Charlton v Boort
Charlton controlled this game for all but a few minutes in the opening term when Boort’s Matt Rice kicked two goals early in the term while Boort was kicking with the aid of a strong wind. Charlton answered through Carl Thiesz and Joe McGrath before Coach Reece Collins and McGrath for his second gave the home side a 12-point lead at the first change. Conditions were not ideal for footy and this had a huge bearing on the standard of play where both sides were having difficulty in handling the ball cleanly, normal easy chest marks went to ground on many occasions as the game became fairly scrappy.
The second quarter was pretty even with both sides kicking two goals in this term. Both sides were hard at the ball as the conditions made a lot of deliveries miss their targets and turnovers were happening often. Charlton gained a small breakaway in the early part of the quarter to string their lead out to twenty five points before Boort struck back late when Gooding and Hodoras were able to convert for the Magpies, at the main break Charlton’s lead was 13-points and the game was in the balance.
After half time the players entered the playing area in dry but windy conditions and only minutes into the term heavy rain made difficult conditions worse as the slippery ball spent a fair bit of time on the ground. Marks were going to ground, passes by hand and foot were well off target and the only one on the ground keeping warm was the young boundary umpire who was working overtime. Charlton were able to somehow kick four majors and hold Boort to two goals and at the last break the Navy Blues held a 26-point lead.
Early goals in the last quarter to Carl Thiesz and Judd put the game out of reach of the Magpies who were held goalless, Mulquiny put if way out of reach when he put through the Navy Blues thirteenth for the day. Boort’s last term addition to the tally was a mere two points which seen them defeated by 43-points at full time. This loss has now ended the Magpies campaign to feature in the 2013 finals series as they sit 10-points in arrears of fourth placed Wedderburn. The four points gained by Charlton keeps them sitting at the top of the ladder on percentage and they have second and third placed teams keen to unseat them from this post in the coming weeks.
Final Scores: Charlton 13-7 def Boort 6-6=36
Best for Charlton: R. Thompson, C. Thiesz, J. McLean, B. Walklate, Sam O’Connor, A. Judd.
Goals: J. McGrath 4, C. Thiesz, R. Collins 2, Rest singles.
Best for Boort: N. Gooding, M. Hodoras, A. Wilson, J. Fitzpatrick, R. Easton, J. Kane.
Goals: M. Rice 3, N. Gooding 2, M. Hodoras 1.
St Arnaud vs Birchip-Watchem
St Arnaud had their sites on increasing their percentage when they took on the last placed Birchip-Watchem but they didn’t get it all their own way. Conditions at Lord Nelson Park restricted the Saints from achieving a large total. Rain, wind, slippery conditions made this game a slog for both sides, St Arnaud managed to kick two goals for the term but the wind pushed the ball across the face of the goals on many occasions and the points tally reached 5 by the quarters end. Birchip-Watchem goaled late in the quarter to keep within striking distance and at quarter time trailed the Saints by 9-points.
In the second quarter the Saints were able to kick away to a handy lead, but the Bulls would not go away and responded with two goals to Gilla and Casey. McNamee and Stewart put the Saints lead back out to over four goals late in the quarter and in poor conditions their 25-point lead was probably worth more in real terms. Dyke and Pupangamirri were both solid down back for the Saints while Batters and Reid were giving them plenty of opportunities to push the ball forward. Jake Noonan, Harrison Christie and Anderson were the main contributors for the Bulls in the opening half.
Birchip-Watchem came out after the break with a goal to reduce the Saints lead and put themselves into the game and within reach of gaining a win. Deep in the term this task was starting to look achievable as the Bulls reduced the Saints back below two goals. St Arnaud’s only goal in this quarter came just prior to the siren and this allowed a little bit of breathing space for the home side with the Saints taking a reduced lead of fourteen points to the last break.
In the last quarter, goals were rare, with only one goal being kicked this going to St Arnaud who also added another five points and their backline led by Sam Dyke held the Bulls to a single point for the quarter. The Bulls were in a good position one quarter out, but their more fancied opposition done what good sides do and played the game right out to collect another four points on their journey towards challenging for the Halfhide Cup in 2013.
While the conditions didn’t allow for any high scoring there was still plenty of endeavour shown by both sides but the Saints proved superior at full time running out winners by 24-points. For the Bulls this was an encouraging performance in what has been a season most would like to put behind them after their promising year in 2012.
Final scores: St Arnaud 8-16=64 def Birchip-Watchem 5-10= 40
Best for the Saints: S. Dyke, J. McNamee, B. Batters, L. Stewart, N. Reid, R. Pupangamirri, R. Tungatalum. Goals: J. McNamee 3, rest singles.
Best for the Bulls: J. Noonan, H. Christie, J. Smerdon, C. Taylor, B. Noonan, S. Anderson.
Goals all singles.
Donald vs Wycheproof-Narraport.
Donald and Wycheproof-Narraport put on a great show for the first term with the Royal Blues matching it with the third placed Demons. Their previous contests over the year have all been decided by two goals or less and this looked like it may happen again with the Royals leading by a point at quarter time.
Any thoughts the home side had of matching it with the Demons for the remaining three terms was extinguished quickly in this quarter. The Demons put the foot to the floor and kicked eight goals and held the depleted Donald side to just one point, giving the Demons a big lead of 48-point lead at the half way mark. Ricky Allan was in good form up forward being the major goal kicker for the Demons, Boe Bish and Corey Jones lifted their work rate to be amongst Wycheproof-Narraport’s best to this point. Baird, Anderson and Funcke were the main contributors for Donald but they were lacking up forward and were held goalless in this term.
Donald outscored the Demons in the third quarter but it did not help towards altering the inevitable result. Donald held the Demons goalless and only allowed them three points in the premiership term but their contribution would only be one goal greater than the Demons. The margin in favour of the Demons at the end of the third term was still seven goals and the Donald side still had the job in front of them, having only kicked three goals in the first three quarters.
It was all the Demons in the last term as they added another eight goals kicking to the end favoured by a strong wind. In the last half both sides were held goalless giving an indication of how strong that wind was and how hard it would have been kicking into it. Wycheproof-Narraports prime movers again stepped up to the plate, Jones, Allan and Bish all getting their share of possessions and adding to their goal tally’s and at full time they had run out convincing winners by 93-points and kept alive their strong chance at gaining the double chance at the end of the home and away. For the Royal Blues they have three remaining games in 2013 and their best chance of adding to their points tally comes in the next two weeks when they take on Boort and Birchip-Watchem, with their final game being against strong flag contender St Arnaud which may be out of their reach.
Final scores: Wycheproof-Narraport 18-9=117 def Donald 3-6=24
Best for the Demons: C. Jones, B. Bish, Jake White, Joel Turner, R. Allan and Jesse White.
Goals: R. Allan 6, C. Jones, B. Bish 3, S. Allan, N. Elliott and G. Turner 2 each.
Best for Donald: A. Baird, R. Funcke, L. Anderson, W. McAllister, B. Jennings, J. Heslop.
Goals: A. Baird, T. Bell, L. Jones.
Next Week
Boort v Donald
Wycheproof-Narraport v Wedderburn
Birchip-Watchem v Charlton
St Arnaud has the bye.
Last Modified on 05/08/2013 20:19