By Jonty Ralphsmith
Hampton Park was made to pay for a wasteful first quarter at Caulfield.
The Redbacks were the dominant team early, with Nathan Carver kicking his team’s first two goals to put his kicking yips from last week behind him.
But while he was accurate, several of his teammates weren’t, as the visitors led by 17 at the first break despite dominating territory and finding space in the tight Koornang Park confines.
Hampton Park’s work to make good of their midfield ascendancy and kicking efficiency was a glimpse into where the club is trying to get to, but it was unable to be sustained.
Caulfield was both efficient and accurate in its forward half before the main break, typically playing its ground well.
The entries were long and direct, with Hampton Park’s defenders showing little fight outside of Jackson Philpin who took some marks and held the Bears up well in defensive 50.
The Spiders’ lead was reduced to just six at halftime before the Bears ran all over them in the third quarter, which the coach wrote off as an anomaly.
Asking his team to show some spine ahead of a week off for the King’s Birthday weekend, Hayden Stanton said the last quarter would be a show of the team’s character.
His men were doughty and kicked the only goal, but Caulfield was able to withstand the intensity elevation.
The Redback’s lack of height was clear on the day as they were found out several times.
With the middle of the ground a mud-heap, the best route to attack was via the wings but Caulfield, which is renowned for defending its ground so well, clogged numbers and Hampton Park lacked aerial representation.
Carver was the standout on the day up forward with five goals but he was targeted too often, making for predictable kicks inside 50, allowing the hosts to double-man him.
Fill-in skipper Trent Thomas finished with one goal but also looked lively in the forward half, while Makaio Haywood was willing to get dirty and bust through in the middle.
Tanner Stanton was also among the best, playing in defence for a portion of the game as the magnets were shifted during a difficult third term.
Liam Myatt missed through illness but it was as much skill execution in the back half after the main break, as any in-and-under work, where Hampton Park was lacking.
Doveton, meanwhile, got a 32-point win over Keysborough to consolidate its spot in the top four.
Key target inside 50 Max Sheppard was best afield, with his four goals making it 11 for the month for him.
Player-coach Michael Cardamone was again missing from the lineup but Doveton still had 27 shots on goal.
A seven goal to three second quarter opened the game up for Doveton after an arm-wrestle of a first quarter.
Doves Jake Basa and Dylan Chapman were others who stood up, while for the Burra, professional youngster Simon Marchese was strong and Matt Collett had his best game for the season, having returned to his junior club after some time away.
Results R8: Black Rock 1.7 13 v East Brighton 29.20 194, East Malvern 15.8 98 v Murrumbeena 6.8 44, Caulfield 11.6 72 v Hampton Park 8.14 62, Keysborough 7.13 55 v Doveton Doves 12.15 87, Skye 10.9 69 v Highett 11.12 78.
Ladder: East Brighton 32, Murrumbeena 24, Hampton Park 20, Doveton Doves 20, East Malvern 16, Highett 16, Caulfield 16, Skye 12, Keysborough 4, Black Rock 0.
Fixture R9 (17 June): East Brighton v East Malvern, Murrumbeena v Skye, Doveton Doves v Black Rock, Hampton Park v Keysborough, Highett v Caulfield.
