Jackas storm into finals
AJAX will head into its finals campaign brimming with confidence on the back of an 18.21 (129) to 10.8 (68) thumping of Rupertswood at Gary Smorgon Oval on the weekend.
AJAX will head into its finals campaign brimming with confidence on the back of an 18.21 (129) to 10.8 (68) thumping of Rupertswood at Gary Smorgon Oval on the weekend.
Despite the resounding win, the side missed out on a double chance after finishing the home and away season in third spot, but looms as a genuine premiership contender after wins against the top two premier C teams, Beaumaris and Caulfield Grammarians, in the past month.
The side faces Camberwell, which finished the season in fourth spot on the ladder, in a do-or-die semifinal. Ajax went down by 19 points in round 14, the last time the two teams met.
Rupertswood had Ajax on the back foot after a strong opening quarter, but that was as good as it got for the visitors, as the Jackas dominated proceedings thereafter. Jake Lew continued his good form with six, while Jason Ritterman was back to his best with four. Gary Blieden and Eugene Routman both led from the front, with bursting runs and bone crunching tackles. Ben Kalmus also returned to form with a solid performance, putting in at both ends of the ground.
Late goals to Lew and Ritterman reduced the deficit to three points at the first break, after Rupertswood booted six unanswered goals.
But the side had no answers as Ajax took control in the second, kicking five goals to two. Routman and Blieden set the tone with goals to start the term, and Kalmus slotted two on the trot. The Jackas could have been further ahead had they converted their opportunities on goal. But they went to the long break with a four-goal lead.
Pleased with the second-quarter performance, coach Bernie Sheehy urged his team for more in the second half. “Be hard at the footy, and hard at your man. You’ve got to win the ball and then use it,” Sheehy told his charges at half-time.
Kicking against the wind in the third term, the Jackas controlled the ball for the majority of the quarter, and gave their opponents few opportunities to trouble the scoreboard. They consolidated their lead, kicking the only two goals for the quarter through Jason Seidl and Lew, and taking a six-goal margin into the final break.
Ajax let through the first major of the term, before dominating the rest of the quarter, kicking the next six goals to complete the rout. Lew slotted his sixth for the day, and Seidl and Ludski also added majors. But Ritterman was the standout for the term, kicking two top goals, playing the role of small forward to perfection. Ruckman Adam Laitt finished the day on a high with a goal, to take the final  deficit to more than 10 goals.
The Reserves will miss finals despite ending their season on a good note with a 57-point victory over Rupertswood, winning 15.12 (102) to 8.7 (55). The Under-19s head into the finals in good form, defeating De La Salle 10.9 (69) to 8.6 (54), shoring up third spot and a semifinal clash against St Kevin’s on Sunday morning.
ASHLEY SHEKNER
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