Donald v Wycheproof-Narraport
Donald who were coming off the bye were first to record a major score when Seamus Young got the Royal Blues away to a good start. The Donald side used the ball really well in this opening quarter and they were winning the ball at both ends of the ground. Donald also produced the next two goals to give them a good lead just past the half way mark of the first period and looked set to take a good lead to the first break but some inaccurate kicking restricted that to 16-points. Wycheproof-Narraport took a while to find their feet and was able to kick two goals late in the term to keep them in the contest.
It was a different Demons side in the second quarter as they regained their form from previous weeks and this resulted in them kicking seven goals for the period to turn a sixteen point deficit into a 13-point lead with Ricky Allan and Ben Brennan both scoring two goals each. Boe Bish and George Turner started to win a lot of the ball which gave the Demons they were looking for and for Donald their better players to half time were Luke Fisher, Glenn Wyatt and veteran Ross Funcke.
Donald set about pulling back the lead of the Demons and again it was Young who kick started their revival. The Royal Blues tightened up in their defence to cut off the Demons supply and once again if they had have kicked straight they would have been in a handy position at the end of the term but it wasn’t to be as they added 3-6 to their tally and the Demons could only add one major to their half time score. Donald went to the last huddle holding a slender five point lead and it would take a big effort to hold off the Demons who have been finishing their games rather well in past weeks.
With plenty riding on the outcome for both sides they both had plenty to play for. The Demons has won their past four games and were hoping to add another scalp in the endeavour to get a top four post and they were able to fulfil their wish list with an eleven point win. Donald gave their all in the final period but just was unable to match it with the Demons who are certainly riding on a purple patch and taking full advantage. The win of the Demons now sees them move from fifth to third on the premiership ladder and this could have been a better position only for dropping some games in the early part of the year by narrow margins. Ben Brennan was best for the Demons with George Turner and Boe Bish lending some solid support. The Royal Blues coach in Luke Fisher was again their best player and he gained good support from veteran Ross Funcke and Glenn Wyatt.
Ricky Allan and Ben Brennan kicked four goals each for the Demons and Seamus Young four goals and Luke Fisher two were the major scorers for the Royal Blues.
Final Scores Wycheproof-Narraport 14-8=92 def Donald 11-15=81
Wedderburn v Birchip-Watchem
Both sides entered this contest coming off a win and with some renewed confidence as both had found it hard to get a win in recent matches prior to recording wins in last week’s round of matches. This game started at a frantic pace with both sides throwing everything into the contest to win the ball for their side. Wedderburn were first to kick the scoring into the play with Ben DeAraugo continuing his good form in front of the big sticks. The Bulls struck back through Castellano who was lively around the packs in their scoring zone and he didn’t have to wait long for another opportunity and he posted his second goal. The Redbacks suffered to game ending injuries in the opening ten minutes of the game and this would play a big part in their rotations for the remainder of the game. Score were close to even at the end of the first term with the Redbacks holding a one point lead.
Birchip-Watchem played the better football in this quarter to add three goals with Barnard getting the first of the term with Gilmore and Ratcliffe chiming in for goals to give the Bulls the lead at the main stoppage hold a nine point lead, Benaim was the only one to raise the two flags for the Redbacks in this quarter. Ratcliffe, Greaney and Hinkley were the main contributors for the Bulls while Wedderburn’s best were Nathan Holt, Nathan Bell and Luke Hammond. Wedderburn’s Brett Strange and The Bulls Zac Holmes were having a great battle in the ruck with both players being name for their efforts.
Wedderburn with a small deficit to pull back were set back when Castellano extended their lead. With a bit more to do the Redbacks set about the task in fine fashion when Hammond kicked a long goal this was followed by a goal to Rosa and Nathan Holt kicked their third to give the home side the lead. This fired up the Bulls and they run the quarter out better and in so kick four goals with Ratcliffe kicking two of those goals and at three quarter time Birchip-Watchem led the match by 23-points.
Hammond who was best afield for the Redbacks again showed his class when he weaved his way through the opposition to post the Redbacks first goal in the final term to give them a chance to vie for the four points. Smith for the Bulls put that on hold for the time with a great goal. Wedderburn got back with eight points late in the period but the Bulls found some fresh legs to again push their lead out to 23-points which would be the final margin. Ratcliffe kicked four goals and was named the Bulls best with Holmes and Greaney getting a special mention for the Redbacks Nathan Holt was named best with Hammond and Phelan being those to rate high for the home side.
Final score Birchip-Watchem 13-11=89 def Wedderburn 10-6=66
St Arnaud v Charlton
The opening term of this match was even with both sides showing their class a various stages of the first term. St Arnaud welcomed back Daniel Needs returning from injury and Lachlan Cunningham for his first game. St. Arnaud held a one goal advantage over the Navy Blues at the end of the quarter in a contest that was entertaining for the supporters from both sides.
In the second quarter neither side was able to get a break on their opposition as they both posted six second quarter goals. Nick Coghlan was back to his best and was making the best of his team’s efforts when he was able to post three goals for the term at the other end Joe McGrath was continuing his good form in front of goals to also kick three for the term.
At half time the margin between the two sides was still 6-points with the Saints retaining that narrow margin. Gavan Vassallo, Nick Baldwin, Luke Wells and Nick Coghlan were better players for the Saints and for the Navy Blues, Vigus, Aaron Walklate, Zane Sullivan and the O’Connor Brothers were among their better players to rate a mention.
St Arnaud came out firing after the long break and took control of the game to kick out to a handy lead with Coghlan and Needs kicking the Saints towards a winning score. Charlton could only add two goals for the period with Thiesz and Tormey recording goals, to keep the Saints lead to a gettable target, that being 32 points at the final change.
The final quarter proved to be similar to three other terms in this game that were even with only the third term breaking the pattern when the saints got the lead that would see them collect another four points and hold onto top spot. In the end the Charlton side won the final term but the margin from three quarter time was only reduced by just the one point. St Arnaud deserved their win and was not going to have a repeat of the two sides round two contest, when the navy Blues run out winners by 17-points. St Arnaud’s major goal kickers were Nick Coughlan 6 goals and Daniel Needs 4, for the Navy Blues Joe McGrath was their major goal scorer with 5 and Daniel Thiesz and Sam O’Connor getting three each.
Better players for St Arnaud were Vassallo, Baldwin and Wells and the Navy Blues were best served by Mark Vigus, Aaron Walklate and Zane Sullivan.
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Final scores St Arnaud 21-8=134 def Charlton 16-7=106
Next Week
Charlton v Donald
Birchip-Watchem v St Arnaud
Boort v Wedderburn
Wycheproof-Narraport has the bye.
Last Modified on 15/06/2015 13:41