Rotations benched as injuries take toll

MATCH injuries to Matthew Chisari and Harry Weaver cruelled Boort’s game plan in Saturday’s clash against Birchip Watchem.

Chisari, just back from hamstring injury, left the ground early in the first quarter after being tackled. He is expected to be out for several weeks with the shoulder injury.

And when Weaver hobbled from the ground about 15 minutes later, coach Dale Cameron was rejigging the player board as Birchip capitalised on the disruption with several easy goals.

But Boort clawed its way back into the game throughout the second quarter to be just two goals down at the main break.

The visiting Pies continued momentum into the third term. Ruckman Nathan Twigg was on his way to another best-on-ground performance this year and Boort’s defence was coping under the intense pressure of the Bulls. Then the Bulls came charging, finding ways to goal as Boort was reduced to just one player on the bench, rotations difficult to implement and the Pies’ forward structure unable to convert.

Gordon, Rippon and Castellano showed how potent the Bulls are up forward. Gordon would be named their best in what finally became a 51-point win.

The magnititude of victory, however, was only achieved in the final term when the Bulls piled on five goals and held Boort to a single behind.

Pies’ coach Dale Cameron later rated Birchip as the best side they’ve played so far this season.

While the reigning premiers had a sluggish start, Cameron says the Bulls are back on the rise. “We keep showing we can match other sides but on Saturday we just ran out of puff”

League newcomers will encounter red hot welcome

NULLAWIL has had pretty much a dream start to its debut North Central League season.

The Maroons jumped premiers Birchip Watchem in the opening round and sit second on the ladder with their only losses to Donald and Sea Lake Nandaly.

That second loss came against the Navies last Saturday and in the King’s Birthday weekend round travel to Donaldson Park to tackle Wedderburn.

The Redbacks have had some bright

SENIORS

29 - (4) - Sam Dunstan - Donald patches amid team injuries and absences. The return of ruckman Jordan Hargreaves has already elevated optimism for the second half of the season.

Sam Barnes’ big challenge will be to have his charges minimising effectiveness of Nullawil’s Thomson and Farmer around goals while across the midfield, creating an open and direct style to feed the ball forward to himself and Danny Benaim.

The Redbacks, if they can muster four

In Front Of Goal

27 - (0) - Ben Edwards - Birchip Watchem

22 - (2) - Billy Mcinnes - Sea Lake Nandaly

19 - (1) - Gedd Hommelhoff - Wycheproof N

19 - (1) - Adam Thomson - Nullawil

19 - (4) - Mitch Farmer - Nullawil

18 - (4) - Sam Barnes - Wedderburn

17 - (4) - Nathan Gordon - Birchip Watchem

17 - (3) - Daniel Castellano - Birchip Watchem

16 - (4) - Tom Campbell - Wedderburn

14 - (1) - Cody Green - Wycheproof Narraport RESERVES

21 - (10) - Billy Poulton - Sea Lake Nandaly

20

- (2) - Callum Goode - Birchip Watchem

18 - (6) - Sam Goldsmith - Nullawil

16 - (0) - Ben Brennan - Wycheproof- N

15 - (3) - Gerald Riley - Wedderburn

13 - (1) - Patrick O’Rourke - Boort consistent quarters, could pull off an upset. A win would draw Wedderburn level on points with the Maroons.

Meanwhile, a strengthened Boort should have a percentage booster against St Arnaud.

Shane Biggs and Jono Lanyon are expected to be in the line-up and give coach Dale Cameron the chance to develop a better forward structure.

St Arnaud will keep coming hard but the Pies will be in a different class.

THIS SATURDAY

LODDON HERALD TIPS

Boort v St Arnaud

Wedderburn v Nullawil

Donald v Sea Lake Nandaly

Wycheproof Narraport v Charlton

Birchip Watchem bye

GOALS - Nullawil: M. Farmer 4, A. Casey, L. Caccaviello, A. Thomson, D. Putt. Donald: S. Dunstan 4, R. Bath, B. Grant, H. Geddes, R. Barrack, K. Bell.

BEST - Nullawil: P. Kelly, L. Caccaviello, B. Forrester, D. Putt, J. Humphreys, A. Casey. Donald: R. Barrack, J. Wallin, J. Potter, J. Wall, R. O’Shannessy, R. Bath.

GOALS - Birchip Watchem: N. Gordon 4, N. Rippon, D. Castellano 3, L. Foott 2, P. Sheahan. Boort: B. Aitken, E. Coleman 2, J. Fitzpatrick.

BEST - Birchip Watchem: N. Gordon, J. Builder, P. Sheahan, L. Ryan, D. Castellano, S. Simmons. Boort: N. Twigg, K. Wilson, R. McGhie, J. Starr, K. Padula, E. Coleman.

GOALS - Sea Lake Nandaly: B. McInnes, T. McKenzie 2, J. Summerhayes, W. Simpson, L. McClelland, A. Mertz, C. Cox. Wycheproof Narraport: G. Hommelhoff, A. Bateson, C. Green, M. Beckmans, H. Connolly.

BEST - Sea Lake Nandaly: J. Poulton, T. Donnan, R. Osullivan, L. Martin, K. Donnan, J. Wright. Wycheproof Narraport: G. Hommelhoff, D. Horbury, J. Bateson, A. Bateson, J. Bish, H. Connolly.

(101)

GOALS - St Arnaud: J. Hicks 2, B. Organ, N. Coghlan, J. Male. Wedderburn: S. Barnes, T. Campbell 4, R. Whyman 3, D. Benaim 2, D. Jackson, H. Lockhart. BEST - St Arnaud: H. Durward, W. Bertalli, M. Goode, S. Male, B. Organ, M. Birthisel. Wedderburn: L. Holt, H. Lockhart, S. Lockhart, D. Jackson, A. Postle, S.

Reserves

GOALS - Birchip Watchem: C. Goode 2, B. Baxter. Boort: W. Toose 3, N. McNally, F. Holland 2, P. O’Rourke, D. Hatcher, J. Mulquiny, C. O’Rourke, N. Gooding.

BEST - Birchip Watchem: J. Noonan, J. Liston, J. Goldsmith, A. Samuels, L. Randall. Boort: M. Hodoras, J. Hall, M. Kane, C. Ross, F. Holland, N. McNally.

(88)

(54)

- St Arnaud: W. Jackson, R. Kirk 3, J. Kell, Z. Notting, H. McNally 2, K. Torney. Wedderburn: G. Riley 3, J. Hayes, C. Lang, J. Piccoli, M. Lockhart.

- St Arnaud: W. Jackson, J. Kell, R. Kirk, S. Elliott, Z. Notting, Z. MacDonald. Wedderburn: F. Turnbull, M. Smith, M. Lockhart, J. Hayes, J. Falconer, C. Cunningham.

Nullawil 7.3 9.5 14.10 16.12 (108)

Donald 0.4 0.5 0.5 3.6 (24)

GOALS - Nullawil: S. Goldsmith 6, J. Taylor 5, N. Williams 3, J. Bowyer, J. Perry. Donald: K. Green 2, G. Pearse.

BEST - Nullawil: J. Taylor, D. Kelly, J. Bowyer, S. Goldsmith, L. Braine, J. Perry. Donald: K. Green, G. Beckham, J. Talty, B. Griffiths, J. Heslop, N. Berry.

Sea Lake N 5.2 8.5 12.8 17.12 (114)

Wycheproof N 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (0)

GOALS - Sea Lake Nandaly: B. Poulton 10, B. Crowe 3, D. Bailey, R. McGarry, N. Wight, J. Clohesy.

BEST - Sea Lake Nandaly: B. Poulton, C. Roberts, C. Tait, M. Cahoon, B. Crowe, D. Hickey. Wycheproof Narraport: J. Caulfield, K. Henshaw, . , X. McKersie, T. Metcalf, M. Hall.

Seniors

GOALS - Maiden Gully: C. Walsh 2, H. McCartney, T. Birch, T. Miles, C. Hale, D. Wust. Bears Lagoon Serpentine: R. Prendergast, D. Poulter, H. Gadsden 2, C. Draper, J. Bailey, N. Kemp.

BEST - Maiden Gully: J. McDonald, T. Miles, C. Walsh, J. Magnusson, D. Wust, W. Noden. Bears Lagoon Serpentine: D. Poulter, J. Laird, J. Hancock, C. Gadsden, J. Taig, O. Downing.

GOALS - Mitiamo: L. Lougoon, R. Varcoe. Marong: B. Grenfell 9, M. Riordan, K. Robins 4, R. Taylor 3, K. Manley 2, N. Devanny, W. Gadsden, J. McCaig, M. Bradbury, N. McCaig, J. Gadsden.

BEST - Mitiamo: L. Lougoon, R. Turner, E. Spiers, z. Tuohey, D. Clohesy, W. Draper. Marong: K. Manley, N. Devanny, M. Bradbury, N. McCaig, J. Gadsden, L. Lee.

Hill 3.6 6.17 9.21 16.26 (122) Newbridge 0.0 1.0 2.1 4.1 (25)

GOALS - Pyramid Hill: M. Dingwall 4, W. Perryman, B. George 3, Z. Alford 2, R. Delamare, J. Sheahan, J. Woodward, S. Relouw. Newbridge: C. Sanders 2, D. Romer, S. Gale.