MELTON Central has staked its claims for the Riddell District Football League season with two comfortable wins in its opening two games.
The Blues beat Rockbank by 29 points at MacPherson Park on Saturday, a week after beating Wallan by 52 in the season opener.
After an even opening term, Melton Central broke the game open with a dominant quarter, booting six goals as the Rams registered just two behinds.
Rockbank outscored the Blues in the second half, but Melton kept in touch and the damage had already been done.
The Rams were powerless to stop a rampaging Adam Fenton, who slammed home seven goals; he has 13 from just two games.
At Riddells Creek Reserve it was the Bombers who showed up the minor premiers from last season, Diggers Rest, winning by five points. After going goalless in the opening term Riddell kicked seven goals in the second quarter to turn a seven-point deficit into a 28-point lead.
The Burras hit back with six of their own in the third quarter to close the gap to five points and set up a tantalising final term. In a see-sawing half-hour both teams kicked three goals and a behind to give Riddell a winning start to the season.
At Tony Clarke Reserve, Macedon scored an easy win over Woodend-Hesket, by 41 points in a low-scoring contest.
The hapless Hawks could manage only a solitary goal to three-quarter time, while Macedon had kicked nine and established a 51-point lead.
The Cats took the foot off the throat in the final quarter as Woodend-Hesket kicked four goals to one.
RIDDELL DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Melton Central 16.9 (105) d Rockbank 11.10 (76)
Melton Central – goals: A. Fenton 7, J. Bamford 4, J. Scott 2, S. Frederickson, S. Matthews, M. O’Brien. Best: C. Carassellos, A. Fenton, J. Bamford, A. Hunter, S. Batten, K. Bullen.
Rockbank – goals: C. Sargent, M. Krul, M. Stevens 2, S. Wilson, M. Reiffel, D. Niki, M. Stratton, R. Rich. Best: R. Rich, S. Hanning, T. Mainey, S. Wilson, J. Armistead, C. Sargent.
Riddell 12.13 (85) d Diggers Rest 12.8 (80)
Riddell – goals: R. Elliott 4, H. Ross, B. Ruffell, P. Robertson, R. Hurst, E. Foreman, P. Sahlberg, J. Silvester, J. Nolan. Best: M. Darby, P. Sahlberg, P. Robertson, D. Sahlberg, J. Taylor, E. Foreman.
Diggers Rest – goals: B. Tuckey 4, L. Rust, S. Clarke 2, S. Sims, T. Gleeson, J. Heritage, B. Cunningham. Best: J. Ryan, B. Caton, T. Gleeson, N. Pinder, S. Fogarty, A. Richardson.
Macedon 10.10 (70) d Woodend-Hesket 5.9 (39)
Macedon – goals: A. Meldrum 3, J. Clough, A. Fleming 2, S. Neeson, A. Cusworth, D. Goodwin. Best: J. Davies, J. Clough, N. Arnold, T. Dettmann, T. Lyon, M. Goodwin.
Woodend-Hesket – goals: E. Gove 2, D. Martin, R. Cerminara, M. Sawyer. Best: J. Sheppard, G. Taylor, A. Shipard, C. Forde, J. Waters, J. Milverton.
Sunbury Kangaroos 20.15 (135) d Rupertswood 15.11 (101)
Sunbury Kangaroos – goals: L. Brennan 4, M. Wilson, T. Podolczak, B. Brennan 2, M. Gaunt, N. Egan, C. Kendall, B. Bacon-Dudderidge , D. Morrice. Best: M. Gaunt, D. Morrice, T. Podolczak, B. Slater, L. Brennan, B. Bacon-Dudderidge.
Rupertswood – goals: J. Pretty 5, R. Pretty, J. King, R. Hatty 3, C. Meacham 2, J. Young, R. Johnson, A. Leonard, L. Dowson. Best: J. Cuffe, A. Leonard, D. McGovern, L. Dowson, J. Pretty, J. King.
Wallan 20.16.136 d Kilmore 10.9.69
