From the opening bounce, it became clear that the Ormiston team had a strong battle on their hands as the Sheldon midfield dominated the initial centre clearances. However, the scoreboard showed almost no change for much of the first quarter, relegating the Sheldon team to a mere 3 point advantage. Eventually, persistence prevailed and the Sheldon forwards finally took control, booting a three goal to one opening term.
A steady flow of ball to the Sheldon midfield haunted the Ormiston team early in the second quarter but once again, errors kept them alive. Squandering more forward fifty entries cost Sheldon as Ormiston drew ever closer through scrappy play and speed through turnovers. Their midfield began to function with greater poise and this seemed to be sparked by a number of positional moves coming from the Ormiston coach. Leading the revolution were Ormiston front-runners Blake Grewar and Sam Godfrey who exploited speed, endurance and strength to blast open the centre of the ground. Sheldon hit back late in the quarter though, finishing with a handy thirteen point buffer at half time.
With the return from half-time moving closer, morale lifted in both teams and it became increasingly clear that in essence, the game was still very much anyone’s game. Truth be told, it would be this quarter that determined the leaders of the competition from the rest of the pack. Jumping out of the blocks at phenomenal pace, the Sheldon midfield proved once again why they are so dangerous. With the likes of Max Beattie and Jesse Perham delivering into the Sheldon fifty, efforts were futile in alleviating the carnage that was unleashed by the Sheldon forward line. Players such as Stewart Wehl and John Beattie dominated the contested marks and in an explosive third term flexed their proverbial muscles, leaving behind a trail of battered and bruised opponents.
Venturing into the final quarter, Ormiston mustered everything they had and produced their most economically sound offering but alas, it was in vain. Winning their first quarter of the match was not enough as the damage was already done. Sheldon completed the task with a twenty-five point advantage, continuing their undefeated run in the competition and cementing themselves as key contenders this year.
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