Pies overcome Chisari hamstring blow

THE LOSS of key onballer Matthew

Chisari was soon covered by Boort on its way to claiming the major scalp on Donald on Saturday.

The ruck-rover had kicked two goals when he pulled a hamstring in the second term and will miss at least a week of action.

But the Pies had depth, led by the debut return game of Jono Lanyon, that saw it master windy conditions at Donald and repel attempts at a last-term fightback by the Royals.

Dale Cameron’s outfit was not going to succumb to an opponent for a second week. The lessons of the draw against Wycheproof Narraport obviously ready to be heeded.

Lanyon was masterful in the centre all day while McLaren and Fitzpatrick were no slouches sending Boort into attacked.

The Pies trailed by five points at the first change. Donald kicking with the breeze was inaccurate, missing multiple easy shots.

From the second quarter, Boort stepped up to wrestle the lead and keep an advantage despite Royals’ ruck-rover Ross Young, Barrack and Hards working hard to prevent surges into attack.

The game developed into whose defence could win the turnovers with numbers behind the ball.

Cameron made a few tweaks at the main break, one of the most telling was to switch Alex Davis from full back to the

In Front Of Goal

- Cody Green - Wycheproof Narraport

- Daniel Castellano - Birchip-Watchem

Adam Thomson - Nullawil

RESERVES

11 - (5) - Patrick O’Rourke - Boort 11 - (4) - Callum Goode - Birchip Watchem

10 - (1) - Ben Brennan - Wycheproof N 10 - (1) - Sam Goldsmith - Nullawil

8 - (8) - Joseph McGrath - Charlton

7 - (3) - Billy Poulton - Sea Lake Nandaly

7 - (0) - Gerald Riley - Wedderburn

7 - (1) - Jason Perry - Nullawil forward zone, That netted Davis three goals in the second half.

Ruckman Nathan Twigg was again stellar, running the last two quarters on his own after Wilson pulled a groin.

As hard as Donald tried to clog play, Boort found ways to dictate terms and edge away after holding a one-point lead at the last change.

Cameron said he was happy with the intensity of tackling shown by the Pies last Saturday.

“We wanted the ball more at the end of the day,” he said.

But he sounded a warning - Donald this season remains a better side than its current lowly ladder position and deserves respect from all teams.

THIS SATURDAY

St Arnaud v Wycheproof Narraport Birchip Watchem v Donald Boort v Wedderburn Nullawil v Charlton

(16) Birchip Watchem

(126)

GOALS - Wycheproof Narraport: C. Green, B. Bish. Birchip Watchem: D. Castellano 5, L. Foott, B. Edwards 3, C. Wilson, N. Gordon, W. Marks, L. Ryan, B. Hogan, M. Rippon, B. Christodoulou.

BEST - Wycheproof Narraport: J. Walsh, K. Hommelhoff, D. Horbury, J. Kenny, L. Van Schaik, A. Bateson. Birchip Watchem: N. Rippon, M. Rippon, J. Reid, W. Marks, L. Foott, L. Ryan.

Reserves

GOALS - Donald: K. Green, A. Schofield, J. Talty. Boort: P. O’Rourke 5, M. Hodoras, K. Streader, E. Coleman 2, W. Toose, C. ORourke, J. Mulquiny. BEST - Donald: B. Walker, G. Beckham, T. Grant, K. Green, J. Talty, D. Hawkes. Boort: M. Hodoras, K. Streader, P. O’Rourke, E. Coleman, C. Ross, J. Sheahan.

GOALS - Sea Lake: D. Hickey, B. Poulton 3, D. Bailey, J. Clohesy. Nullawil: C. Fawcett 2, M. Poyner, S. Goldsmith, J. Perry.

BEST - Sea Lake Nandaly: C. Noonan, L. McClelland, C. Roberts, W. Conlan, J. Trewick, A. Collins.

Nullawil: C. Fawcett, J. Morrison, A. Forrester, D. Kelly, L. Braine, M. Hogan.

Wycheproof N 2.0 4.4 4.4 4.7 (31)

Birchip Watchem 3.0 6.1 9.3 10.6 (66)

GOALS - Wycheproof Narraport: H. Fawcett 3, B. Brennan. Birchip Watchem: T. Wiantara, C. Goode 4, R. Doran 2.

BEST - Wycheproof Narraport: J. Ison, M. Hall, A. Zuk, D. Murray, H. Fawcett. Birchip Watchem: J. Noonan, A. Noonan, M. Rickard, C. Goode, T. Wiantara.

8.9 12.11 (83)

St Arnaud 1.2 4.2 4.5 6.5 (41)

GOALS - Charlton: J. McGrath 8, D. Whykes 2, B. Sexton, B. Dixon. St Arnaud: N. Coghlan 4, R. Kirk, T. Ward. Charlton: T. Catherine, J. McGrath,

D. Whykes, B. Sexton, R. Welch, J. Lanyon.

St Arnaud: B. Hammerstein, N. Coghlan, J. Kell, N. Gorrie, H. Bryce, S. Elliott.