Chargers too strong for Dragons

 

An early fresh start in Sandringham for the Girls saw them take on the top-placed Oakleigh Chargers. Looking to get back on the winners list after four consecutive losses, it was Sophie McKay and Daisy Flockart as the followers alongside Jessie Jarvis with Margot Whitney in the ruck. The first score of the game went to Oakleigh despite the Dragons owning the territory initially. Before the visitors found the first major of the day shortly after through a dribble kick, as a result of owning the possession.

 

Tiger Doultree was a standout in the game, in particular in the first term. Using her height to her advantage, she was able to defend strongly in the air and generate play behind the ball. She finished with a season-high 24 disposals, 10 rebound 50’s along with nine marks. In which four were intercept marks coming in the first quarter alone. Both Scout Howden and Mia Zielinski were involved as well, with Howden being a release option out of stoppages, and Zielinski getting busy in the forward half. Chloe Williams also had a nice second effort play in the front half.

 

A mark in the goal square from one of the Oakleigh forwards gave them their second of the match. Although she gave away from free kicks, McKay was still a class above the rest. Racking up the pill and getting to as many stoppages as she could. The term was largely played all in the Chargers half which led to them having nine scoring shots, although only converted two in goals. It was an eighteen-point lead for the visitors at the end of the quarter.

 

Sandringham’s defence continued to get peppered in the second, however not a lot of damage was done on the scoreboard. With Oakleigh registering just two behinds from all the onslaught. They broke through eventually after some repeat inside-50’s in the third minute to push the lead out to twenty-six points.

 

Flockart was strong in the contest, using her power and physicalness all over the ground. Sienna Sharp took a mark inside-50 and went back to kick the Dragons first major of the day, and to give her side a little bit of spark.

 

The tide would immediately turn back Oakleigh’s way with them on top in terms of territory, and a result goaled from a forward fifty stoppage. Before adding another in the eleventh minute after receiving a free kick near goal. The territory battle continued to be an issue for Sandringham with Oakleigh set up so well structurally in all positions. Sharp marked inside-50 once again and converted to give her a second goal in the quarter, in the twentieth minute. The six-pointer was situated by some McKay and Zielinski brilliance on the far wing. It gave Sandringham something to go into the change rooms with, trailing at the main break 5.12 (42) to 2.1 (13).

 

The chilly conditions of the morning took effect in the second half with both teams unable to get anything going cleanly in the opening ten minutes. A costly turnover in the defensive half from the Dragons saw the Chargers draw first blood of the third term. That made the margin a handy thirty-six points.

 

Oakleigh would then put on the next three goals unanswered in a ruthless clearance display, dominant in the stoppages, and dangerous in the front half of the ground. As a result, the Sandringham players struggled to get their hands on the ball and were restricted to no score for the term. It set up a fifty-four-point advantage at the final change.

 

McKay was often matched up against Oakleigh midfielder Sarah Poustie, an exciting duel with two of the best midfield prospects heading into the draft. The number fifteen was rested on the bench for much of the last quarter, however still tallied 13 disposals, and eleven tackles. While Poustie added 22 disposals and nine tackles.

 

Twenty seconds is all it took for the Chargers to get on the board in the last, kicking their tenth for the match. And from that point on they did not look back, slotting five more goals and four behinds to run out ninety-four-point winners.

 

 It was a demolition in terms of supply for the Oakleigh forwards, with fifty-five inside-50’s compared to just thirteen for the home side. Along with a +105 advantage in the disposal department. Which helped them bring up the ton with four minutes remaining in the game. Thirty-two scoring shots for the visitors to just three for the Dragons, something they will need to work on for next time. The Girls will rest up before returning to action to play against the Dandenong Stingrays on the 20th of July at Belvedere Oval.

 

GOALS: Sharp 2

BEST: Doultree, Flockart, McKay, Ansell-Jones, Jarvis, Sharp