Wedderburn returned to some of their form which seen them win the two previous Grand Finals but is appears to come at a cost, losing both Herdman and Barnes by half time. The Redbacks were first to score in the opening term when Benaim snapped a beauty, soon after McHugh slotted through their second before Thiesz got the Navy Blues on the board, courtesy of a double 50 metre penalty. Wedderburn dominated the rest of the term to lead by 28-points at the first change. The Redbacks were solid down back and gave their opposition limited scoring opportunities.
In an even second term for both sides, the ball was being hotly contested by all players and the skills of these two sides was on display for the large crowd who witnessed this great game. Herdman was the Redbacks main contributor kicking three goals, for Charlton it was McKee who got the Navy Blues going as he also kicked three goals and at the main break Wedderburn’s lead was 5-goals.
Wedderburn returned to the field without their two key forwards in Herdman and Barnes after half time with neither taking any further part in the game. Ben Roberts booted the Navy Blues first goal which appeared to lift the spirits of the Charlton players and when McKee banged through another it was game on as the visitors clawed their way back into the game, which earlier had looked like it had slipped away on them. Everything seemed to be going right for the Navy Blues and the Redbacks were unable to match the league leaders. Jack McNamara finally got the home side going again with a nice goal; this was followed by another Redbacks goal to DeAraugo and when the bell sounded the Redbacks had pushed the margin back out to 25-points with one term to go.
With nothing to lose the Navy Blues through everything at the reigning premiers in the final quarter and as they steadily reduced the Redbacks lead the Wedderburn faithful were becoming a little nervous. A goal late in the quarter from Nathan Holt steadied the home side but the Navy Blues kept coming. Wedderburn were only able to score just the one goal in the final term but it would be enough to get them the win by the slender margin of four-points. This was one of the best games seen at Donaldson Park for some time and whichever way the result went the crowd had witnessed a great contest between two good sides that will both play a big part in shaping the league’s top four.
Wedderburn 14-9=93 def Charlton 14-5=89
Best for Wedderburn: R. McHugh, R. Tonkin, L. McCarthy, H. Polglase, M. Reiffel, B. Strange. Goals: B. Herdman 4, S. Barnes 3, D. Benaim, R. McHugh, M. Reiffel, J. McNamara, N. Holt, B. DeAraugo, Adam Postle 1 each.
Best for Charlton: A. Judd, A. McKenzie, S. Rogan, R. Thompson, J. McKee, T. Finlay. Goals: J. McKee 5, B. Roberts 3, T. Collins 2, A. Judd, C. Thiesz, M. Laffin, K. Clifford 1 each.
Wycheproof v St Arnaud
St Arnaud made the trip to Wycheproof with the aim of getting the points and swapping spots on the ladder with the Demons. In a quiet opening term from both sides it was the Saints who were able to bag a couple of goals and hold the Demons goalless for the quarter, at the first change the Saints held and 11-point lead.
Wyche-Narraport struck back in the second term when they were able to match it with the Saints and at half time they held the lead by the narrowest of margins. In this term the game was interrupted when players decided to exchange pleasantries which resulted in most players from both sides being involved with the wash-up resulting in only one player being sent from the ground in what was a fairly ugly scene.
The Saints were first into attack after the main break and regained the lead kicking four goals to the Demons two and at three quarters they took a two-goal lead to the final break. Munkara was dominating for the Saints with McNamee and Stewart playing solid support roles. For the Demons, Ricky Allan who would end the day with five –goals was their main contributor.
In the final term the Saints were able to increase their lead early in the term before the Demons struck back with late goals but the damage had been done and at the final bell it was the Saints by 24-points which would elevate them into second spot on the ladder with their next contest being at home against the Redbacks.
St Arnaud 14-12=96 def Wycheproof-Narraport 10-12=72
Best for the Saints: D. Munkara, J. McNamee, L. Stewart, S. Dyke, Z. Sullivan, N. Coghlan. Goals: D. Munkara 4, J. McNamee 3, Liam Cunningham2, R. Tungatalum, N. Coghlan, J. Patching, J. Chapman, R. Pupangamirri 1 each.
Best for the Demons: R. Allan, C. Jones, Jesse White, M. Dillon, Brock Bish, S. Driscoll. Goals: R. Allan 5, C. Jones 2, S. Driscoll, M. Dillon, Josh White 1 each.
Boort v Birchip-Watchem
Boort got a way to a good start in their game against the Bulls and quickly put a gap on their opposition. The Bulls only goal for the term came late in the quarter to see them trail by 10-points at the first break.
Birchip-Watchem made a better fist of the game in the next quarter when they were able to reduce the lead of the Magpies by midterm only see the Magpies strike back in the later part of the quarter and take a sixteen point lead to half time. For the Bulls this was a close as they have been to their opposition all year at half time and they were hoping things just might turnout good for them in the second half.
Boort realising that the Bulls were putting their best foot forward put the pressure back on the visitors when they strung together back to back goals and extend their margin out to around six goals, Birchip-Watchem rallied to kick two goals in the dying minutes of the term to pull back the Magpies lead to 31-points at the last change.
It was all Boort in the last quarter as they piled on five goals and restricted the Bulls to three for the final quarter. Boort run out easy winners in the finish by 44-points, Boort’s win keeps them well in the run for a finals spot, for the Bulls they will need to keep improving if they are going to notch up their first win and with the top three sides being their next few encounters their prospects of a win in the short term appear to be a little remote.
Boort 16-10=106 def Birchip-Watchem 9-8=62
Best for Boort: S. Dehne, M. Hodoras, J. Lanyon, J. Dehne, J. Fitzpatrick, C. Chalmers. Goals: R. Easton 4 M. Henningson, M. Buchanan 3, R. Vanderzande 2, M. Hodoras, D. Cameron, J. Dehne, S. Dehne 1 each
Best for Birchip-Watchem: Z. Holmes, J. Noonan, A. Grigg, S. Anderson, T. Gilla, A. Rout. Goals: A. Rout 4, A. Grigg 3, C. Postlewaite 2.
Next Week
Birchip-Watchem v Wycheproof-Narraport
St Arnaud v Wedderburn
Charlton v Donald
Boort has the bye
Last Modified on 09/06/2013 21:08