Kalangadoo v Robe

Arecord last-term blitz of 14 goals by unbeaten ladder leader Kalangadoo at Robe on Saturday has cemented the visitors as flag favourites in the seventh round of the Mid South Eastern Football League.

The Magpies and the Roosters have met on over 100 occasions since 1966 but never before has one team been so dominant over the other in the final stanza.

The victors posted a remarkable 14.3 and had 11 individual goalkickers headed by Michael Krieger with six.

Krieger leads the competition with 31 goals and has three more than Hatherleigh coach Jake Dowdy.

If the star Magpie maintains this average of over six-goals-per-game, he will reach the sought-after “ton” of goals in 2022.

It was a remarkable surrender by the seasiders on their home deck given they were in third place coming into the contest.

With ruthless efficiency and near pin-point accuracy, the visitors piled on 14.3 while conceding just one behind.

The match had been all but decided by three-quarter time with the black-and-whites enjoying a 54-point lead.

The Magpies were obviously hell-bent on banking some valuable percentage and making it harder for fellow unbeaten outfit Hatherleigh from securing the coveted minor premiership.

The huge 140-point loss has forced Robe down to fourth spot.

The preview of the 2022 grand final looks like being played between the two currently unbeaten teams at Hatherleigh on June 4 when the first half of the home-and-away season finishes.

In the meantime, Kalangadoo hosts Tantanoola on Saturday while Robe is on the road to Mick and Jean Walker Oval at Mount Burr.

Port MacDonnell v Tantanoola

Port MacDonnell has the door firmly ajar for a first-ever successful premiership defence with an impressive 65-point win over Tantanoola at Tigerland.

It was arguably the best effort in 2022 by the Demons while, on the other hand, probably the worst by the undermanned Tigers outfit.

The size of the win lifted the seasiders to third position while four-time Mail Medal winner Will Macdonald is again showing the kind of form which has him ranked as the best MSEFL player of his generation.

The last time Port MacDonnell was at Tigerland it was a wet, cold and windy day but they took the Wilf Sprengel premiership shield back to the Bay after defeating Kalangadoo for the 2022 title.

Saturday was dry, warm and still and the visitors began well to go to a 21-point lead by the first break.

It was increased after every break which gave Port MacDonnell playing coach Simon Merrett the opportunity to watch proceedings from the coaches’ box.

There was no such opportunity for Tantanoola coach Jak Ryan who is playing despite a leg injury.

One positive for his team is they almost matched their opponents on the scoreboard in the second half.

The Tigers sit just one win outside the top four but do not appear to have the manpower to reach the major round.

Tantanoola faces the ultimate challenge of playing at Kalangadoo in round eight while Port MacDonnell is home to unbeaten Hatherleigh.

Mount Burr v Nangwarry

There is always interest when these two “timber towns”, once established and operated by the former Woods and Forests Department, meet on the footy field.

Their first hit-out for 2022 was at the Riddoch Highway venue when visiting skipper Josh Fiebig led his Mount Burr Mozzies to a resounding 87-point victory.

The teams were evenly matched for three of the four quarters and it was the second term which caused the undoing of Nangwarry.

The Saints managed only three behinds while conceding 8.4 to the visitors.

Recruit Andrew Hyland booted five of Nangwarry’s six goals for the game while Hamish Smith was the most potent of the Mount Burr forwards also with five goals.

Nangwarry has the bye in round eight while Mount Burr hosts Nangwarry.

Hatherleigh v Kongorong

Hatherleigh played host to Kongorong at home and the home side made a statement to the competition with a 128-point demolition on Saturday.

Kongorong got out of the blocks early with a goal in the first two minutes of play through a super tap in the middle from Scott Fleming and it looked to set the them on the road.

But it was not the case as the Eagles spread their wings and soared to new heights and put a stop to the Hawks’ run.

Hatherleigh’s skill was on show from the second throw up and it banged on the next major as the depleted Hawks’ backline was stretched.

The Eagles put on nine majors to the Hawks one in the first term to set up the game.

In the second term Kongorong made some changes and it looked a better side with some hard and tough play, but losing captain Marty Vonstanke to a yellow card for an indiscretion did not help the visitors.

Aaron Lightbody was moved into the ruck for the Hawks and made an impact to give the midfield first use of the ball against Hatherleigh’s ruck, while playing coach Cameron Sandercock provided some bullocking work around the packs for Kongorong.

The Hawks had no answer for the Eagles and the latter put on a clinic of football with run, carry and teamwork.

Lightbody, Matt Cordy, Brad Long and Scott Fleming were the dominating players for the Hawks while the rampant Eagles were led by Jordan Galpin, Mark Marriott, Lewis Walker, Bradley Mitchell and Sam Gray.