by Jim Gordon
SEA LAKE NANDALY TIGERS V JEPARIT RAINBOW
Even with Tiger coach Jarrod Arentz off early with a broken leg, Jeparit Rainbow could not get near Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers at Culgoa. Arentz’s tragic injury is a big blow to the Tigers who will be without the goal kicking power of their coach for the rest of the year.
The Lakers certainly came back to earth with a thud after last week’s great win over the Cats. Jeparit Rainbow’s ball use let them down at times and too often Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers were able to punish the Lakers when they turned the ball over.
This is the third time this season that the Tigers have had a big win against Jeparit Rainbow. Once again it was their handball, numbers at the contest and run with the ball that caused the damage.
Matter weren’t made any easier for the Lakers with several regular senior players missing. In another blow Adam Schumann was restricted all day with his injured shoulder.
Jeparit Rainbow began well with the first goal of the game, but from then on they barely gave a whimper and when Arentz broke his leg later in the quarter, it seemed to stun the Lakers as much as the Tigers.
In the second quarter Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers dominated. They smashed Jeparit Rainbow at the centre bounces and all around the ground. Laker defenders fought hard, but they were confronted with a rolling wall Tiger attacks.
After half time, coach Luke Werner, who tried gallantly all day, managed to regroup the team and they matched it with Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers for the rest of the match. In the second half the Lakers kicked seven goals to the Tigers’ eight.
Justin Chilver fought back in the ruck for Jeparit Rainbow and worked hard around the ground. Sean Bayzand, Ben Marra and Ash Cook started to win the ball at the centre bounces and around the ground. Ash Clugston just ran hard all day and was dangerous up forward. Aaron Beer was moved from defence onto the ball and kicked two goals.
Luke Werner gave the Lakers run out of defence in the second half and Tyler Edelsten was great at fullback and Brett Jensz was another who did well.
A poor second quarter let Jeparit Rainbow down. They fought the game out well in the second half, but by then the game was well and truly in the Tigers’ keeping.
OUYEN UNITED V HOPETOUN
In a high standard game at Blackburn Park, Ouyen United won a thriller by three points against Hopetoun. The Devils will rue missed shots on goal, but they have only themselves to blame in dropping the four points and a possible second place finish. The young Demons stood up in the last quarter when both sides started to look tired.
It was a fast, open and high standard game with nothing between the sides all day. Hopetoun looked bigger and stronger than United, but the speed and tenacity of the Demons kept them in touch and just ahead at the final siren.
Bradley Summerhayes was a star for Ouyen United. Changing on the ball and up forward, Summerhayes was quick, elusive and tenacious particularly in the final term when he dropped back on several occasions to block the big Hopetoun forwards in Kane Robins and Bryce Wellington.
United started with Dean Jardine on Wellington and Joshua Langdon on Robins. When Jardine had to go off injured in the first term, Adam O’Callaghan went on Robins and Langdon picked up Wellington. Although O’Callaghan went on to be one of United’s best on the day, the two big forwards still did a lot of damage with nine goals between them.
Troy Moncur played well for United. Lately Moncur has been opening on the ball, this week he started forwarded changing with Alex Erlandson. Simon Cook followed Moncur, but the Ouyen United key forward was too good for Cook whether in the ruck or forward and the Demon finished with six goals for the day and several near misses. The Devils on ballers had a rare down day and none of them were in the best players for Hopetoun.
David Baulch was Hopetoun’s best. He has had an excellent five or six weeks standing strong in the backline. Baulch’s experience is helping the Devils in the backline.
The underrated Ben Reid is rarely beaten and he also continued on with his very good form.
The whole of the Ouyen United backline played well. On a day that saw many Demon youngsters in the limelight, backmen Aron Morrish and Tom Grigg did a lot to help out their more experienced team mates and Jackson Morrish did some damage in the final term from his wing. Jackson’s leg speed was a telling factor in that heart stopping final term.
This was a very good win by United. They had twenty contributors all over the ground, their younger players stood up and they had a focal point in Troy Moncur. Hopetoun will have to take solace from the fact that they played well even though they did not get the points – and they won’t have to face United in the finals.
WOOMELANG LASCELLES V BEULAH
Despite going down to Beulah by thirteen points, Woomelang Lascelles continued on with their good second half of the season form at Woomelang on Saturday. Beulah could have won by more as they had eight more scoring shots, but the Cats never gave up and stuck with the Blues.
Beulah were wasteful in the first half and very nearly suffered for their misses on goal. With a six goal to two second term, Woomelang Lascelles were back in the match after being kept goalless in the first quarter.
Thomas Hallam, Scott Smith and Rob Carlile were best for Beulah. Stephen Saunders played well in the ruck as did Tim Hill at full back. For Woomelang Lascelles Chris Lee was their best, Trent Donnan is having a good year and Aaron Lonergan kicked three goals.
The Cats come up against the might of Walpeup Underbool next week whereas the Blues have a chance to consolidate their position and aim for a top two finish with a win against the Tigers who will be missing Jarrod Arentz.
Last Modified on 05/08/2012 15:08