Mid South Eastern Football League review
Hatherleigh v Tantanoola
Hatherleigh was untroubled at home in winning its fourth consecutive game at the expense of cross-town rivals Tantanoola in round 4 of the Mid South East Football League on Saturday.
Owing to their scheduled bye and the customary Easter break, the Tigers returned to the playing arena for the first time in 21 days and leaders achieved a significant percentage boost thanks to an 87-point win.
Just three goals were booted in the opening term and then the home team drew away.
The Eagles were seldom troubled after the long break with stand-in spearhead and coach Jake Dowdy again leading the way with seven majors.
With 22 majors, Dowdy leads the goal scorers and appears odds-on to secure the coveted full-forward’s role when the MSEFL takes on the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara at Kongorong on the Queens Birthday holiday long weekend on Saturday, June 11.
The better performers for the Tigers were the Hatt brothers.
On the down side for Hatherleigh, key forward Jake Wight will be sidelined with a broken arm for the remainder of 2022 while teen Paddy Chay was injured against the Tigers.
Hatherleigh has the bye in round 5 while Tantanoola is looking to win back the Neil Von Duve Memorial Cup at home against Glencoe.
Port MacDonnell v Mount Burr
After leading by as much as 22 points, Mount Burr allowed Port MacDonnell back into the game at home and eventually went down by two goals.
This game-high margin held by the Mozzies occurred at the midway point of the third term when the Demons were in the doldrums.
The seasiders had managed a mere five goals in the perfect conditions and needed to boot four goals to claim the lead.
Assistant coach Kevin Thomson provided the spark as the visitors posted the last five majors of the third term and then the opening goal of the final stanza.
Thomson booted three of them to finish the game as its most potent forward with five goals.
He was also the stand-in coach as Simon Merrett was in COVID-related isolation.
Mount Burr coach Reece Duncan was also sidelined after being concussed in round three.
The second win in 2022 by the Demons gives some hope to their legion of supporters the MSEFL’s reigning premiers may see some finals action.
The patchy form of the Demons suggests their premiership hangover is still rated as “mild”.
In round 5, Port MacDonnell travels to Nangwarry where Tony Pasin MHR will officially declare open the new licensed clubrooms.
Mount Burr is at home for the third consecutive week and it will be attempting to wrest back the Harry Bott Memorial trophy from 2021 grand finalists Kalangadoo.
It honours the memory of the one-time Kalangadoo president and Mount Burr storekeeper.
Robe v Glencoe
It was a more settled Glencoe which took on Robe at home but the 82-point triumph by the visitors could be regarded as the upset of the season to date.
The Murphies had scraped home by a mere 15 points when they played at Nangwarry in round three as there were numerous absentees from their regular 21 owing to a wedding, injuries and COVID.
The Roosters have had a lacklustre 2022 coming into round 4 but all that was forgotten when the siren sounded at 2.10pm on Saturday.
With second-gamer Harry McInnes providing a focal point in attack with six goals, the visitors outscored their hosts in every term.
Their dominance was most pronounced after the long break when the gal tally was 13 to four.
Robe is at home to Kongorong this weekend, while Glencoe heads down the Mile Hill Road to Tigerland.
