MELTON South had no answers after quarter-time as Sunbury Lions flexed their muscle in an 80-point Ballarat Football League crushing on Saturday.
Simon Clarke’s absence from the Sunbury forward line was barely noted as Jack Sheahan booted five goals on debut in the Lions’ 21.15 (141) to 9.7 (61) victory.
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A flowing exchange of first-quarter goals became one-way traffic in the second, with Sunbury’s six goals to one setting up a 41-point half-time lead.
The second half hit no great heights, with the Panthers losing Ben Peters to a seemingly serious ankle injury midway through the third term.
Melton South was outmuscled in midfield and blanketed by the Sunbury defence.
The matchwinning burst came early in the second quarter, with Sunbury extending its lead of 13 points in the ninth minute to 39 in the 19th.
A Sheahan set shot was followed immediately from the restart by a quick clearance and Jamie Lobb snap, kickstarting the run of five Sunbury unanswered goals in 10 minutes.
Scott Lobb’s courage to mark with the flight was an inspiring end to one Melton South attack, while another broke down due to back-chatting the umpire at a stoppage in the Panthers’ forward 50 metres.
Dale Ciunik (three goals) and Sheahan started the second half with back-to-back majors to ensure there would be no Melton South swing of momentum, like its comeback from 47 points down against Melton the previous weekend.
Melton South coach Matt Sutton had a tough night as his team’s full-forward but still finished with four goals. Jaiden Spicer also booted four.
“They were first in for the footy and outplayed us all night,” Sutton said.
“Sunbury are probably the best run-and-spread team in the competition and we got taught a footy lesson in that regard. We got outplayed by a better side.”
Verbal exchanges between the umpires and players is likely to become an agenda item for South this week, with Sutton suggesting one umpire had baited his players.
“I think the players are getting confused. We’re both in confusion with the differences between the Ballarat umpires and Riddell District umpires.
“There was nothing in it. We spoke out on the ground. I’ll nail back-chat from my own players, but I said to one umpire, ‘Do us a favour and don’t bait us’.
“The players are heated. They’ll come back at it.”
