AFTER a tough start to the 2025 season, NNW United have made it six straight wins with their recent victory over Lake Boga at the Nyah Recreation Reserve.
The 23.8 (146) to 10.3 (63) score keeps the Demons in the top five, and they sit two games clear from sixth placed side of Tooleybuc-Manangatang.
NNW United were in control from start to finish on the day, but Lake Boga still had that fighting mentality they tend to show come game day, with them trailing by only three goals by quarter time.
But the Demons ran away with the game in hand in the second term, only allowing the Magpies two goals while they kicked in seven goals to lead by 52 points at half-time.
Max Thompson, who returned to the NNW United side after featuring with the Bendigo Pioneers last week, was in great form, bagging a couple of goals at the end of the first half.
He ended up with a personal best of five goals.
NNW United co-coach of Jason Murphy loves having the young gun pull on a Demons jumper.
“He’s going to go a long way with his football skills,” Murphy said.
“It was nice to have him come back from the Bendigo Pioneers and pull on the Demons jumper while he is still progressing through his football career.
“We love having him in the forward line as he can really bring some strength there.
“We wish we could have him every week, but unfortunately that’s not always going to be the case.”
Another player who was having a sensational game was the Demons co-coach of Corey Daniels.
After missing six games this season, Daniels has been on red hot form since he returned to the side, bagging five and three goals against Kerang and Tooleybuc-Manangatang.
But he saved his best performance of the season and quite possibly his career for Lake Boga, having already bagged a handful of goals in the first half.
He would end the contest with a nine goals, an incredible match and a personal best for Daniels.
Murphy was also full of praise on how Daniels played on Saturday, along with how he has performed since his return from injury.
“Corey (Daniels) has been excellent, we decided when he came back that we would move him up forward and link up with Patrick Veszpremi,” Murphy said.
“It has made us a lot more dangerous with the ball inside 50, which is something we lacked since we lost Brandyn Grenfell last year.
“So to be able to fill in that role has been something Daniels has worked really hard on.
“When Daniels is one on one with his opponent, he can be very dangerous.
“So when we isolate him in the forward 50, he goes and does his things which really pays off for us.”
NNW United continued their destructive force in the second half, with the side kicking nine goals for the entirety of the second half.
Meanwhile, the Magpies kicked four goals for the second half, big thanks to their onballer of Padmore along with Holmes-Brown who both bagged three goals each.
The Demons would end up victorious by 83 points over Lake Boga. They are now seven wins from 11 games, after starting the season having one win from four games.
“It’s good, we started to string some good footy together and we showcased that on Saturday,” Murphy said.
“After having a slow start to season, it’s good to have that six wins in a row.
“It’s really givens us a good springboard for the second half of the season.”
Murphy said the big difference between the two sides was experience.
“Lake Boga have a younger side compared to us,” Murphy said.
“They are developing at the moment, but they certainly made it hard on us at the start of the contest.”
In next week’s clash, the Demons will be facing a lowly Swan Hill who have clearly been struggling this season.
“We don’t underestimate anyone, so we will go with our best 22,” Murphy said.
“Who that will be, we will make that decision and find out on Thursday night.”
Meanwhile, Lake Boga will be playing host to Kerang. Last time they won by 45 points, and will be hoping to have a similar performance next weekend.
SCORES
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final Score |
| Nyah-Nyah West United | 7.1 | 14.5 | 16.7 | 23.8 | 146 |
| Lake Boga | 4.1 | 6.1 | 7.3 | 10.3 | 63 |
VOTES
3 – Corey Daniels (NNW Untied)
2 – Max Thompson (NNW United)
1 – Ethan Curran (NNW United)
