Round 20 Report
Frankston Dolphins vs Box Hill Hawks
SkyBus Stadium
By Trent Kniese
Saturday afternoon could not have produced a more stunning day for football on state television. Channel 7 was in attendance to broadcast live the Frankston Dolphins vs the Box Hill Hawks.
Frankston had a sluggish start to the action on Saturday, conceding six straight goals. Brodie McLaughlin kicked Frankston’s only goal of the quarter in the last few seconds, taking a big, contested mark one on one in the 20 meters out. Frankston’s half-backs were crucial in the quarter, racking up a lot of the football. Frankston 1.1.7 to Box Hill 6.2.38 at the first break.
Brodie McLaughlin kicked the first goal of the second for either team after a small melee between the sides resulted in a 50-meter penalty paid to the home side. McLaughlin kicked from directly in front to get Frankston going in the second. Liam Reidy, who dominated the ruck with 28 hit outs for the match, kicked his first of two goals shortly after with an excellent pickup and snap on his left boot. Taine Barlow ran into an open goal to finish the nice end-to-end transition from the Dolphins. Frankston 4.3.27 to Box Hill 10.4.64 at halftime.
Josh Begley kicked Frankston’s only goal of the third quarter and matched the goal with a ‘horns up’ celebration to get the Dolphins fired up. But, unfortunately, it was all Hawks for the rest of the quarter, with the Hawks controlling the football and tempo. As a result, Frankston trailed 5.5.35 to Box Hill 13.5.83 at three-quarter time.
The last quarter was much more exciting for the Dolphins. Austin Bradtke kicked a goal two minutes into the last, evading opposition and kicking from 40 meters on the run. Liam Reidy had a beautiful finish from a tight angle on the boundary line. Bailey Lambert played on quickly to finish the game off for the Dolphins. With two rounds left, Frankston cannot make finals.
It has been an up and down year for the Dolphins, with many improvements. However, finishing the season on a high note is crucial for this young side to bounce back strong this year.
Final Score:
Frankston 8.5.53
Box Hill 16.8.104
Frankston is currently ranked 15th out of 21 teams in the VFL after 20 rounds. The best eight teams at the end of the season will compete in the finals.
KEY STATISTICS:
- Taylin Duman had 38 disposals, 12 marks and 139 fantasy points.
- Josh Newman had 26 disposals, five tackles and eight clearances.
- Trent Mynott had 25 disposals, four tackles and nine clearances.
- Connor Riley had 17 disposals, four clearances and six tackles.
- Liam Reidy had 10 disposals, 28 hit outs and two goals.
GOALS:
- Brodie McLaughlin– 2
- Liam Reidy– 2
- Taine Barlow– 1
- Josh Begley– 1
- Austin Bradtke– 1
- Bailey Lambert– 1
If you did not get a chance to watch on Saturday, a mini match can be found here.
Round 21 sees the Dolphins visit Port Melbourne, who are currently 17th.
Match report by Trent Kniese
Photos – Marcus Roberston & Jordan Oliva
