Burra bows to Doveton

By Brad Kingsbury
KEYSBOROUGH was outplayed, out-muscled and comprehensively beaten by Doveton at the Rowley Allen reserve on Saturday, severely denting the Burra’s plans for a top-three finish in 2008.
After a three-goal opening blitz, the hosts of the round 10 Casey Cardinia league match decided to put their cue in the rack and the determined and focused visitors made a meal of the Burras’ usually unflappable system, cruising to a 44-point victory.
Many at the ground believed that the result flattered Keysborough, given it trailed by 68 points at three-quarter time, however Burra coach Greg Siwes disagreed and suggested the margin should actually have been less but for some lucky breaks going the Doves’ way.
“I think we played a lot better than the 44-point margin suggested, but Doveton was certainly the better side,” he said.
“They went bang, bang, bang and put the game out of reach half way through the third quarter. Last year I reckon we would have got done by 100 points, but we won the last quarter and that was encouraging.”
Doveton was without several key players and the late withdrawal of defender Daryl Thomas added to their woes, while Keysborough welcomed back ruckman Shaun Witherden from injury.
The game opened at a furious pace with Doveton coach Tom Hallinan pulling an early surprise by playing key forward Ryan Brown in the ruck with great effect.
After the initial Keysborough burst the Doves settled into their rhythm and worked their way to the front by 10 points at the first change.
With Brown, Ryan Hendy and Callum Pattie providing their team-mates with first use of the ball the Doves lifted their work rate over the next two quarters to put the Burra out of business.
Peter Greenstreet was a good target in attack and every Doveton player contributed as the margin blew out from 26 points at half-time to almost 12 goals at the final change.
The home side was shut down in the midfield with a rusty Witherden working into the game off the bench but not able to dominate, and few team-mates, apart from youngster Michael Downie, Shaun Daly, Clinton King and Brett Colbert, able to break free of the accountable Doves.
Doveton played isolation, one-on-one football inside their forward 50-metre arc, forcing the Burra players to become accountable and successfully negating the drive the home side usually gets from half back.
Daly moved to centre-half forward in final term and was the prime reason for Keysborough’s improved form towards the end, and Siwes was happy that his side retained its concentration and fought the match out.
“They were good. Doveton is well-drilled and Tommy has done well in that area,” he said.
“We made a few bad mistakes across half-back and they converted. I thought we had enough of the footy but we fell down across half back and half forward because we just stopped our run.
“There were some positives and the players played as they were instructed which was good considering the score late in the game.”
On the downside for Doveton, Hendy was reported for head-high contact and Michael Laszyzk suffered a leg injury.
In other round 10 games, Pakenham fell home over Narre Warren, Berwick downed Tooradin by 29 points, Cranbourne beat Hampton Park by 27 points and Devon Meadows smacked ROC by 61 points.