Home patch heros give blistering performance

By CHRIS EARL

DOMINANT onballers and goal-front flamboyancy saw Wedderburn take out Saturday’s Loddon Derby over Boort.

The Redbacks used the expanses of Donaldson Park to unleash blistering passages that became too constant for the younger Magpie outfit to withstand.

When Wedderburn did make errors in the North Central league match, there was a quick regrouping to keep the ball forward or force a quick turnover.

And more than once Boort was immediately punished after chip shots from goal square kick-ins went straight to a Redbacks’ opponent.

Wedderburn made its intensions clear from the first bounce won by ruckman Jordan Hargeaves, sending play deep into the forward zone and an opportunistic off-the-ground goal by Mitch McEwen in the first minute.

Boort pushed back deep, only to see the Redbacks propel forward where coach Sam Barnes kicked the first of four goals for the day and followed soon after with an accurate hook by Danny Benaim.

It would be almost mid-way through the opening term before Boort had its first major, coming from Frasier Holland who was proving a handful for Wedderburn defenders.

But the Redbacks showed a more open brand of play in the first term and had more players taking chances to create fortune. A massive 60-metre roost by Mackenzie Smith was offline but highlighted the confidence of Wedderburn. They still had to counter the strength of Holland in the goal square, Ryan McGhie around the ground and the constant work of Smith and Davis in defence that was keeping Boort in the game.

Keanu Padula and Jarrod Fitzpatrick in his 100th senior game helped lift Boort in the second term with tighter play and tackling.

The Pies finally put a major on the board as McGhie and senior debutante Lachie Hall weaved the ball down the ground and Hall scored 12 minutes into the quarter. Davis then reversed a Wedderburn attack that saw Holland score his third goal.

Boort had trimmed the margin to seven points. That’s when Tom Campbell sprung to life - he set up a goal for Jordan Rosegren, immediately followed by a Robert Whyman snap. A minute later Whyman kicked the ball to Benaim who found an accurate Darcy Jackson.

Levi Moss showed there was still spirit in the Pies with a dash around the flanks to Holland for another goal.

Fizpatrick was constantly taking on Wedderburn for the quarter, the Pies down by three goals at the main break.

Early goals to Campbell and Barnes put Wedderburn in the ascendency from the third quarter.

The game’s rhythm was halted mid-way through the term when Boort’s Brayden

Aitken took a knock in play and had to be helped from the ground.

It was Wedderburn who soon re-established control - Luke Holt and Hamish Lockhart combined to feed the ball deep forward to Campbell.

James Wilson and Alex Davis were taking telling marks for Boort, only to see Wedderburn thwart their work.

Campbell was bobbing up with his leads in the forward zone - one late-term goal for Wedderburn coming off a poor Boort kickout. The Redbacks were following through with play with a Jackson McEwen goal capping off another blistering passage.

Wedderburn held Boort scoreless for the third term with its dominant display and punishment of Pies’ mistakes.

Boort took a leaf out of Wedderburn’s book with immediate scoreboard success in the opening seconds of the final term.

The Redbacks were temporarily stunned with the lightning speed of Fitzpatrick’s goal.

Skipper Corey Lowry, also playing his 100th game, snapped Wedderburn back into action as he set up another Tom Campbell goal.

Mitchell McEwen had a hand in Joe Lockhart’s major minutes later. The Redbacks were communicatiing well in defence and up forward, Lowry in the middle of major play.

Boort had a brief mid-quarter revival. Wedderburn smothered the space of Holland but Cam Ross found room to goal.

However, the Wedderburn onslaught continued with Barnes, Campbell and Luke Holt pushing home the desire of the Redbacks.

Boort’s defence was under constant pressure all day and stood tall so often but Wedderburn had more options for goal.

Seniors

GOALS - Charlton: C. Gavaghan 5, N. Thompson 2, A. Johnstone, S. Woods, J. Cowling, B. Dixon. Nullawil: D. Smith, A. Thomson 4, J. Humphreys 2, C. Fawcett, M. Quigley, J. Casey, Z. Caccaviello.

BEST - Charlton: A. Walklate, J. Thompson, C. Gavaghan, J. Cowling, S. Woods, C. Fitzpatrick. Nullawil

Seniors: D. Watts, D. Smith, M. Quigley, D. Putt, K. Doran, Z. Kelly.

GOALS - Wycheproof Narraport: C. Green 4, G. Hommelhoff 3, R. Allan 2, B. Fraser, J. McHutchison, R. Jones, J. Bateson. St Arnaud: A. Bourke, J. Hicks. BEST - Wycheproof Narraport: J. Kenny, G. Hommelhoff, S. Allan, L. Van Schaik, A. Hogan, J. Bateson. St Arnaud: H. Durward, W. Bertalli, Z. MacDonald, D. Gifford, N. Birthisel, K. Torney. Wedderburn

(129)

(54)

GOALS - Wedderburn: T. Campbell 5, S. Barnes 4, D. Benaim 2, R. Whyman, J. McEwen, D. Jackson, J. Lockhart, L. Holt, M. McEwen, J. Rosengren. Boort: F. Holland 4, L. Hall, A. Cockerell, C. Ross, J. Fitzpatrick.

BEST - Wedderburn: J. McEwen, J. Rosengren, T. Campbell, C. Lowry, J. Hargreaves, S. Barnes. Boort: R. McGhie, J. Smith, F. Holland, A. Davis, D. Hawker, S. Green.

GOALS - Donald: S. Dunstan 5, T. Grant 4, J. Talty, R. Young, B. Griffiths, C. Anderson. Birchip Watchem: B. Edwards 8, N. Rippon 2, N. Gordon, D. Castellano, J. Randall, J. Reid, L. Foott.

BEST - Donald: J. Potter, D. Bell-Warren, R. McGough, J. Wall, H. Geddes, L. Geddes. Birchip Watchem: D. Reid, N. Rippon, B. Edwards, M. Rippon, L. Ryan, N.

Reserves

GOALS - Wycheproof Narraport: J. McHutchison, H. Senior 5, J. Parker 3, B. Brennan 2, D. Cook, Z. Witcombe, X. McKersie, A. Zuk, S. Rodda.

- Wycheproof Narraport: H. Senior, W. Allan, L. Bish, A. Zuk, Z. Cruse, K. Henshaw. St Arnaud: E. Swanton, C. Campbell, S. Elliott, R. Burke, B. Williams, H. Darby.

In Front Of Goal

SENIORS

62 - (5) - Sam Dunstan - Donald

51 - (8) - Ben Edwards - Birchip Watchem

36 - (4) - Sam Barnes - Wedderburn

35 - (4) - Adam Thomson - Nullawil

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

33 - (1) - Nathan Gordon - Birchip Watchem

32 - (2) - Nick Thompson - Charlton

30 - (5) - Tom Campbell - Wedderburn

27 - (3) - Gedd Hommelhoff - Wycheproof N

26 - (1) - Daniel Castellano - Birchip Watchem 24 - (0) - Joshua Jenkins - Sea Lake Nandaly RESERVES

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

34 - (9) - Patrick O’Rourke - Boort

32 - (2) - Ben Brennan - Wycheproof N

31 - (3) - Callum Goode - Birchip Watchem

27 - (0) - Sam Goldsmith - Nullawil

25 - (2) - Gerald Riley - Wedderburn

LODDON HERALD TIPS

St Arnaud v Donald

Birchip Watchem v Wedderburn

Nullawil v Wycheproof Narraport

Sea Lake Nandaly v Charlton

Boort bye

(18) Birchip Watchem 4.5

10.11 17.11 (113)

GOALS - Donald: B. Dixon, S. Sellick, J. Funcke. Birchip Watchem: J. Goldsmith, C. Goode 3, S. Milne, J. Ryan 2, S. Hogan, P. Hickmott, T. Wiantara, M. Rickard, M. Finster, T. Colbert, details incomplete.

BEST - Donald: D. Gowlett, K. Green, J. Funcke, J. Sullivan, G. Beckham, B. Dixon. Birchip Watchem: T. Colbert, S. Hogan, J. Ryan, M. Rickard, J. Goldsmith.

Wedderburn 3.0 3.1 3.2 4.2 (26)

Boort 6.1 13.3 18.4 22.5 (137)

GOALS - Wedderburn: G. Riley 2, C. Hargreaves, M. Lockhart. Boort: P. O’Rourke 9, M. Rice, N. McNally 3, E. Coleman 2, H. Weaver, B. Slatter, C. O’Rourke, M. Kane, N. Gooding.

BEST - Wedderburn: D. Keuken, D. Caruana, C. Lang, M. Lockhart, J. Hayes, B. Collins. Boort: P. O’Rourke, M. Buchanan, M. Kane, H. Weaver, E. Coleman, J. Coleman.

Charlton 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.1 (13)

Nullawil 6.4 9.8 13.10 20.11 (131)

GOALS - Charlton: R. Mace, details incomplete. Nullawil: J. Taylor 7, N. Williams, M. Poyner 4, J. Barry 2, M. Barry, S. Kelly, B. Forrester.

BEST - Charlton: T. Catherine, R. Welch, J. Graham, R. Mace, J. Olive, P. Sait. Nullawil: J. Taylor, N. Williams, J. Barry, J. Bowyer, M. Barry, M. Poyner.

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