Eagles take a dive

By Paul Pickering
THE Doveton Eagles bowed out of the Division Three finals race with a 10-point loss to Mount Waverley on Saturday.
The Eagles went into the final-round clash with a slim chance of securing a finals berth, but they needed the stars to align for them to steal fourth place from Canterbury.
At halftime, they had a 14-point lead over the ladder leaders and September action seemed within their grasp, but a third-quarter lapse proved fatal.
The Mountain Lions booted six goals to Doveton’s one in the third term and held firm against a fourth-quarter rally to cement top spot with an impressive victory.
Supreme Mount Waverley ruckman Jarrod Wilkin was the matchwinner, while the Eagles were led by gun midfielder Brett Hidgcock and burly spearhead Ricky Ramsdale (seven goals).
The home side also received handy contributions from reliable defender Matt Fristad and lively forward Cameron Van-nes.
It was an anti-climactic finish for the Eagles, because Canterbury had already iced fourth spot with a win over third-placed Skye at home.
It was a hollow afternoon for Doveton coach Barry Giddens. “We were definitely disappointed, but it wasn’t really in our hands in the end,” he said. “It’s tough when you’re relying on other sides to win for you to get in.”
Giddens praised the efforts of his young team throughout the season, but lamented a lack of maturity and body strength down back.
He will be looking to bolster the Eagles’ spine with some aggressive recruiting over the summer. “Our kids have been brilliant all year, but I think we have to find a couple of more mature players to complement the younger guys who can get the footy,” he said.
Elsewhere in Division Three, Dandenong finished a forgettable season on a rare high, defeating Cerberus by 38 points at Greaves Reserve.
The Demons led by a single point at the last change, before breaking clear under the guidance of Vaughan Geddes, Brad Charman and Ben O’Donnell in an impressive final term. Meanwhile, Sandown was condemned to another wooden spoon after a 129-point loss to second-placed South Yarra.
In Division One, Springvale Districts wrapped up its debut season in the top competition with a comfortable win over East Brighton at Newcomen Road.
The Demons set-up a 50-point buffer at three-quarter-time and cruised home to win by 46 in the fourth triumph of the season.
Division Two premiership favourite Dingley made light work of Lyndale at Barry Powell Reserve, recovering from a wayward first quarter to win by 77 points.
Lyndale lacked a dangerous forward, but the efforts of Darren Ruston, Tristan Caples and Christian Egan were not lost on the home supporters.
The Dingoes will now have a week off before meeting second-placed Heatherton in the second semi-final on Saturday, 6 September.