Join community footy writer, Beth Newman, at Salk Oval for one of the most anticipated clashes of the year, between Palm Beach and Morningside.
FULL-TIME: MORNINGSIDE 16.14 (110) – PALM BEACH 11.7 (73).
Morningside’s perfect record stays intact for another week, after an almighty scare from Palm Beach.
Staring down the barrel of their first loss of the year ,trailing byt 20 points at three-quarter time, the Panthers’ class kicked in in the last term. THey showed more urgency, better execution and converted their opportunities.
Tyson Upton was pivotal in the last term and Lachie Russ was one of the best again, reinforcing his value to the side.
Clint Kelly kicked seven for the Lions, while Thomas Thynne, Sam Kitchin were very good
Their defensive pressure slipped ever so slightly in the last term and that movement was all the Panthers needed.
Now, they can have a week off and build for the last five weeks.
4:24pm: Lachie Russ kicks another for the Panthers.
Morningside ruckman, Peter Mollison, one of the side’s multicultural players, has been sensational today.
4:21pm: Everything is going right for Morningside this quarter. Another goal and now Palm Beach faces a 31-point deficit to run down in less than three minutes. This is an opportunity gone begging for them.
4:19pm: Blane Delbridge lining up for his first of the day. He kicks truly. The Panthers out to a 25-point lead now.
4:18pm: HACKETT! Six for Morningside this quarter – the Lions have really slipped off this term and the Panthers are punishing them. The visitors are converting the best they have all game as well.
4:16pm SIEBEN! (7) for Clint Kelly, as he boots one from straight in front. Margin is 13 points.
4:15pm: Lachie Russ slots yet another. The Panthers are absolutely storming home. Palm Beach need four goal in six minutes.
4:13pm: FOUR IN A ROW. Morningside’s Alex Diamond dodges a defender and dribbles a goal through to take their lead to 13 points.
4:11pm: Just under 10 minutes to go and the Panthers have a seven point lead. Palm Beach have dominated the last couple of minutes, though, so this is far from over.
4:10pm: Kitchin can’t take a clean grab, but he fends of a couple of Panthers before feeding it off.
4:09pm: Morningside have possibly their most gettable shot of the quarter but it’s across the face.
4:07pm: Out of the pack, Upton snaps annnddd it’s a GOAL!! He is having a captain’s quarter. Or the quarter of a capitaine, if we were in Paris.
4:07pm: Morningside controls possession and tries to get a clean mark in their 50 but it’s brought to the ground and again a highly congested situation.
4:05pm; Palm Beach’s first real attacking effort of the quarter and it goes through about five pairs of hands, without a legitimate shot. Two ball ups later, it’s stuck in a pack.
4:03pm: A Panthers behind. We are level.
4:02pm: TORU (3) for Morningside in a row, this time to Tyson Upton. One point now.
4:01pm: There’s a lot more urgency in these opening few minutes of the final term than there has been most of the day. Both sides desperate
3:59pm: The comeback is on. Ryan Johnson kicks Morningside’s second in a row and we’re back to single figures.
3:57pm: And it’s Morningside who slots it. Back to 13 points, thanks to Sam Faure.
3:56pm: The first goal of this term will be absolutely vital.
3:54pm: Last quarter under way. It’s 19 points the difference and Palm Beach could be on the verge of a major upset here.
3:49pm: PALM BEACH 10.7 (67) – MORNINGSIDE 6.12 (48)
Palm Beach absolutely suffocated the Panthers that term, cutting off their run and space.
One more to go, and they could end the Panthers’ winning run.
3:48pm: Kent Abey goes up for a speckie, can’t take it and an Alex Diamond shot dribbles across the behind line.
3:47pm: When Morningside get space they look dangerous, showing some good speed, but they’re not getting that space.
3:46pm: Kelly with another go! He absolutely can not miss today! exi (six) for Kelly!
3:45pm: Jamie Hackett sprints down the boundary, and gets some good protection from Lachie Russ. A 50m journey, but he doesn’t finish it off. That will hurt.
3:42pm: Blake Schneider takes an uncontested intercept mark and Brent Pearson will have a shot. He has given it a massive roost and that’s one for the highlights reel. Palm Beach are out by 15 points. The Panthers need a reply.
3:41pm: Rhys Power takes a panicked snap and it travels across the face. Nine points the difference, to Palm Beach’s favour.
3:40pm: Brock Askey takes a clearance and bursts up the ground, passing it off to Clint Kelly, who’s going for his fifth. Does not miss. gól!
3:39pm: Morningside can not get a clean handball right now. The Palm Beach defence is all over them.
3:38pm: Todd Bryant gets a free kick for Palm Beach, but it’s well spoiled by Ryan Johnson.
3:36pm: Nkol! Rhys Power kicks his first for the Panthers, cutting the margin to four points. Eight minutes left in the term.
3:35pm: A sloppy handball in the Morningside 50 ends up in Todd Bryant’s hands, but Panthers’ Tyson Upton wraps him up.
3:34pm: Palm Beach are really dominating this term and taking advantage of their opportunities.
3:33pm: Kristan Higgs has a shot for the Lions and this would take the margin out to 15 points, but it’s a point.
3:31pm: Nathan Carr gets a breakthrough for the Lions. He’s loving it too. GOL. A crucial goal after the Panthers have blown some chances.
3:30pm: Palm Beach’s Josh Woolley has just taken a goal-saving mark, in the goal square.
3:29pm: Paul Shelton links up beautifully with Kent Abey, as the spearhead snags a mark in close range. It’s a tight angle, though, and he can’t convert.
3:26pm: The footy is basically parked on the Palm Beach half-forward line at the minute. The Lions break through, but it’s a behind.
3:24pm: Higgs working hard for Palm Beach today, just doing enough with his body to prevent Mornignside big man, James O’Donnell, from taking a mark.
3:22pm: Sam Kitchin has the first shot for Palm Beach in the term, to give them back the lead. GOORU! Palm Beach up by three points.
3:21pm: A good spoil from Matt Derrick cuts off a Morningside attacking opportunity.
3:19pm: Third quarter under way. Morningside with the first clearance.
3:00pm: HALF-TIME: MORNINGSIDE 5.8 (38) – PALM BEACH 5.5 (35)
Neither side has really claimed an advantage this quarter .the scores are tight anda the game has been so far.
Thomas Thynne and Brock Askey have been good for the Lions, while Lachie Russ and fullback Michael Wyld were strong for the Panthers that term.
Multicultural players, Peter Mollison (Italian and English) and Daniel Daye (Burmese) have both been solid for Morningside as well.
2:57pm: Hayden Wilson on his own in the Panthers’ 50. That’s a big oversight by the Palm Beach defence. Gol!
2:56pm: Nathan Carr is down for the Lions. He looks to be in a lot of pain. Hit the ground in a congested group and he’s clutching at his chest.
2:54pm: Kristan Higgs takes a chest mark for Palm Beach. It’s across the gace of goal and eventually ushered through for a behind. Four points to the Lions.
2:51pm: GOAL. Morningside ruckman, James O’Donnell slots a beauty to bring thngs back to just three points.
2:49pm: Gardien de but! Clint Kelly kicks a ripper, booting it from a tight angle
out side 50. He’s having a great day. Palm Beach has a nine point lead now.
2:48pm: Brock Askey and Thomas Thynne look exciting with a super one-two on the construction wing, but the ball ultimately goes dead and Morningside can rebound.
2:46pm: Michael Wyld all on his own at fullback takes a great defensive mark, or a la intercepción if you spoke Spanish. It’s rebounded straight away, but the Lionscan only manage a point.
Palm Beach with a three point advantage about halfway through this second term.
2:44pm: Just the one goal in this quarter so far in 12 minutes of footy. It’s a tight, contested game and both sides are struggling to gain a real advantage.
2:41pm: Palm Beach’s defence doing well this term. They’ve really gelled in the last month and they’re continuing that today.
2:37pm: Brock Askey goes for a great run up the guts, and his kick hits a two on one on the 50 contest, but the ball is taken to ground.
2:35pm: Blake Schneider takes a strong defensive mark, to cut off a Panthers’ attacking shot.
He can’t hit a target with the kick though and it’s in traffic. Thomas Thynne comes out with it and takes it into the 50 for Palm Beach. There’s another ball up and it’s back out of the 50. The pressure is intense out there today.
2:33pm: Clint Kelly takes a strong mark in the Palmy 50. He lines up from about 45 out and kicks truly. GOAL. The Lions take the lead back.
2:31pm: Second quarter underway.
2:26pm: MORNINGSIDE 3.5 (23) – PALM BEACH 3.3 (21)
It was a tight quarter that one. The Panthers blew some easy chances but took hold late in the quarter. Lachie Russ was dominant in that term for Morningside.
2:25pm: Alex Diamond is taken high in the 50 and has a shot just as the siren goes for quarter time.
It’s a point.
2:22pm: Kent Abey takes a sensational contested mark over Nick Crowley. Abey has been dominant in the Panthers’ forward line this quarter .That’s a worry for the Lions.
mål! Abey has his second and they’re in the lead.
2:21pm: A nice link up, starting again with Russ, ends up with nathan Kinch, who passes it to Dustin Gordon for a shot.
DOELPUNT! Russ has his first, some reward for a standout quarter.
2:19pm: Kent Abey has another shot for the Panthers, a tight angle, on the river side of the ground. It’s to the left. They’ve had five scoring shots to six, but trail by 11 points.
2:17pm: A bit of class from Lachie Russ, with an accurate pass landing in the hands of Jamie Hackett, but he can’t finish. Panthers are coughing up some easy chances now.
2:16pm: GOL! Clint Kelly has his first for Palm Beach.
2:15pm:tyson Upton gets a second chance for Morningside, after it nearly goes dead, but it’s a behind. They did well to keep it in and set up Upton for the shot.
2:12pm: A brilliant pick-up fromThomas Thynne on the defensive 50, and it ends up in the hands of Nathan Carr. His shot falls short.
2:10pm: A free kick for Kent Abey. Oggetto! The Panthers are on the board and the margin is back to seven points, 10 minutes into the first quarter.
2:10pm: Lachie Russ gets some space on the river wing and looks threatening for Morningside, but it’s cut off once again.
2:07pm: Jackson Emblem playing a floating defender role and it’s working well for Palm Beach early.
2:04pm: Clint Kelly takes it at the other end. Tor (German)!! That’s a second for the Lions, they’re up by 11. Morningside need to reply here.
2:03pm: Alex Diamond has the first shot for Morningside, but it drifts to the right.
2:01pm: GOL! Palm Beach ahs the first one via Zac Callinan and the LIons take an early lead.
1:59pm: Morningside get the first clearance, but Palm Beach stops it before it gets dangerous. It’s only early but this is already looking like it ‘s going to be a highly contested game.
1:48pm: We’re about 12 minutes away from the most anticipated match up of the home an away season, with ladder leaders Morningside travelling down to Salk Oval to take on Palm Beach.
Both sides have been in super form the last few weeks and we should be set for an absolute cracker here.
It is also Multicultural Round, so all of the players will be wearing orange laces to recognise the diversity in Australian Football. We’ll also be throwing in some Multicultural tweaks in the blog. Every goal will be flagged in a different language, let’s see how many we can get.
One late change to the teams, with Bryce Perry-Bolt out. The Lions spearhead was named in the team, but didn’t warm up with the side and was on the sideline for the reserves match. He’s obviously still carrying that knee injury. Zac Callinan in the side.
