TOOLEYBUC-Manangatang kept their finals hopes alive in emphatic fashion with a a dominant 80-point win over a disappointing Tyntynder on the weekend.
What started out as a day of celebration for both clubs, with Mick Dedini playing his 400th career senior game and John Wardle his 200th senior game for the Saints, quickly turned into a disaster for the Bulldogs.
After dominating possession for the first 15 minutes of the match, Tyntynder then conceded nine consecutive goals after time-on in the first quarter, with Tooleybuc-Manangatang’s run of majors ending when Patrick Crowe converted a 50 metre penalty on the half time siren.
That goal reduced the margin to 47 points at the main break and although the Saints could have easily been further ahead on the scoreboard; it was very much one-way traffic in general play.
Tooleybuc-Manangatang’s second quarter showed just how dangerous they can be when they get it right, with the Saints’ ball movement clean and quick on the outside, while their ball use going inside forward 50 was precise.
Connor Nutting finished the day with six goals in the 16.9 (105) to 3.7 (25) victory and was a clear standout up forward for the visitors.
Nutting was the beneficiary of the work of Blake Grant, Josh Domaille and Elliot Chalmers further up the ground, with the pair dominating in clearances and at the contest in the first half.
Connor Mcdonald was at his dynamic best, with the athletic big man battling hard against Tyntynder’s Josh Potter in the first half.
It was a relatively even contest at the stoppages between the pair, although Mcdonald clearly had the better of the battle around the ground in the second term.
However, Mcdonald came into his own after half time, with Lochlan Prentice taking over the ruck duties and releasing the joint-reigning Jack Betts medallist to run through the midfield rotations.
It was a role that clearly suited Mcdonald, who tore the game to pieces after half time with his athleticism, height and talent seeing him turn into a human highlights reel.
As good as Tooleybuc-Manangatang were, Tyntynder were in equal parts ordinary, with simple skill errors regularly costing their team possession.
The Bulldogs lacked direction in the first half with their propensity to try and switch the play by bringing it back into defence only selling them into more trouble on more than one occasion.
They did correct this somewhat after half time, but the damage was done.
Even though Tyntynder may have played more directly in the second half, they didn’t possess the forward targets to trouble the Saints defence, with Josh Williams, John Wardle and Julian Muir regularly intercepting many errant inside 50 entries.
Williams was instrumental across half back for Tooleybuc-Manangatang, as was Rydar Morris, whose run and dash from defence helped set the game up for his team in the first half.
While Tyntynder could manage just one goal in the second half, the Saints could also be accused of being wasteful with the ball in the third quarter after managing just two goals for the term despite dominating possession.
Elia Ware tried hard all afternoon but was often outnumbered in attack, with the athletic key forward swapping in the ruck with Potter.
Both players were among Tyntynder’s best for the afternoon, with Patrick Crowe and milestone man Mick Dedini also among the Bulldogs’ better players on a day where winners were few and far between for the red, white and blue.
Tooleybuc-Manangatang will be looking to take a scalp when they host the Mallee Eagles next Saturday, with the Saints needing to find at least one upset win on the run home in order to jump into the top five, while Tyntynder will look to regroup against Koondrook-Barham.
SCORES
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final Score |
| Tyntynder | 1.3 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 25 |
| Tooleybuc-Manangatang | 3.2 | 10.4 | 12.7 | 16.9 | 105 |
VOTES
3 – Connor Mcdonald (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
2 – Blake Grant (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
1 – Josh Williams (Tooleybuc-Manangatang)
