Sport
27 June, 2025
Depleted Pumas overrun by Melton Panthers
An undermanned Maryborough Pumas team was overrun by a powerful Melton outfit in Sunday’s AFL Masters Country Victoria football clash at the Melton Recreation Reserve.
Depleted by player unavailability due to other local football commitments, the Pumas started brightly enough, scoring the opening goal of the match.
However, the Melton Panthers pounced as the visitors tired, eventually defeating the Pumas by 59 points, 12.10.(82) to 3.5.(23).
Maryborough coach Terry Hillier said the first quarter showed the visitors were up for the fight but his team ran out of options as fatigue set in midway during the second term.
“Our plan was to hold onto the ball, control play, slow things down, and take our time moving the ball forward. That worked pretty well in the first quarter,” Hillier explained.
“But you could see fatigue set in after that and we simply didn’t have the options to give our midfielders much of a rest. They (Melton) kept on running and we couldn’t go with them. In the end, they just ran us off our feet.”
Corey Grills kicked three goals for the Pumas while Trevor Chapman and Chris Cudia provided plenty of spark in the forward line.
Maryborough’s backline also held up reasonably well under the constant Melton pressure despite often lining up with fewer players than their opponents.
Ricky Burrows was Maryborough’s best on the day, with Cudia, Matt Powell, Chapman, Lauchlan Williams and Jibb Iglesias also among the better players.
Maryborough’s next match is at home against the Wellington Warriors on July 5.
Training for AFL Masters football is from 6 pm on Wednesday evenings at Princes Park.