1.0 | 2.2 | 5.3 | 7.4 (46)

By: Taylah Melki

GOALS:

Western: Nil.
Eastern: S. Gibbs 2, L. McClelland 2, R. Hall, J. Richardson.

BEST:

Western: N. Wright, R. Tripodi, E. Georgostathis, S. Asciak, L. Wright, I. Pritchard
Eastern: S. Gibbs, L. McClelland, R. Hall, J. Grace, O. Meagher, M. Edwards

It was a close start but in the end, it was the Eastern Ranges who pulled away in the third term kicking three goals to the Jets one point. The Ranges seemed to look more composed with ball in hand and hit up targets across the field, while the Jets had moments of brilliance but they were unable to sustain a four-quarter performance. Elisabeth Georgostathis impressed once again for the Jets but was down on her usual standards. Teammates Ruby Tripodi and Stephanie Asciak were dominant with their timely touches and smooth movement across the ground. While for the Ranges Laura McClelland proved to be hard to stop both in front of goals and across the ground. McClelland nailed two majors while teammate Serena Gibbs also chimed in with two majors to her name. Olivia Meagher also impressed for the Ranges going in hard at the contest and putting her body on the line more than once throughout the game.

GWV REBELS 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 (5)
GEELONG FALCONS 0.4 | 1.9 | 3.15 | 4.17 (41)

By: Cameron Ross

GOALS:

GWV: Nil.
Geelong: M. Skinner 2, P. Schaap, D. Moloney.

BEST:

GWV: M. Caris, S. Molan, C. Leonard, N. Butler, E. Friend, A. Stevens
Geelong: L. Lesosky-Hay, L. McEvoy, A. Chapman, E. Vella, D. Smith, M. Skinner

Geelong Falcons took another scalp on their journey towards back-to-back Premierships, defeating the GWV Rebels at City Oval in Ballarat on Saturday. In cold and wet conditions, the Rebels took it up to the Falcons who had the wind in the first quarter. Neither side could kick a goal in the first quarter, and the Rebels took a surprising one-point lead into the first break. The second quarter was wildly frustrating for the Falcons girls, as they simply couldn’t convert on a plethora of opportunities. The Falcons missed five opportunities that should have been kicked, including a magical piece of play from Lucy McEvoy where she turned her opponent inside out, and hit the post from point blank range. At half-time, the Falcons had kicked 1.9 and the Rebels were still in the game. Falcons coach Jason Armistead was fantastic at half-time, reminding the Falcons girls that the game was a four quarter game, and used a finance analogy that “interest accumulates” and to continue to invest in the team and that they will be rewarded like millionaires. Armistead was right, and the Falcons girls looked like millionaires in the third term, absolutely dominating the game. The Falcons did not allow the Rebels one inside 50 in the third term. Rebels coach Rhys Cahir tried desperately to spark his young Rebels into action in the final term, urging them that “team football is your way back into this game”. Captain Sophie Molan did what all good captains should do, putting into action the coaches demands with an outstanding chase down tackle at the start of the final term. Unfortunately, for the Rebels, the Falcons were far too good, and when Mia Skinner kicked a nice goal off a turnover in the third minute, the game was all but over. The Falcons winners by 36 points, 4.17.41 to 0.5.5. Despite his side not kicking a goal, Cahir stated that it was the best four quarter performance for effort he has seen this season from his side. “They just won some cleaner footy, and when the scoreboard pressure came, we struggled to get back into it,” he said. The Rebels will hope to bounce back next week against the Western Jets, while the Falcons look to maintain their impressive form against the Stingrays.

GIPPSLAND POWER 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 4.2 (26)
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 1.4 | 3.11 | 5.12 | 6.12 (48)

By: Peter Williams

GOALS:

Gippsland: C. Turner, J. Chila, M. Fitzsimon, M. Gilmour.
Dandenong: G. Howes 2, C. Bell, T. Smith, L. Grocock, S. Stratton.

BEST:

Gippsland: M. Fitzsimon, M. Shaw, S. Beaton, H. Andrews, C. Abrahams , C. Turner
Dandenong: A. Carroll, B. Vernon, G. Howes, Z. Hill, T. Smith, L. Grocock

Dandenong Stingrays made it three consecutive wins after seeing off a late Gippsland Power challenge to record a 22-point victory at Morwell Recreation Reserve. In challenging conditions, Georgia Howes kicked the first two goals of the game, before Shaneece Stratton made it three and the Stingrays were off and away. Jaime Chila pulled the margin back with her first goal for the Power, but a couple more majors in the third term to Caitlin Bell and Lucy Grocock saw the margin out to 35 points by the final break. When Tyanna Smith converted in the third minute of the final term, the Stingrays led by 41 points. To the Power’s credit, they never stopped fighting and made the margin respectable thanks to goals from Macie Gilmour, Chloe Turner and Megan Fitzsimon. The Stingrays were terrific throughout, with Amie Carroll named their best, while Brooke Vernon‘s phenomenal season continued with a strong performance in defence. Full-back Zoe Hill and bottom-age midfielder Tyanna Smith were again named in the best, while Isabella Shannon had a team-high 17 disposals. For the Power, Fitzsimon backed up her effort last week with an even better performance on Saturday, collecting 26 disposals, five marks, four tackles, six inside 50s, five rebounds and a goal. Captain Maddison Shaw was again impressive in defence with six rebounds to go with 17 disposals, while Chandra Abrahams also stood tall in the win.

CALDER CANNONS 0.0 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 5.4 (34)
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 2.1 | 4.1 | 6.2 | 7.2 (44)

By: Peter Williams

GOALS:

Calder: T. Gillard 2, A. Magri, F. Theodore, G. Elarmaly.
Oakleigh: E. Harley 2, T. Morton, A. van Oosterwijck, M. Bertuna, G. Lagioia, K. Kearns.

BEST:

Calder: E. Yassir, A. Barba, K. Lennox, M. McLeod, T. Gillard, T. Fry
Oakleigh: A. van Oosterwijck, E. Harley, J. Lin, N. Xenos, K. Kearns, D. Lloyd

Oakleigh Chargers handed Calder Cannons their first defeat of the season, with a strong 10-point victory in wet conditions up at RAMS Arena. The Cannons came into the match without dropping any points thus far this season, but Oakleigh looked prepared from the first bounce, holding the Cannons scoreless in the opening term, and by the 13th minute, led 4.1 (25) to 0.1 (1) and it was beginning to look like a one-sided contest. Emily Harley had already converted two goals and looked the dominant goalkicker on the ground. Gloria Elarmaly finally got the Cannons on the board and when Alisa Magri converted early in the third term, the margin was back to 11 points. The Chargers booted the next two goals of the game to give themselves some breathing space before Tahlia Gillard found the big sticks with 21 seconds remaining in the term to give the home side some hope heading into the final break. Just 96 seconds into the final term, Gillard made it two consecutive goals and when Felicity Theodore added another at the six and a half minute mark, the deficit was just six points and it looked like all the momentum was with the Cannons. Amelia Van Oosterwijck settled for the Cannons to five them a two-goal buffer, as a couple of missed opportunities late for Calder meant the Cannons fell short of a fourth consecutive victory. Gemma Lagioia had a team-high 21 disposals and a goal, while Van Oosterwijck was named Oakleigh’s best for her pressure work and match-winning goal. Harley’s attack up forward to set the game up with two majors as well as 14 disposals and five marks was solid, while Mimi Hill and Nicola Xenos both had 17 touches in continued good form. For the Cannons, Emelia Yassir had a team-high 14 disposals and was named in the Cannons’ best, while Alana Barba and Kasey Lennox were also among their side’s top players in the loss.