Dragon’s improve to 2-1 after emphatic win over Calder
By Lenny Roberts
Round three for the U18 Dragon’s Girls saw them head north to Highgate Recreation Reserve to take on the Calder Cannons on Saturday morning. Two new debutants for their first away game of the season, which included Edie McLachlan and Lily Skinner. Kicking towards the southern end for the first term, it was Margot Whitney starting in the ruck, with Sophie McKay, Judie Goldman and Daisy Flockart as the followers in the opening bounce.
First clearance of the game went to the Dragons, with Flockart gathering and dishing to Scout Howden on the wing. The opening score went to Calder inside the first two minutes. Howden (25 disposals, 7 marks) was busy early, working up and down the wing in both defense and attack. An inside 50 through Daisy Flockart led to a set shot which was rushed through for a behind, the first points of the game for Sandringham. Whitney (3 kicks, 16 hitouts) was a tackle machine in the opening term. The Dragons got on the board through Flockart, who received a free-kick and then slotted a nice set-shot goal. Tiger Doultree did a couple of nice things early, including a mark on the outer wing and inside 50. McKay took a neat intercept mark helping out down back. Olive McLean (16 disposals, 2 goals) was lively, playing as a hybrid forward-mid type. Calder eventually leveled things up at 8 apiece late in the quarter. Multiple missed chances at goal for Sandringham right before the end of the first quarter, however still held a slender lead of 1-point.
A fast start for the Dragons in the second term with McKay bursting through the middle, kicking inside 50 to a pack, where Mia Zielinski would rove it out the back to kick her first of the day. Zari Mildenhall took a nice mark inside 50 which led to a Galaminda Gellar kick out of mid-air to slot the Dragon’s second of the quarter. The clearance battle was becoming a big issue for the Cannons, with Sandringham’s midfield well on top. Zielinski got her second through a mark in the square after a Goldman set shot fell just short of the goal line. Macy Watkins got in on the action, kicking truly from a set shot. Which was set up by Zielinski who was dominating. Howden continued on from her good start and was one of the best on the ground among everyone. Matilda Clarkson was also solid across half-back. Doultree scored right on the stroke of halftime to cap off a dominant quarter for the Dragon’s. Although the ball was parked inside Sandringham’s forward half, their defense really stood up. Holding the Cannons scoreless in the term. At the end of the first half, Sandringham led 6.5 (41) to 1.2 (8)
A little switch up of the magnets during the break saw debutant Edie McLachlan start in the ruck for the opening bounce of the second half. Both McKay (16 disposals, 6 marks) and Flockart (16 disposals, 5 tackles) were everywhere in the early parts of this term. Calder got the scoring going after a very impressive snap from the boundary from one of their forwards. An immediate response from the Dragon’s through McLean, with an on the run goal from straight in front. Lucy Turnbull kicked Sandringham’s eighth goal of the match which ballooned the lead out to 39 points halfway through the quarter. The Cannons hit back with one of their own before McLean slotted her second on the term from the boundary. A handy 40-point lead at the last break for the Dragon’s.
Back and forth between the arcs was the fourth quarter, with no team really able to generate scoring opportunities in the opening stages. Goldman (20 disposals) battled hard all day in the midfield. Zielinski (13 disposals, 4 goals) added another. The Cannons then booted through their last of the day. McKay showed her class with a clean snap goal from a stoppage inside forward 50. A strong contested mark in the goal square led to Zielinski’s fourth of the match, a massive day out from the key forward. Sandringham eventually ran out 54-point winners in the end to claim their second victory of the season. They turn their focus to Sunday the 28th when they take on the Giants Academy at 10:30am, at Trevor Barker Oval.
GOALS: Zielinski 4, McLean 2, Turnbull, Galaminda Gellar, McKay, Doultree, Flockart, Watkins
BEST: T.Doultree, M.Watkins, K.Galaminda Gellar, M.Zielinski, S.Howden, H.Foran