MOULAMEIN 8.10.58 lost to QUAMBATOOK 15.15.105
QUAMBATOOK leapfrogged Moulamein into the all important second position on the ladder at the weekend with a strong 47-point win over the Swans.
There was little separating the two sides throughout an entertaining first quarter, with scores level at 33 points apiece at the main break. But it was the visitors who flexed their muscles after half-time, piling on 11 goals to three in the second half to run away comfortable winners.
Quambatook coach Tim Free was full of praise for the way his side attacked the game after the main break.
“It was certainly an improved performance after half-time,” Free said. “We played some really good footy in the first half but we just didn’t quite get the reward for effort on the scoreboard.
“We probably dominated large chunks of general play but weren’t impacting where it mattered most, so we challenged the group to continue to chip away and keep the intensity as high as it had been and that the reward would follow and it certainly did – particularly in the last quarter, when we were able to put some distance on the scoreboard.”
“That said, the scoreboard probably wasn’t a true reflection of the two teams. I think for much of the game it was a really tight tussle and the scoreboard probably flattered us a little in the end, but we’ll certainly take it and move on to next week.”
Jarred Schlitz was tasked with the job of quelling leading goalkicker Josh Flight and performed it admirably, keeping Flight to just one goal in a quiet afternoon for the Swans big man.
Also playing important roles were fellow defenders Nick Birthisel and Ash Davis, with the key defenders bringing the ball to ground more often than not against Moulamein’s strong forward line, according to Free.
“Those boys were tremendous for us – their ability to bring the ball to ground inside our back 50 enabled us to sweep the ball out of our defensive half of the ground with a little bit of rebound which helped set up our forward entries,” Free said.
Midfielder-forward Jordan Lampi and midfielder Ricky Wild were also strong performers for the Saints, as were Brad Organ and William Collicoat, who finished as the game’s major goalkicker with four majors.
For the Swans, Rodney Reeves, Cody Storm, Jacob Thorne, Ely Miller, Luke Shannon and midfielder Nathan Buckley were among their better players for the afternoon.HAY 16.7.103 d ULTIMA 7.8.50
HAY claimed their first points of 2022 with a commanding 53-point defeat of the now bottom of the ladder Ultima on Saturday.
While little separated both teams across the first thirty minutes, the Lions then took control from then on, outscoring the visitors nine goals to two for the next two quarters to take a 46-point lead into the final change.
The win was set up with Hay’s attack on the footy, with the home side clearly out to make a statement early. Also upsetting the Roos’ structure was an early shoulder injury to ruckman Jye Purtill, which forced a change in structure for Ultima – with Purtill playing forward, forcing Kyle Symons into the ruck.
Turnovers continued to plague the Roos, with their inability to find a teammate coming out of defence costing them a number of goals.
Hugh Crighton was the most influential player on the ground, with his work around the stoppages and through the corridor early helping set up the win for the home side. Veteran Simon Bunyan continued his good season in front of goals, leading the way with four majors. Nathan Wilson, Tim Zambon and Kenneth Jubb were also prolific for the Lions.
Last season’s Rookie of the Year Darcy Farrell played his best game for the season, running through the midfield for much of the afternoon, while Mitch Seton-Stewart and Jack Miller were solid contributors along with key defenders Riley Haberman and Jamie Nicholas.
MACORNA 13.8.86 lost to WANDELLA 16.11.107
AN undermanned Wandella managed to secure the four points against a determined Macorna on Saturday afternoon. The 21-point victory put the Bombers outside the top four by percentage only.
In what was an eight-point game against the team most likely to challenge them for fourth spot, it was Wandella who were first out of the blocks, scoring six goals to three in the opening team to grab the early ascendency. That opening quarter proved to be the difference, as no matter how hard the Tigers attacked, they were unable to bridge the gap – with the Bombers eventually coming home with a 13.8.86 to 16.11.107 win.
Wandella went into the encounter missing a number of key players, including both ruckmen Leighton Wilkins and Ricky Cathie. Their task became significantly harder, with their coach Logan Keighran, as well as Darren Rushton, Bailey Hamon and Jamie Wilson withdrawing on the morning of the game.
It mattered little however, with a six-goal effort from Michael Rowe and a man-of-the-match performance from midfielder Russell Rich getting the Bombers over the line. Kane Timmins continued his good start to the season for his new club, while Alex Kirby, Adam McKenzie, Tim Robinson and Brad Delamare were among the better players.
For the Tigers, Chris Wilson led the way with five goals, along with Jacob McIntosh, Kansas Varker, Josh Stiles and Tyler Hird.
NULLAWIL 29.26.200 d MURRABIT 2.1.13
NULLAWIL continued to flex their muscles at the weekend with a 187-point win over Murrabit at home.
The Maroons dominated from the outset, piling on 20 goals in the first half to just two, before going on with the job after the main break to record a decisive 29.26.200 to 2.1.13 victory.
With their spirit seemingly broken, the Blues managed just one scoring shot – a behind – after half-time, despite the best efforts of Ben Gillingham in the ruck and midfielders Marc O’Neill and Nathan O’Toole.
Over half of Nullawil’s side found their way onto the score sheet, as the home side shared the goals around. Key forwards Mitch Farmer (four goals) and Andrew Oberdorfer (two) were overshadowed by midfielder-forwards Andrew Casey (six), Matt Quigley (four) and Daniel Watts (four), who all proved problematic for the Blues when resting forward.
With the home side’s midfield on top throughout the afternoon, it was no surprise to see Quigley named among the Maroons’ better players, along with Watts, Grant Ford, Zac Kelly, Jordan Humphreys and Brad Slater.
