From Port Phillip Leader
Reported by Paul Amy
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IT was a 10-goal victory and a declaration of intent that left the VFL in no doubt why Port Melbourne is the clear premiership favourite.
After a slow start, and despite injuries to key men Toby Pinwill and Adam Bentick, the Boroughs put reigning triple North Ballarat premier on the rack on Saturday, winning by 64 points at Eureka Stadium.
Unbeaten after 12 rounds, Port is now effectively three games clear on top of the ladder.
Ever since the VFL's revamp in 2000 it has been repeatedly said that clubs without AFL affiliations cannot win the flag.
It is time for a revision of thought. There's a long way to go but the Boroughs - coached with a master's touch by Gary Ayres, strong on every line and with great depth - appear to be in a league of their own.
Patrick Rose's bag of eight goals made a rout of it against the Roosters. The 2010 Western Bulldogs rookie now has 46 goals from 10 matches.
"He was sensational for the whole day," Ayres said.
"Every time we got the ball into space and quickly into our forward line he looked like he was going to do some damage."
At the other end of the ground, Sam Pleming, Jarrod Dalton and the improved Hugh Sandilands oversaw a backline that held North Ballarat to eight goals for the match. Marc Johnston kept clamps on Billy Driscoll.
But injuries to Pinwill and Bentick tempered Ayres's excitement at the victory.
Pinwill was involved in a head clash and received what appeared to be facial fractures. He was taken to Ballarat Hospital after the match and is likely to undergo surgery early this week. The rugged onballer faces a long spell on the sidelines. Bentick hurt an ankle.
Ayres said he took in the sobering reports from his medical men at halftime, took a deep breath "and got on with the job of winning the game".
Fortunately he had used Oakleigh Charger Matthew Arnot as the 23rd player, a handy number in the rugged conditions.
"The guys were just magnificent in the second half with their running and clearance work," Ayres said. "We set out to do really well because we know that if you want to be the best you've got to beat the best.
"We rate North Ballarat really highly, so for us to beat them on their home deck - and we hadn't beaten them since Round 1, 2009 - made me very proud."
Port has an ABC TV match this Saturday, hosting Geelong.
The Cats have won only one match but are improving. Still, they shouldn't get near these brilliant Boroughs.
