A commanding five-goal performance by Max Heath has jettisoned Sandringham to its first win of the VFL season, with the Zebras coming away as 37-point victors over Essendon to respond from last week’s thorough defeat to Southport.
The 204cm ruckman – untried at senior level in St Kilda colours – fired through four of his five majors after half-time, converting unflustered from multiple set shots in tandem with his ruck duties as the Zebras banked the 19.12 (126) to 14.5 (89) result at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
Heath’s powerful performance paired perfectly with the midfield dominance of Sandringham's Noah Gown (23 disposals, three goals) and Jack Bytel (35 disposals, 10 clearances, eight inside-50s, two goals), whose proficiency inside couldn’t be quelled despite Essendon’s best efforts to tame him.
Sandringham didn’t look back after Bytel countered the Bombers’ opening two goals of the afternoon with one of his own, slotting another moments later to bookend the Zebras’ five-goal start.
Bytel was one of six multiple goalkickers for the Zebras, with Gown, Jack Peris, Jordan Segar and Oliver Lowe bagging three majors apiece to round out the side’s tally.
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The Zebras’ forward pressure played a pivotal role in the eventual victory, while the ascendancy through the middle spearheaded by Bytel, Tom Campbell (37 hit-outs, 20 disposals, five clearances) and Darby Hipwell (25 disposals, nine clearances) was just as prevalent.
Essendon’s Quinton Narkle (23 disposals, nine clearances) and Brad Bernacki (22 disposals, seven clearances) offered resistance, but the home side remained in control despite the Bombers' challenge in the third term
Tensions bubbled over at times when defender James Van Es went toe-to-toe with Joel Fitzgerald after Bytel was put down behind the play, but Van Es and the defence of Tom Highmore, Oscar Adams and Tyson Milne stood their ground to mitigate the Bombers’ advances.
Cooper Sharman (18 disposals) and Leo Connolly (18 disposals, six clearances) were strong between the arcs, with Sharman spending most of his time along the wing as opposed to the forward line and Connolly playing on-ball.
Sandringham will play its first match of the season at RSEA Park next Sunday, hosting the travelling Gold Coast from 11:05am.
SANDRINGHAM 5.4 10.6 12.8 19.12 (126)
ESSENDON 3.1 5.1 10.3 14.5 (89)
GOALS
Sandringham: Heath 5, Segar 3, Peris 3, Lowe 3, Gown 3, Bytel 2
Essendon: Voss 4, Rasinac 3, Wanganeen, Narkle, Lynch, Jorgensen, Cootee, Brown, Bernacki
BEST
Sandringham: Bytel, Gown, Heath, Campbell, Hipwell, Peris
Essendon: Voss, Montgomerie, Snelling, Narkle, Fitzgerald
