Sport
17 May, 2024
Alexander the great: He's been the best recruit of '24
THE hype at Bridgewater this season has been around the arrival of Lachlan Sharp and his ability to shrug off opponents and slot through goal after goal. His early season dominance since switching from Bendigo league power Strathfieldsaye came to...
THE hype at Bridgewater this season has been around the arrival of Lachlan Sharp and his ability to shrug off opponents and slot through goal after goal.
His early season dominance since switching from Bendigo league power Strathfieldsaye came to a shuddering halt against Pyramid Hill.
And while Sharp was back with something of a vengeance against Bears Lagoon Serpentine in last Saturday’s match of the Loddon Valley round, it was again Boden Alexander showing he is the real recruitment coup of 2024 for the Mean Machine.
The gutsy and gritty onballer was creating opportunities as he has done in every game this season.
Named in the best each week since returning from a two-year stint with Strathfieldsaye, Alexander was the real difference against the Bears, rattled by the yellow-carding of Mellington in the first quarter and missing the steadying influence of veteran Andy Gladman.
The Bears still had good contributors in Miles, Priest and former coach Justin Laird but lacked the ability to put in four quarters of football, that old curse back to haunt.
They came back within nine points with a solid third quarter but could not match the ferocity of Bridgewater playing before club premiership heroes from the last 50 years and still smarting from the drubbing at the hands of Pyramid Hill the week before.
Bridgewater had the answers up forward. Andy Collins was back in the side and booted five goals. Sharp added three to his season’s tally but again spent most of the second half in the midfield.
The pace was faster in the second and third terms, suiting Bridgewater’s style of play - opening up the game and finding a clear path up forward.
This is where Alexander was critical for sending the Mean Machine into its forward 50. Time after time he was the creator and the link. However, there was a downside for the former University Black, he took a heavy knock in the last quarter and left the ground. Bridgewater held the visiting Bears to one goal in the final term, capping off reunion day with a 26-point victory.
A super second quarter from Inglewood against Maiden Gully has the Blues with confidence ahead of must-win matches if they are to secure fifth spot. Maiden Gully had only trailed by eight points at the first break. Then Will Allen tightened the game plan for Inglewood in defence, Daniel Polack took control in the centre and Mitch Conlan slotting goals.
Inglewood, however, eased in the last term allowing Maiden Gully to kick five goals to three.
Calivil again showed it can take the game up to top sides for a quarter or two, pushing Marong early before the Panthers broke away to 97-point win. And Pyramid Hill was simply two strong for Mitiamo. The Bulldogs had 13 goalkickers including defender Tom McGregor in the percentage boosting win.