by Jim Gordon
WALPEUP UNDERBOOL V JEPARIT RAINBOW
Jeparit Rainbow won at Underbool in their best performance for the year and for the first time since 2003. The Lakers had every player contributing to this memorable win, and it was an important win too, as they have Hopetoun hard on their heals for a spot in the four.
The conditions at Underbool were slippery in the first quarter and the match turned into an arm wrestle with only two points the difference at quarter time. Conditions improved in the second quarter resulting in the ground drying out and allowing better use of the ball by both sides and an improvement in all round skills.
As the conditions improved, so did the play of the Lakers and with Peter Weir and Adam Roll kicking two goals each in the second quarter, Jeparit Rainbow set up a handy six goal break at half time. Justin Chilver was dominating the centre bounces with the result that onballers Corey Waldron and Ash Clugston were winning not only the centre clearances, but they were getting a lot of the ball around the ground and driving the ball forward to the dominant Weir and Roll.
Yet the Lakers did not have it all their own way, Warrick Brady scored a great running goal, Tim Vallance was working hard and with Dean Slorach having a good first quarter in the ruck Walpeup Underbool were getting a lot of use of the ball through their running players Scott Munro and Travis Latta. It was on their forward line that they were letting themselves down. Time after time good play down field was wasted with poor disposal up forward.
As the match progressed, the Lakers went further ahead with four goals in the third quarter and in the finish they were too strong for the Roos with a dominant Adam Roll, moved up from defence, cleaning up with seven goals due to some strong marking.
Teenager defender Tyler Edelsten played his best senior game yet and another youngster Jake Parry also played well. Simon Clugston was solid in defence for the Lakers until a severe facial injury ended his day and Kyle Munro, Jim Wakefield and Travis Latta worked hard for the Roos.
WOOMELANG LASCELLES V HOPETOUN
Hopetoun welcomed back Marcus Burdett for their match against Woomelang Lascelles and he didn’t let them down with an outstanding best on ground performance, culminating in four goals. With Zack Taggert seeming to be at the bottom of every pack and Bryce Wellington chipping in with seven goals, several from strong pack marks, the Devils had too many guns firing for a dogged, but below par Woomelang Lascelles side.
After being competitive early, the Cats fell away as Hopetoun took control and held them goalless after half time while scoring eleven goals themselves. Hopetoun’s Clinton Burdett ran all day and with his blistering pace, he was too slick for his minders. The Devils’ smaller brigade were helped by Daniel Young in the ruck giving them first use of the ball.
Young Woomelang Lascelles defender Trent Donnan did not stop running all day and is having a great year and Clayton Lee was another good player for the Cats, doing a lot of work in and under the packs. Tony Mudge gave his all and big man Joel Donnan battled hard in defence. Jason Kreuger showed his class with two goals and will get better with every game and Brody Schack was a welcome return, but there was little else to enthuse about in this lacklustre performance.
The Cats started well, but in an all too familiar story, they fell off the pace after quarter time and couldn’t match it with Hopetoun who were consistent all day kicking 5 or more goals every quarter. The Cats never gave in, but they desperately need some of their eight injured players to be available to strengthen the team and help in the development of their younger players.
This is a hard running, even and intense Hopetoun team that continues to improve. They have the Tigers at home next week in a match that they need to win to maintain their push for the four.
SEA LAKE NANDALY TIGERS V OUYEN UNITED
The bye last week did not seem to do any good for the Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers who were slow out of the blocks and looked sluggish early against an Ouyen United side that could have had the game all sewn up at quarter time but for some inexcusable misses in front of goal.
Ryan O’Callaghan goaled minutes into the opening, but when Ashley Connick, Robbie Miller and Wayne Grace all missed gettable shots, Ouyen United were wasting a period of domination and you can’t afford to do this against a talented Tiger line-up. Nick Monaghan was one who did manage to kick a great goal from the boundary line and a goal after the bell to Corey Gregg pushed the Demons lead out, but United’s 23 point quarter time lead should have been greater.
Ouyen were missing several big name players, but they still had most of the play early with Robbie Miller marking well at centre half forward and Ashley Connick providing a target and a goal to Connick minutes into the second quarter gave the Demons a handy lead. However, from then on the quarter belonged to the Tigers with forwards Nathan Wight and Ryan Dowdy leading well, and with their team mates kicking to their preferred side, they managed to string together several goals to give them the lead at half time.
There was a lot to be impressed by with this quarter of football by the Tigers, every time they went forward, they looked like they were going to score. Col Durie was getting a lot of the ball, Liam Barrie was marking well, Luke Martin did well when moved into the ruck and Darcy Ryan worked hard all day. The Tigers had turned a four goal deficit into a one point advantage at the long break.
Ouyen United did do some good work in the second quarter, Corey O’Callaghan’s run from half forward deserved more than a point and Nick Monaghan kicked another good goal.
After a quiet opening, Glenn Joyce provided the Demons with a much needed lift in the second half. Joyce, along with Wayne Grace, and due to a couple of very good goals from Robbie Miller, saw Ouyen United look the more composed side in the second half and when Ryan O’Callaghan scored a goal from a brilliant snap to give Ouyen United a 25 point lead minutes into the final quarter, the Demons looked to have the game in their keeping.
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers scored the last four goals to get to within seven points and will be disappointed with this loss at Berriwillock, but they would have been proud of their effort. Next week they have to front a Hopetoun side that is playing very good football and is eying off a place in the four, then they come up against the Lakers followed by Beulah. Testing times for the Tigers.
Last Modified on 20/06/2010 12:29