GLENORDEN is making a splash in the Western Region Football League division 2 but its hot start has come at a massive price with two serious long-term injuries sustained in the first two rounds.
The Hawks’ arrival in the second tier pre-Easter was soured by a broken ankle to forward Shayne Comensoli, who has been ruled out for six to eight weeks.
That injury was compounded on Saturday by a broken ankle to gun midfielder Stefan Angelini in Saturday’s eye-catching 45-point win over Albanvale at Heathdale Oval.
Angelini collapsed to the ground in pain during the first quarter and had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance, where he had pins inserted into his foot and has been ruled out for 12 weeks.
Hawks coach Nick Diker told the Weekly it was a case of bad luck, not bad surfaces.
“Two weeks in a row and it’s very disappointing,” Diker said.
“I don’t think it’s got anything to do with the surface. The Glenorden surface at the moment is the best it’s been and that’s come from everyone who has been at the club forever.
“It’s just a bad luck thing.”
What cannot be lost among the shattering news from the medical room is the superb performance of the Hawks.
The home side backed up from the drought-breaking round 1 win over Coburg Districts to beat last year’s runner-up Albanvale.
Diker’s fears of a let-down after the emotion-charged first win in two years were unfounded.
“It was always going to be a concern of mine after round 1 that we could have had a bit of a let-down. The guys at the club and the players were all excited by that result.,” Diker said
“But it wasn’t a let-down, we were up and about from the first bounce.”
Josh Macdonald is fast turning into a fan favourite in the Hawks’ nest.
The elusive 16-year-old strengthened his reputation as a rising star with five goals.
Power forward Rhys Bucktin, recruited from Shepparton in the summer, also finished with five majors. The unsung hero was defender Jason Welfare, who picked off countless interceptions to detonate the Albanvale attacking thrusts time and again.
Diker was full of praise for tough as nails on-baller Nathan Addamo, who used his high football IQ to claim best afield honours.
“He’s strong, puts his head over the footy and dives in for the ball,” Diker said.
“He also instructs on the field, gets players in the right position and he seems to get himself into the hole where the opposition are going to kick to.”
The top-of-the-table Hawks hit the road for the first time this season when they play Laverton at Laverton Park on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Wyndhamvale could not last the distance in a showdown with Parkside at Henry Turner Reserve, losing by 29 points after scores were deadlocked at half-time.
