LEAGUE: Codey Alexander breaks clear with the ball for the Hawks after a heavy clash left an Eaton Boomer on the ground.
AFTER its League, Reserves and Colts football teams won three weeks in a row, the Augusta-Margaret River Hawks’ premiership dreams crashed back to earth at Eaton on Sunday.
Arguably the strongest club in the South West Football League at the moment, with its League and Colts teams topping their ladders and its Reserves second on percentage in a four-way battle with Busselton, Carey Park and Collie, the Eaton Boomers totally dominated the undermanned Hawks’ Colts and Reserves in cold, wet and slippery conditions.
The drizzle stopped and the mist lifted for most of the League game, and at times the League Hawks looked like they might just take it up to the Boomers, but the final siren result ended up just as miserable for the Hawks as the weather.
Their 21 and 73-point defeats by Eaton dropped the Hawks’ League and Colts teams back to sixth positions on their ladders. The Reserves remain in fifth spot.
League
Augusta-Margaret River opened strongly with Harry Morgan kicking a behind and then a goal from point-blank range within the first two minutes of play.
However, Eaton were quick to catch up and nullify Hawks’ drive from the centre. Play continued to be very competitive for the quarter, with Eaton kicking 7.4 to the Hawks’ – very accurate given the conditions – 5.1 at the first change.
The second quarter was also very competitive with both sides kicking three goals and neither side able to gain an advantage with slippery conditions and heavy ball.
Late in the quarter some spite entered play after a heavy clash left trainers attending to a Boomer and Hawks’ Areef Walker. After Walker got to his feet and was recovering 60 metres behind play, he was felled for a second time by a hit from behind as an Eaton interchange player coming onto the ground ran past.
Eaton finished the first half with a 14-point advantage, 10.4 to 8.2.
The even game continued into the third quarter, but without Jeremy Humm in the centre, the Hawks appeared to lack drive. Eaton kicked a goal more than the Hawks to gain control of the match and stretch their advantage to 19 points at the last change, 13.8 to 10.7.
Eaton continued to pull away in the final quarter to run out winners by 21 points. Poor goal shooting proved costly to the Hawks as they missed several shots that should have been goals, although full forward Harry Morgan finished with seven goals for the day.
Final scores: Eaton Boomers 16.9 (105) d AMR 12.12 (84)
Goals: Eaton: M Buchanan, J Cormack, G Catalano, J Osiejak 2; J Davis, S Jas, M Batagalia, J Lacco, D Davis, A McDonald, R Lily, J King. AMR: H Morgan 7; D Thompson 2; R Owens, C Alexandra, N Hone.
Best: Eaton: M Buchanan, J Cormack, J Osiejak, G Catalano, A McDonald. AMR: H Morgan, J Cassidy, R Devitt, N Derickx, J Marsh, V Colyer.
Reserves
Both sides started strongly with AMR leading by a point at the first change, 3.2 to 3.3 and Eaton leading by four points at half time, 5.4 to 4.6.
However, the second half belonged to Eaton. They raced away in the third quarter, dominating play around the ground and slamming on 4.1 to the Hawks’ two behinds. Another four goals in the final term to the Hawks’ one gave Boomers a 47-point margin at the final siren.
Grant Garstone kicked three goals for the Hawks and continues to lead the SWFL Reserves goal-kicking with 36, five more than Chris Hutchins of Busselton and seven more than Tristan McMillan of Carey Park.
Final scores: Eaton 13.8 (86) d AMR 5.9 (39)
Goals: Eaton: P Peterson, S Tyan 4; R Osiejak, J Wallen 2; S Barrett. AMR: G Garstone 3; A Martin 2.
Best: Eaton: P Peterson, S Tyan, R Osiejak, J Wallen, S Barrett. AMR: J Dornan, A Cooper, B Earl, J Shepheard, A McCorkill, G Garstone.
Colts
Eaton proved the strongest side in this game and they held the Hawks scoreless in the first quarter and then continued to outscore them in each subsequent quarter to win by 73 points.
Final scores: Eaton Boomers 16.11 (107) d AMR 5.4 (34)
Goals: Eaton: D Ramsay 4; S Kane, J Bramich, D King 3; L Harris 2; J Augimera. AMR: T McDonald 2; B Morgan, M Payne, A Campbell.
Best: Eaton: D Ramsay, J Augimera, S Kane, J Banchi, L Harris. AMR: T McDonald, B Morgan, M Payne, S Thorson, B Pavlinovich.
Round 11
Augusta Margaret River Hawks take on Busselton at home at Gloucester Park on Saturday. Reserves game from 1.45pm, Colts from 4pm and League from 6.10pm.
