by Jim Gordon
BEULAH V JEPARIT RAINBOW
Beulah came away from their game against Jeparit Rainbow with the four points and a healthy percentage boost in their first game for the year. The 68 point difference was a true indication of the gap between the two sides even this early in the season. Although both clubs have recruited well, the Blues new players seem to have slipped seamlessly into an experienced and capable lineup whereas the Lakers may have to wait a little longer for their side to blend.
The game began with neither side able to get on top and it was level pegging half way through the first term as the teams traded goals. At three goals apiece at the fifteen minute mark, it looked like it could be an even contest, but that was precisely the point when Beulah started to get on top.
Errors started to creep into the Jeparit Rainbow game and the Blues were ready to pounce. With more players who can use the ball, the slick Beulah running team was able to capitalise on an increasingly dispirited Laker side and the margin stood at four goals by quarter time.
Jeparit Rainbow’s disposal into their forward line was very poor, in stark contrast to what was happening at the other end where Beulah was able to really hurt the Lakers on the transition between defence and attack. Too often Jeparit Rainbow defenders were left to battle against a wave of Beulah players coming down the ground and with David King and Dennis Redden on fire up front, the carnage continued in the second term with the Blues in complete control and a seven goal break at half time.
Ben Marra was moved from the midfield onto David King in the second half and somewhat limited his influence on the game. Laker Greg McLeish was working hard in his forward line and his efforts were all the more meritorious as he was one who had to cope with poor disposal from his midfielders going forward.
An incident between one of Beulah’s Buchannan brothers and Jeparit Rainbow’s Heath Clugston resulted in Buchanan being reported just on three quarter time. This seemed to lift the Lakers and they played their best football for the game in the last quarter to outscore Beulah. Their intensity and midfield pressure lifted in this term. In the middle stages of the game they had let the Beulah midfield control the game, but tightened up late and showed the benefit on the scoreboard.
Jeparit Rainbow introduced another new player into their team. Scott Hughes from Creswick turned in a serviceable game, improving as the game progressed. Josh McCleary played a solid game in the ruck and around the ground, Simon Clugston was impressive in a number of positions, Andrew Watson played back and forward and young Nathan Cocks attacked the ball hard all day.
The news didn’t get any better for the Lakers when Adam Schumann suffered a serious shoulder injury in the final term and could be out of action for a while as it was the same shoulder he injured last year.
WALPEUP UNDERBOOL V HOPETOUN
On an emotionally charged day that saw the Walpeup Underbool Club unfurl their Seniors and Reserves premiership flags, the Roos proceeded to demolish Hopetoun by over thirty goals in a powerful display of precision football. With the flags lowered to half mast, it was as if the reigning premiers wanted to produce their very best to acknowledge the loss of favourite sons Scott Munro and Tim Vallance.
Walpeup Underbool’s class, discipline and endeavour made the Devils look second rate. The Roos got away early in the first term, they were pegged back a little, but late in the term the Roos really got going and ended up giving Hopetoun a football lesson.
Luke Puckle stood up and played well for the Devils and Simon Cook battled hard all day whether in the ruck or at full back where he tried to contain a rampant Wade Champion.
Champion ended up with an unbelievable thirteen goals and owed a lot to his side’s onballers who were a class above the Devils. The home side’s onballers are blessed with pinpoint accuracy delivering the ball into their forward line and to add insult to injury, the Roos forwards were just as accurate when kicking for goal. It was a long day for the Devils.
David Piasente was in everything early and linking well with former West Adelaide player Ben Fisher. Thomas Elliott and Tyson Gordon with two goals each in the first quarter were on top in their forward pockets leading to Hopetoun try a man on man game in an attempt to slow the Roos’ run. They succeeded, briefly, and were able to score three quick goals to get themselves back into the game in that first quarter. Their improvement came from the good work of Luke Carr in the midfield who was teaming well with ruckman Ryley Cook.
The second term opened at a cracking pace with Walpeup Underbool scoring a quick goal and Hopetoun answering with the next two. The Roos were running off half back in numbers and it was paying off as the Hopetoun comeback was short lived. The Roos soon moved into top gear and again kicked clear by working well off half back, linking through the centre and quickly moving the ball into their forwards.
Wade Champion started to get his hands on the football in the second quarter booting three goals for the term and giving the Walpeup Underbool small forwards plenty of opportunities. Kane Munro finished a strong first half with a high flying mark on the siren and his accurate shot put to the Roos 12 goals up at half time. The Devils had stopped to a walk with full forward Bryce Wellington, who was having a top duel with Chris Lynch, one of few Devils to give more than just a whimper.
By the end of the third term Champion had his tenth goal, Walpeup Underbool were dominant in most positions on the ground and the match was over. Yet the Roos did not stop as the carnage continued with a fourteen goal final quarter. Jeremy Brown and Chris Lynch lead the way in the back half, Kane Munro, David Piasente and Ben Fisher dominated in the middle and Wade Champion was the standout up forward, booting 13 in a best on ground performance. In the end, Hopetoun didn’t give much after half way into the second quarter.
WOOMELANG LASCELLES V OUYEN UNITED
Ouyen United continued a winning streak that stretches back to 2008 with a 65 point win against Woomelang Lascelles at Woomelang. This was a much improved United outfit compared to the side that was humbled by the Tigers the week before. United got on top early against the Cats and had the game in their keeping by half time. Woomelang Lascelles’ wasteful kicking for goal in the second half aided the Dees whose backline nevertheless was tight all day and restricted the Cats’ movement around the goals.
Damian Cupido kicked well for Ouyen United and ended up with eight goals. Joel Donnan started on Cupido and tried hard to play tight and succeeded in limiting the damage, but Donnan was eventually moved away in an effort to give the Cats a lift further up the ground. Jayden Lonergan also played on Cupido, but with the amount of ball coming into the Demon forward line, their was little he could do.
The Ouyen United ruck combination of Laurence Angwin and Leigh Gniel proved a handful for Woomelang Lascelles. Gniel has been a strong performer in his two games so far and is a more than capable foil for Angwin when he is resting up forward. Angwin is starting to exert a presence for the Demons. In the third term he showed just what he is capable of when he gathered the ball in the centre, ran and kicked it long and accurately to Cupido who marked in a pocket. Angwin’s kick looked to travel about 65m and Cupido marked well under pressure with the resultant goal an indication of what we can expect from these players.
Ouyen United’s young fleet footed players out ran the Cats all day and as a team they were harder at the ball. Jerry Wilson had a great day on his wing; he is a real livewire, he didn’t stop running and loves to take on the opposition and backs himself to outrun them.
Woomelang Lascelles’s poor disposal let them down all day with turnovers coming out of defence and inaccuracy in front of goal proving costly. At times lacking discipline, the Cat coaches will have some work to do at training over the next couple of weeks before they tackle Beulah after the bye. Pierce Liddle was their best player with a lot of strong work in the middle and at the clearances. Some of their players are only playing their second game together so it will take time for them to gel. Jaimee Church was good in patches and should start to get better with more games with the Cats under his belt.
Last Modified on 14/04/2013 15:51
