R10 2025 | Reserves at Cantebury
Having successfully navigated their way through the first half of season 2025 with a singular blemish to their record, the Unicorns turned their eye towards the back end, bullish on their chances to keep top spot and push towards finals glory. The first order of business for them came in the form of a trip out to Canterbury Sportsground, unsurprisingly, to take on Canterbury Reserves. Canterbury had endured a less than joyous first 9 weeks, languishing in the latter positions of the ladder, but were determined to come to the match with their aspirations firmly set.
The home side took to their task well in the first term, and save for some wayward kicking and some characteristically stoic Unicorns defenders, would’ve exacted a greater reward for their efforts displayed. Seemingly a mainstay in the words of the week, Gordon Beet was faultless to begin proceedings in his 50th match (consecutively!) for the Club, displaying wisdom, instincts, and leadership as befitting of his character and his beard alike. Adam Stikolzik, a yo-yo of sorts for the came, began in the back half, moved to the ruck, and sat at half forward by quarter time, a nod to the adaptability of his skillset. Despite a meagre five scoring shots, three majors, two by the foot of Lachlan Dowling, were stark portents for the home side, having through their best shot of the game, but trailing at the first break, 3.2 20 to 1.4 10.
Lachlan Dowling tore the game apart in the second term. A small forward with the stature of a tall (much like fellow forward Dinuk Epa), Dowling seemed ever-present at the fall of the ball, and smashed through three majors as the Unicorns’ engine began to ruthlessly push through the gears. Oscar Eberbach took more than his fair share of the ruck taps to the good of the visiting side, and an improved accuracy in front of the big sticks helped carve a sizeable lead for the home side. With 7.4 for the term, it is all the more incredible that the forwards weren’t the most impressive on the field – but, as always, the back six took the plaudits, and conceded just two points for the term.
What enthusiasm and vigour their first term provided was washed away by the efforts of the Maroon and Green on the field, as the Unicorns clinically went to work, and brought to the main break a dominant 54-point buffer, 10.6 66 to 1.6 12.
Luke Stone breaks clear from the contest. Image courtesy of Jim Wilson.
To Canterbury’s credit, they were successful in stemming the flow throughout the third quarter, but it was the moments of the Unicorns that drew the greatest reward. Lachlan Dowling kept going, a man possessed, and added onto his tally throughout the term to bring him to seven, whispers of double digits no doubt on mind. Mark Fenwick blazed through the middle of the field, embodying every aspect of what the team is trying to build with continuous efforts on both sides of the ball. Usual suspects popped up in front of the goal, as Dinuk Epa, Mason Fennessy-Kent, and Byron Gunn all added to their tallies for the season, but Coach Cambo was right in surmising at the end of the term that the foot had been taken off the gas, despite their eleven-goal advantage.
Whilst in particular situations, the fourth term in a one-sided affair can often be referred to off-handedly as ‘junk time’, the Unicorns pushed themselves to play the game out with the same effort as they began it.
A huge fan of junk time, Byron Gunn was able to tally another, but, in truth, all that mattered was whether Lachlan Dowling could complete the mythical tally of ten majors. And, he went oh so close, but was unlucky to finish his day with only the nine. In a game where the needle never really wavered from victory for the Unicorns, it was the sum of the whole at one end of the ground, and the highlights of a few inspirational performances from Gordon Beet in the back line and Lachlan Dowling down the other, which rubber-stamped a strong win for the away side.
Final Scores: MHSOBFC 18.12-120 defeated Canterbury Cobras 4.9-33
Goals: Lachlan Dowling 9, Dinuk Epa 2, Mason Fennessy-Kent 2, Byron Gunn 2, Minro Eshwara, Mark Fenwick, James Lake, Austin Reynolds.
Best: Gordon Beet, Lachlan Dowling, Adam Stikolzik, Mark Fenwick, John Crilly, Oscar Eberbach.