SUMMARY
Recent rivals DLS & Old Ivanhoe where DLS won the Semi finals only to loose to OI in the grand
Finals, kicked off the VAFA Rivalry round with a classy, fast 1st quarter. OI peppered the goals
but could register only 1 major from 6 attempts before DLS through Nath Roberts and Michael 
Duggan goaled to give DLS the lead. Toovey (OI) returned it to OI before David Lowe, Duggan and
Chris Mercuri took DLS to a 14 point lead at quarter time
 
OI broke the game open with 4 straight goals in under 9 minutes to regain the lead.Damien
Rayson on leave from the Coburg Tigers with his trade mark runs scored twice to give DLS a
Slender 2 point margin. OI lifted the intensity and DLS defence faltered under the barrage.
Teams traded 2 goals each so that DLS went to the major break with that margin.
                       
The second half was dismal for DLS which managed only 5 goals compared to OI’s 11.
As the number of scoring opportunities was similar it was again the difference in quality of
on entry which determined the overwhelming result in OI’s favour.
Allan Greenhalgh although beaten by Butler (OI) battled gamely while Dan Close continued his
good form off the back flank and Jacob Gotch continued to impress with his skilful reading of the play
 QTR 1
 Although OI drew 1st blood, DLS looked sharp and ready to play. It would be an important clash as both teams struggle to get traction in season 2008. Good defensive work by Mick Dundon landed the ball with Aaron Shields and the movement was fine when he found Chris Mercuri whose snap was contested fiercely   close to goal where Nath Roberts scored off the ground. OI where wasteful up forward as DLS disposals to forwards constantly missed the targets. A kick in intercept by Shields gave Duggan an opportunity upon which he capitalised. Another long period where neither team could goal ensued before OI’s Toovey      restored the advantage to the visitors. DLS then broke free when it goaled 3 times in a couple of minutes. Fierce tackling by Damien Rayson, Josh Oakley &        Shields got the ball to the returning David Lowe whose long kick scored the maximum. Then he was involved with Mercuri who was relishing his move up forward to give Duggan his second. Mercuri reading the ball beautifully off the pack goaled and DLS had a 14 point margin at quarter time.
QTR 2
DLS seeking to build on that lead missed twice before OI burst the game open with 4 unanswered goals in 5 minutes of mayhem for the DLS defence. A 16 point lead had quickly become an 8 point deficit! 12 minutes of unproductive but tense football followed. Damien Rayson on release from Coburg Tigers was getting    plenty of ball but was being tagged closely. He broke the shackles at the 20 minute mark to goal twice with trade mark runs and precision kicking. It was         heartening to witness the involvement of Sam Nethersole (fine mark), Jarrod Moloney (hand pass), Nath Roberts (mark h/pass ), Rayson (h/pass), Gotch back to   Rayson in these 2 goals. The slender lead was negated when Toovey again out marked the defence and goal. DLS hit back quickly when a string of play involving     Matt Moore, Duggan, Nath Roberts (strong pack contest) culminated in an expert “front & centre” by Gotch and he regained the lead. Toovey, again the beneficiary of superb delivery and DLS inability to “fill the whole” goaled. Chris Kelliher roved his own hit out, scrambled the ball to Josh Oakley whose kick was marked superbly by Moore out on the flank. His conversion gave DLS an 8 point lead just before half time. Toovey got his 2nd for the quarter and 3rd for the match  to reduce DLS margin to 2 points right on the siren for the second quarter which yielded 10 goals in 32 minutes!
QTR 3
With the game so tight the importance of securing the 1st goal of the second half was uppermost in the players’ minds. 7 minutes without a goal emphasised this point!  Toovey got his 4th in a series of 3 goals interspersed by a roving goal by James Lamb after fine work by Tim Demeteriou and Gotch. DLS was being well         beaten at the centre bounces by the strong and skilful Heta despite the best efforts of Kelliher and Nethersole. Strong work at the bounces by Shields, Oakley, Peter Harrison & Rayson negated somewhat the ruck situation as clearances were quantatively if not qualitatively similar. Busy Michael Duggan passed to Matt      Moore who was freed in the marking contest. Moore quickly onto David Lowe and the resultant score reduced the margin again to 4 points. A clever possession by Dan Close and positive movement through Lamb to Nath Roberts whose snap from the contest again gave DLS the lead by the slimmest of margins 16 minutes             in. A combination of frustration, poor decision making and equally poor disposals by DLS gave OI many opportunities. It was no surprise that OI rounded out the quarter with 2 majors and secure the lead of 11 points at ¾ time.
QTR 4
Bursting from the centre bounce OI landed the ball with Toovey who bagged his 5th. It took all of 43 seconds! 2 unanswered goals in the next 5 minutes and the   game looked safe for OI with a 29 point lead. Play swung between defences as DLS strove to get back into the game. OI now confident of their victory were            playing with enthusiasm while their DLS counterparts were harried and mistakes ensued.10 minutes later Jacob Gotch after a strong contested mark in the goal             square, gave  DLS its 1st of the final quarter. However OI were too composed now and played with assurance resulting in goals to Toovey & Nagle. James Lamb     & Rayson combined to win the footy in tough contests. The outcome was a long disposal to the goal square where Moore again showed his marking capacity and    notch DLS 14th