ULTIMA 13.6.84 lost to MOULAMEIN 18.8.116
Despite a much-improved performance, Ultima were still unable to get the job done as Moulamein took the four points with a 32-point win over the Roos.
All eyes were on one man however, with the Swans’ gun recruit Josh Flight dominating in the air – and on the scoreboard – with 10 goals to start his time in the Golden Rivers Football League.
The home side had no answer for the Moulamein spearhead, with Flight using his height to his advantage to take mark after mark deep in attack.
While the first quarter was a competitive battle between both teams, the second was anything but – with Moulamein piling on seven goals to two – and taking a 42-point lead into the half time break.
Moulamein were dominating through the midfield, while Heath Moloney was also giving his team first use of the ball around the stoppages.
A couple of critical Roos changes in the third quarter got them back into the contest, including pushing their wings back in an attempt to get an extra sweeper at the contest. This worked to perfection, with the home side kicking five goals to one over the next 30 minutes to trail the Swans by just 17 points at the final break.
That was where the home side’s joy ended, however, with the Swans kicking with the wind in the last and outscoring the home side to eventually finish with an 18.8.116 to 13.6.84 win.
Flight was clearly best on ground, with his goals the difference between the two teams – while midfielders Matt Sparey, Nathan Buckley and Luke Shannon were all influential for the Swans.
For Ultima, reigning best and fairest Mitch Seton-Stewart picked up from where he finished last season, while youngsters Jack Delmenico, Quinn Grey and Darcy Farrell were also in the Roos’ better players, along with defenders Jamie Nicholas and Jayden Kiel.
WANDELLA 12.11.83 d HAY 9.3.57
WANDELLA kicked off 2022 in the best possible fashion, defeating Hay by 26 points at home on Saturday.
The Bombers had to come from behind however, after conceding four goals to the Lions in the opening quarter, before finally prevailing 12.11.83 to 9.3.57.
Despite the slow start, the home side quickly found their groove in the second stanza, with the Bombers bringing the margin back to just three points at the main break. It was much of the same after half-time, neither side giving an inch and going for goal for goal up to the three-quarter time siren.
As gallant as they were, the Lions just couldn’t maintain the rage in over the final 30 minutes, with the Bombers booting four goals to one as the visitors simply ran out of legs in the first match of the season.
Simon Bunyan was a constant threat up forward for Hay, finishing the day with four goals – while Matthew Wilkinson was not only the Bombers’ leading scorer but their best player on the ground.
Russell Rich returned to don the red and black and was also among his team’s better players, as were midfielders Darren Rushton, Mitch Collins and Kane Timmins, while veteran Tim Robinson – in game number 250 for the club – was also named in Wandella’s best’s.
For the Lions, Brait Headon, Tim Zambon, Dillion Penhall, Daniel Zambon, Liam Whitbourne and James Eddy were their better players.
QUAMBATOOK 6.5.41 lost to NULLAWIL 23.13.151
NULLAWIL fired the first warning shot to the rest of the Golden Rivers competition that they will be every bit as dominant this season, with a 110-point thrashing of Quambatook at the weekend.
Many consider the Saints as one of the few teams that could possibly challenge the Maroons in 2022.
But in Saturday’s demolition job that appeared far from the case, with Nullawil putting their stamp on the match from the opening minutes.
The Maroons booted five goals in the first term, while keeping Quamby to one point – before upping the ante in the second with six goals to one – to effectively have the game wrapped up before half-time with a 66-point lead at the main break.
Mitch Farmer was at his unstoppable best, kicking seven goals for the afternoon, while his regular partner in crime – Andrew Oberdorfer – booted five of his own.
Farmer was rewarded by his team with being named as best on ground, while reigning E.G. Hunt medallist Matt Quigley picked up where he left off last season with another stellar performance out of the middle for Nully. Also in the best players were Jordan Humphreys, Andrew Casey, Patrick Kelly and Grant Ford.
For the home side, it may not have been the start they were hoping for, but they’ll get the chance to redeem themselves in a fortnight’s time when they travel to Macorna to take on the Tigers – while Nullawil will host last year’s wooden spooners Ultima.
MURRABIT 10.9.69 lost to MACORNA 12.14.86
MACORNA recorded their first win of 2022, outlasting a determined Murrabit by 18 points in what turned out to be the match of the round.
In a see-sawing battle where neither side had the ascendency throughout the day, it was the Tigers’ defence that got them over the line, holding the home side goalless for the last 20 minutes of the match.
Jaydon Stiles finished the day as Macorna’s leading goal scorer with three, but was well held on the day by Murrabit defender Michael Grant, who was named the Blues’ best.
As good as Grant was, however, neither he or his teammates were a match for the Tigers’ star recruit Malcolm Neiwand, who dominated out of the middle for the visitors in a best-on-ground display.
Neiwand’s elite skills and gut running were a highlight of the game and one of the big factors in Macorna getting the four points.
With the Macorna back line standing up in the last quarter, it was no surprise to see defenders Grady Smith, Josh Cameron and Kansas Varker named among the Tigers’ best, along with Dylan Wright and Tyler Hird.
For the Blues, Marc O’Neill tried hard all day on the ball, as did Darcy Grant, while Tom Hetherington, Yantse Kinsey-Smith and Coen Grant were also in Murrabit’s better players.
