Panther Veterans dominant at Central

The Eltham Panther Veterans took apart ladder leaders North Ringwood Saints in the first half last Sunday at Eltham Central Park to keep their perfect winning home record in place. Led by tackling machine Matt Tallack and the kicking dominance of Shaun Lorenzini, Eltham were able to kick 6 goals to zero in the opening half and basically kill the game.

North Ringwood stepped up their game in the third and were looking like mounting a serious challenge to the games status quo but their poor kicking in front of goal coupled with Eltham’s defensive pressure snuffed out any comeback.

Adam Burns dominated in the ruck and gave plenty of first use ball to the likes of Grant, Tallack and Gardam. Eltham’s pressure constantly turned the screws on the Saints and the turnover ball gave Whiteside, Cordina, Maylin and Moloney plenty of opportunity to switch play, run and attack using the space in which Panther Park has to offer.

But the real story from the game was the kicking and running exhibition of Lorenzini who’s metres gained tally was something to behold. His ability to find forward targets from a normal two kicks away was a real heartbreak to the North Ringwood resistance.

The EFL has already requested Eltham to certify his powerful left foot as a lethal weapon after his last kick of the game almost mortally falconed plenty in its path as it whizzed head height for 40 metres through a crowded section of the ground. No one dared attempt to mark it and the time keepers thankfully said that’s enough better stop this before someone gets hurt.

Fortunately professional counselling will be suffice for those lucky to only catch its breeze. Still can’t get the supernatural sound out of my head of that ball rocketing through the misty night air when all else was silent in disbelief.

Report by Paul Smith