Jackas back on the winners’ list
CARLA LIVSHIZ
A REJUVINATED AJAX is back on track for a top-four finish, after smashing mid-table Mazenod 15.16 (106) to 7.12 (54) at Gary Smorgon Oval on Saturday. Resuming after the mid-season break, the Jackas led at every change on the way to an emphatic win.
And there was more good news for AJAX, with highly touted debutant Daniel Werzberger best afield for the home side, racking up 25 touches. But it was a remarkable five-goal blitz in the third term from small forward Sam Chester that put the game out of reach from Mazenod. After a seesawing start, the Jackas set the tone in time on of the first quarter, kicking four unanswered goals and asserting its dominance.
David Fayman, Jason Ritterman, Jason Israelsohn and Ben Kalmus all kicked truly in red time to give AJAX a 24-point lead at quarter time. And it might have been a lot worse for the visitors, the Jackas kicking a wayward 5.8 for the term.
In the second quarter AJAX applied plenty of defensive pressure but poor skills in patches from the home side kept Mazenod in the contest. Chester kicked the first goal of the quarter, which started with a gutsy grab in the middle of a pack and ended in a running goal. Nevertheless at the end of the first half, AJAX’s lead had been whittled to 22 points. Chester put on a clinic in the third term, the speedy forward putting the Mazenod defence to the sword with a brilliant five-goal haul, blowing the game wide open and extending his side’s lead to 69 points at the final break.
The Jackas only managed a behind in the fourth quarter, while Mazenod peppered the goals for a return of 2.6. But the damage had been done with AJAX running out winners by 52 points. The reserves struggled against undefeated league-leaders Mazenod 9.6(60) to 14.9(93). However the under-19 side continued its unbeaten run with a come-from-behind victory over second-placed Hampton Rovers and now have a two game buffer at the top of the table.
Seniors
AJAX 5.8 7.9 15.15 15.16 (106)
Mazenod 2.2 4.5 5.6 7.12 (54)
Goals: Chester 6, B Kalmus 2, Blieden 2, Ritterman 2, Fayman, Israelsohn, Marks.
Best: Werzberger, Winograd, Marks, Laitt, Chester, Weislitzer.
Reserves
AJAX 1.1 2.2 6.4 9.6 (60)
Mazenod 2.2 6.6 10.6 14.9 (93)
Goals: Measey 3, Peters 2, Blashki, Selzer, Steinberg, Yudelman.
Best: Rotstein, Sharp, Measey, Steinberg, Peters, Selzer
Under-19
AJAX 2.5 5.7 6.8 10.11 (71)
Hampton Rovers 4.1 7.3 7.6 9.7 (61)
Goals: Samuel 2, Rischin, Lancman, Wollner, Danby, Glass, Nissen, Caplan, Freed.
Best: Danby, Joffe, Shafar, Nissen, Trytell, Gocs
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