Redbacks’ quick march leaves Saints stunned

WEDDERBURN’S superiority over a struggling St Arnaud was on show from the opening bounce of Saturday’s North Central league clash at Donaldson Park.

The Redbacks went straight into attack with an offline shot at goal by Danny Benaim immediately followed by Sam Barnes and Robert Whyman kicks part of the early inaccuracy.

Then Benaim cracked the goal-kicking code two minutes in, then was part of an exciting passage started by Whyman on the flank that brought up another behind, Soon after, Tom Campbell found Jordan Rosengren who slotted accurately through the sticks.

Three minutes into the game and Wedderburn had six scoring shots. The Redbacks were tackling hard, able to keep play deep in their forward zone.

Rosengreen, Mitch McEwen, Benaim and Hamish Lockhart were creating play and often space.

A sloppy turnover in the centre allowed Harley Durward to send St Arnaud forward for the first time only to see the ball back in Wedderburn’s zone and two quick goals off the boot of Barnes.

Another brief foray forward by St Arnaud was quickly turned over and had McEwen hooking a major.

Wedderburn’s dominance in the centre - Jordan Hargreaves on top in the ruck, Lowry and Rosengreen always at the ready - had Barnes finding goals again as he signalled the march to a grand day that would see him with a haul of 11 goals.

Durward would kick St Arnaud’s only goal - and only score of the term - at the 18 minute mark.

Play was so one-sided in the first term, that all 36 players were in the forward half as the quarter played out.

St Arnaud tried to bottle play in the centre from the second quarter bounce and limited space available to Wedderburn.

Both sides would add two goals and, again, accuracy was plaguing Wedderburn as it went against a two-goal breeze.

Benaim’s early goal on the turn was vintage splendour - mark not paid, immediate recovery and snap.

Seniors

GOALS - Donald: S. Dunstan 4, R. Young 2, R. McGough, R. Bath, J. Talty, B. Grant. Nullawil: J. Humphreys 3, D. Smith 2, Z. Caccaviello, A. Thomson, M. Quigley.

BEST - Donald: R. Young, D. Bell-Warren, J. Wallin, J. Potter, H. Geddes, J. Papalia. Nullawil Seniors: D. Isbister, P. Kelly, J. Casey, D. Smith, J. Bamford, D. Watts.

St Arnaud also lifted when the Redbacks were temporarily unsettled when forward Rhordan Holt left the ground with an injured shoulder.

Anthony Bourke was a livewire for the Saints and was rewarded with a goal.

Whatever vigour was still left in the Saints’ engine evaporated in the second half.

They were held to one goal in the third term as Wedderburn piled on an accurate and tidy 11.3.

And the final term brought even less comfort with the Redbacks holding their visitors scoreless and adding six goals and the offline nine behinds.

Owen Lowe, Matthew Goode and Wil- liam Bertalli were also among the Saints who tried hard to combat Wedderburn’s systematic disposal of a side that has struggled all season. z The return from injury of Matthew Chisari and Shane Biggs was not enough for Boort to combat Birchip Watchem.

The Pies were reasonably competitive in the opening term against a Bulls outfit shaping up for a tilt at the premiership. However, still without Nathan Twigg and their other bigman Cam Ross also out on Saturday, the Pies were always facing a tough task.

Chisari and regular best players McGhie and Davis were in the action all day. Biggs finished with two goals.

Stick to plan and upset could be on cards

DEBUTANTE club Nullawil’s season could have an attack of the jitters heading into finals.

The Demons on Saturday face off against a Wedderburn outfit playing better than when the two clashed back on the King’s Birthday weekend at Donaldson Park.

Nullawil set up a seven-point win that day with a better second quarter. Adam Thomson kicked six of the side’s 11 goals.

In this week’s penultimate home and

SENIORS

75 - (4) - Sam Dunstan - Donald round, Nulliwil is coming off a second slender loss to Donald, the Redbacks from an even more comprehensive win over St Arnaud.

What sets Wedderburn of August apart from the side two months ago is the form of coach Sam Barnes in front of goals, the return of ruckman Jordan Hargreaves and a settled line up.

Last weekend, the Redbacks showed the massive gulf between mid-sides in the league and the bottom by sticking

In Front Of Goal

69 - (11) - Ben Edwards - Birchip Watchem

50 - (10) - Sam Barnes - Wedderburn

39 - (0) - Billy Mcinnes - Sea Lake Nandaly

38 - (1) - Nathan Gordon - Birchip Watchem

36 - (0) - Nick Thompson - Charlton

36 - (1) - Adam Thomson - Nullawil

32 - (2) - Tom Campbell - Wedderburn

31 - (7) - Joshua Jenkins - Sea Lake Nandaly

29 - (5) - John Summerhayes - Sea Lake N

29 - (2) - Daniel Castellano - Birchip Watchem

RESERVES

44 - (0) - Billy Poulton - Sea Lake Nandaly

38 - (4) - Callum Goode - Birchip Watchem

35 - (1) - Patrick O’Rourke - Boort

32 - (0) - Ben Brennan - Wycheproof,

30 - (5) - Gerald Riley - Wedderburn

27 - (0) - Sam Goldsmith - Nullawil mostly to their plan. Saturday’s encounter is the chance to demonstrate they are possibly the best side outside the four.

The tough run for Boort should come to a end when the Pies take on St Arnaud at Lord Nelson Park.

It will be the opportunity for Dale Cameron’s charge to put together four good quarters.

The Saints will try but even an injurydepleted Boort will have the edge in skill and speed.

LODDON HERALD TIPS

St Arnaud v Boort

Nullawil v Wedderburn

Sea Lake Nandaly v

GOALS - Wedderburn: S. Barnes

J. Rosengren 4, D. Benaim 3, J. McEwen, H. Lockhart, T. Campbell 2, R. Whyman, L. Holt, M. McEwen, C. Lowry. St Arnaud: A. Bourke, H. Durward 2.

BEST - Wedderburn: J. Rosengren, J. Jones, I. Holt, M. Mcewen, T. Campbell, S. Barnes. St Arnaud: O. Lowe, M. Goode, W. Bertalli, H. Durward, D. Gifford, R. Burke. Boort

Watchem

(39)

(134)

GOALS - Boort: S. Biggs 2, L. Dowdle, J. Fitzpatrick, H. Weaver, E. Coleman. Birchip Watchem: B. Edwards 11, M. Rippon, D. Castellano 2, D. Hinkley, P. Sheahan, N. Gordon, S. Simmons, N. Rippon.

BEST - Boort: M. Chisari, R. McGhie, A. Davis, A. Trethowan, S. Green, M. Hodoras. Birchip Watchem: N. Rippon, M. Rippon, P. Sheahan, S. Simmons, N. Gordon, S. Hogan.

Wycheproof N 1.1 2.2 2.4 2.5 (17)

(169)

GOALS - Wycheproof Narraport: R. Allan, G. Hommelhoff. Sea Lake Nandaly: J. Jenkins 7, J. Summerhayes 5, T. McKenzie 4, B. Poulton, W. Simpson 2, R. O’Sullivan, J. Wright, M. Farrelly, C. Cox.

BEST - Wycheproof Narraport: G. Hommelhoff, T. Trewin, J. Walsh, S. Allan, R. Allan, J. Bateson. Sea Lake Nandaly: J. Jenkins, T. Cox, M. Farrelly, J. Summerhayes, J. Poulton, T. McKenzie.

Reserves

- Sea Lake Nandaly: D. Hickey 6, D. Bailey

C. Tait, R. Mcclelland, J. Hatcher, J. Donnan, E. Ellis 2, J. Newick, C. Allan 1, J. Trewick, C. Elliott, R. McGarry.

BEST - Wycheproof Narraport: D. Murray, X. McKersie, R. Jones, L. Bish, H. Fawcett, B. McCarthy. Sea Lake Nandaly: W. Conlan, J. Donnan, C. Tait, D. Hickey, C. Elliott, A. Collins.

- Wedderburn: G. Riley 5, J. Piccoli, C. Hargreaves, A. Younghusband 2, G. Herbert, L. Price, A. Roberts, C. Lang, R. Butters. St Arnaud: N. Gorrie 3, C. Snell.

BEST - Wedderburn: D. Keuken, C. Lang, R. Butters, J. Piccoli, G. Riley, A. Brett. St Arnaud: R. Burke, R. Kirk, J. Patching, H. Darby, W. Deason, J. Needs.

(26)

(98)

GOALS - Donald: S. Sellick 2, T. Letts, T. O’Shannessy. Nullawil: N. Williams 4, M. Barry, B. Forrester, G. Forrester, J. Taylor 2, A. Forrester.

BEST - Donald: B. Griffiths, E. Landwehr, N. Clark, K. Green, J. Adams, D. Gowlett. Nullawil: J. Taylor, D. Kelly, J. Barry, M. Hogan, N. Williams, M. Barry.

Boort 2.0 2.1 4.2 6.2 (38)

Birchip Watchem 3.1 5.2 9.4 14.5 (89)

GOALS - Boort: N. McNally 3, J. Coleman, D. Hatcher, P. O’Rourke. Birchip Watchem: C. Goode 4, D. Batarilo 3, T. Batarilo, J. Goldsmith 2, L. Randall, B. Baxter, J. Ryan.

BEST - Boort: N. McNally, J. Sheahan, C. Ross, J. Kerr, M. Buchanan, J. Coleman. Birchip Watchem

Reserves: T. Batarilo, D. Batarilo, T. Colbert, J. Ryan, J. Noonan, M. Finster.