Brendan Lines 27-7-16

KAPUNDA has dealt a blow to Willaston with a 25-point victory in Saturday’s BL&G football clash that saw the Bombers take back a top-four spot.

Bombers’ coach Michael McCarthy was under no illusion about the importance of the high-stakes clash.

McCarthy remained calm and collected during the match, with his instructions clear: “don’t be one-dimensional – look competitive, I want composure and keep control”.

The Donnys’ finals hopes rested on taking victory and looked compromised without midfielder Josh Glenn.

Although the Bombers’ scalp would have been handy, coach Mal Greenwood was adamant “we still need to win another two to keep our chances alive”.

Willaston asserted its superior height at the centre clearances, but was unable to take possession of the ball.

The combination of Brad Taylor and Cameron Matters was quick to take the contest to ground level and set up the Bombers’ forwards.

Adam Jolly and Justin Zanandrea were the benefactors of their good work, scoring early.

At the other end, Kapunda’s Sam McKinnon and Leigh O’Donohue shut down the Donnys’ attack.

Jeremy Johncock kept his side within 10 points at the 20-minute mark, punishing the Bombers’ sloppy disposal.

But McKinnon was proving to be dangerous everywhere, scoring a goal in response, and by the first break the Bombers’ 22-point lead looked quite handy.

McCarthy implored his squad not to get too comfy with the margin as ‘50-50’ contests and disposals could trap the Bombers.

“I want composure, control and don’t panic,” he said.

David Allocca launched the Willaston response with the help of Lachlan Downing, posting majors that saw Willaston look on the rebound.

The home side had the measure of the Bombers as Tyson Irlam looked tidy around the midfield and second efforts by Downing kept up the pressure.

But it was short-lived and Greenwood’s frustration began to show as his team forgot the basics and allowed the opposition to find space.

As a result, Bomber forward Jolly posted two more goals to his match tally.

Greenwood would not accept his side’s lapse and at half-time urged them to “get that hunger, that belief, because this is the day that defines our season”.

The Bombers found their own hunger as Bradley Williams and Zanandrea displayed some midfield run to halt a Willaston comeback.

Subsequently, Williams and Zanandrea began to pile on the goals, along with Taylor and Brohdi Carracher as the margin blew out to 41 points.

Allocca displayed some fight early up forward for Willlaston, rounding out his four majors for the match.

But the Donnys’ defence began to fold again with goals to Zanandrea and Carracher.

The win was mission accomplished for the Bombers as they claimed victory and fourth spot on the table.

Willaston’s road to the finals got tougher, as it now has to take on third-placed Tanunda next week, which could decide the top four.

https://www.bunyippress.com.au/bombers-top-four-knockout/

Brendan Lines 6-7-2016

GAWLER Central dug deep to defeat a determined South Gawler by 33 points in Saturday’s BL&G footy suicide prevention round clash of the big cats.

Reeling from injuries after their Barossa District encounter, the Tigers were without key midfielders Luke Edwards and Jason Blakemore.

After thumping Freeling, coach Scott Lee’s Lions were hungry for another scalp, and continue pushing for the top four.

Pressure from South was on from the first bounce, and a tough, physical scrap continued all quarter.

The Lions were tenacious as Matthew Foldesdy and David Aldred led the attack.

South committed relentlessly to the 50/50 contests all over the ground.

Aldred’s marking up forward was proving to be a problem for the Tigers’ defence, yielding three goals for the match.

It took a combined effort of Bradley Mercer and Craig Taylor to mount a late response to keep the Tigers within a kick at quarter-time.

Anger was brooding from the Tigers’ coach’s box as Damien Herzick said “you are going to have to take on the contest against a side more desperate than you”.

Lee was upbeat, but realistic of the task ahead, calling for constant pressure at the 50/50 contests.

The claws were out as the Lions took the scrap right to the Tigers with the first major of the second term.

It was clear the Tigers needed new tactics.

Mercer joined the half-forward line, combining with Taylor, Thomas Dunne and Charlie Molyneux.
Goals to each saw the Tigers go into half-time ahead by nine points.

Happy with the intent at the contests, Lee reinforced the Lions’ resolve, saying “keep them working hard for their goals”.

Herzick asked his team for an immediate return to form, saying “show some more belief in what we’re doing”.

Central was back in the contest, in the third, and quelled the Lions’ confidence with an early goal off the back of efforts by Corey Solly.

The Lions’ resolve was now being tested by a more focused and accountable Tigers’ attack.

Momentum on the field teetered, as Matthew Naumann kept South to within two goals of the Tigers’ lead.

However, a goal on the three-quarter-time siren, by Mercer, gave Central the edge.

South kept up the assault, with goals to Nicholas White and Jack Millar reigning in the Tigers in the final term.

However, Mercer, Dunne and Daniel Stanley continued to direct traffic and score goals up forward for Central.

Late goals to Samuel Lee and Ben Kerr gave South a pulse, but that soon changed as Kirk Heberle shut down the Lions’ attack, delivering forward to Mercer and Dunne and icing the game.

https://www.bunyippress.com.au/lion-hearted-south-falls-short/

Brendan Lines 22-6-2016

GAWLER Central spearhead Brad Mercer was merciless in booting 13 goals, as his side crushed a hapless Angaston by 122 points in the weekend’s BL&G A grade football clash at the Dog Track.

The dominant win saw the Tigers post their biggest victory of the season with a new-look side.

The second half of the 2016 BL&G season kicked off with Tigers’ coach Damien Herzick fielding a team that featured five changes to the side that last played.
Among the changes were debutants Hayden Schloithe and Tyson Duffield.

Central’s big men asserted themselves early, with Craig Jamar dominating the centre clearances and Kirk Heberle setting up play from half-back.

However, Central was not as efficient going forward as their coach might have liked.
Angaston offered resistance with defenders Jamahl McKenzie, Jack Miles and Alexander Brackstone committing to the cause.

The Tigers’ forward harassment eventually paid off, with Charlie Molyneaux scoring the first of his three majors for the match.
Goals began to pile on for the Tigers, with Brad Mercer and Corey Solly enjoying some fine forward delivery.

By the 18-minute mark of the first quarter, Angaston had still not made an inside-50 entry. In the end, the Panthers scored one goal in the first term as the Tigers established a 29-point lead.

Panthers’ coach Paul Sherwood demanded
a response, urging his players to “react and pick up your man; I want aggressive accountability”.

The Tigers remained on the front foot, with Molyneaux scoring early, despite Brackstone’s handy marking in defence for the Panthers.

Mercer scored two goals out of five for the quarter, but the Panthers remained competitive with two majors to McKenzie.

Brandon Downie staved off the Panthers’ attacks and looks to be a player of the future for the Tigers.
Mercer continued to capitalise for the Tigers and, by half-time, the lead had stretched out to 63 points.

Sherwood implored his squad to “keep up the hard work and man up” and Angaston responded, steadying with poise up forward to score through John Roesler and Jack Miles.
Mercer had his own agenda piling on another five goals for the quarter and the Panthers had no match for him.

By three-quarter-time, the margin was 84 points and, showing no quarter, Herzick told his players to “make the most of the opportunity and win it the right way”.
Central applied pressure with direct kicking and maintainance of possession, and Molyneaux, Mercer and Edwards led by example with plenty of goals.

Forward pressure was provided by clearances from Jamar and some handy play by Schloithe across half- forward.
The Panthers will be licking their wounds this week, as they prepare to play Willaston.
The victory came at a slight cost for the Tigers, with Jason Blakemore leaving the game having aggravated a shoulder injury and in some doubt as his side prepares for a top-of-the-table contest against Barossa District this Saturday.

https://www.bunyippress.com.au/merciless-tigers-drill-panthers/

Brendan Lines 8-6-2016

SATURDAY’S BL&G clash of the big cats saw Gawler Central post its biggest winning margin for the 2016 season, dominating the reigning premiers Nuriootpa in a 107-point demolition at the dog track.

Giving their counterparts no quarter, Central coach Damien Herzick was exuberant about his squad’s current performance and called upon his charges to respond “from the first bounce, get it done”.

Nuri offered early resistance, getting some momentum through Jason Rodda across half-forward.

The Barossa Tigers’ forward targets were getting the ball, but did not capitalise on their chances.

Ben Walter staved off the early charge by Nuri, posting Central on the scoreboard first.

Nuri showed poise in response, looking more systematic when using the ball.

Barossa Tiger big man Duncan Cragg-Sapsford made effective defensive clearances to set up play forward, and consecutive goals to Rodda and Jordan Robertson soon came.

Central kept on the attack with commendable second efforts from Charlie Molyneux delivering scoring opportunities to Thomas Dunne, Brad Mercer and Kyle Wurst to put the Tigers 26 points ahead at quarter-time.

Nuri senior coach Allan Norton was happy with his side’s early pressure and told his team to “be accountable all over the ground”.

Craig Jamar and Dunne kept Gawler Central on the front foot as the pressure forward became more consistent.

Asserting their authority, the Tigers made earlier efforts look like mere stalking upon their prey as they now went in for the kill.

Opening up a full-frontal attack, Central established a 40-point lead by the 10-minute mark of the second quarter, with Mercer and Dunne contributing five goals towards their collective 12 for the match.

With the Nuri defence working overtime, its forwards barely saw the ball as they afforded only three inside-50 opportunities for the quarter.

Central commanded a 74-point lead at the main break.

The proverbial premiership quarter yielded just that performance from Gawler Central, as Herzick asked for “business as usual”.

Luke Edwards, Jamar and Dunne kept up the assault as the lead blew out to 90 points.

Corey Solly kept pressure in defence assertive, he also posted two majors for the match.

Even though the match was a done deal, Herzick asked for no complacency as he said “you’ve still got to limit their scoring”.

Nuri was no match as it succumbed to the happy hunting of Central in the final quarter as the Tigers posted an easy victory with five goals in the final term.

But the tidy victory is not without its losses, as Central key player Joel Latimer was sidelined for the match with a hamstring injury.

Nuri has a long way to go if it is to threaten any opposition this season, while Central is going from strength to strength and will be sure to carry its form into next round’s match against Angaston after the bye.

https://www.bunyippress.com.au/central-reigns-supreme/

Brendan Lines 18-5-16

A RESURGENT Tanunda put aside last week’s defeat, posting a 31-point victory in Saturday’s clash against Willaston in a tight Barossa, Light & Gawler football contest.

Early on, the contest was riveting as Josh Glenn and Jeremy Johncock scored to open a 12-point gap for Willaston.

Tanunda attempted a response, but Willaston’s Shaun Childs led his back six well, marking strongly and mounting the defensive clearances.

The congested defence was then broken up by the Magpies’ running game.

The combination of Jake Snowden and Ben Gordon put the Maggies on the scoreboard, but the Donnys led by seven points at quarter-time.

Willaston coach Mal Greenwood praised his squad’s early efforts, despite wanting more from them.

He said the side was “giving the ball up too easily in our transitions”.

The message was clear from Maggies’ coach Craig Griffiths: “tight in the backs; open in the forwards and don’t let up”.

Willaston found the early momentum again, with goals to Glenn and Stuart Ferenci.

Frustration showed at centre clearances for the Donnys as Tanunda began to break forward.

With early goals, brothers in arms Luke and Jake Snowden swooped in for the Maggies to hit the lead.

The momentum had swung, as goals came to Dion Dutschke and Leigh Westhoff, ensuring the Maggies went into half-time with a 27-point lead.

Craig Griffiths encouraged his team’s efforts and told his squad to go forward “with belief now, we’re turning over a new leaf and it’s just feeling really good”.

Greenwood asked his team to respond and to get the game back on their terms.

David Alloca and Sam Walton headed the Donnys’ response, while Glenn got his side back in the lead by five points at the 12-minute mark of the third term.

The defensive game continued to tighten and tensions flowed over before the last change.

Greenwood said “it’s exciting, you responded to my question. This is a challenge for this club”.

But it was “belief” that Craig Griffiths sought and that’s what he got.

A running game resulted in a flood of goals to Jake Snowden and Lachlan Agars.

The Donnys could only score one major for the final term as Tanunda took victory in convincing fashion.

Willaston will now have to make up lost ground when it takes on Freeling this Saturday, whilst also awaiting the outcome of a knee injury to Shaun Baker.

Griffiths showed pride in his team’s united effort, saying “their focus on the footy was terrific for four quarters”.

https://www.bunyippress.com.au/magpies-bounce-back/