Football: SWFL round 11 results

Freezing wet weather was a key feature of this weekend's South West Football League games as Carey Park crack the top five for the first time this season.

Win sees Panthers crack the top five

By CRAIG JENNINGS

Carey Park 21.26 (152) def Harvey Bulls 14.5 (89)

Carey Park’s two M&Ms — Michael McMillan and Matthew Martin—booted five goals each to help sink the Harvey Bulls by 63 points at Kelly Park on Sunday.

The ability of these two forward line ‘‘chocolates’’ also helped catapult the Panthers into the top five for the first time this season.

McMillan turned the clock back and produced one of his best games for the Panthers since their premiership year of 2009.

He presented well across half forward and was sure overhead in taking a number of telling marks.

Martin also imposed himself in his familiar role at full forward.

Once again it was Martin’s quick leading, ability to take a contested mark and long kicking that provided a headache for the Bulls.

But it was not all one-way traffic for the Panthers.

Prior to half-time the Bulls were right in the mix.

Ruckman Michael Robinson was winning his fair share of knocks while onballers Jay Davis and Chad Cossom continually broke the lines to send their team deep into attack.

Davis in particular roamed far and wide to stamp his authority on the contest.

The experienced Ryan Redfern was also dynamite at the stoppages and his explosive handball set up many a forward foray.

The Bulls were sorely missing crack full forward Brad Smith but young Andrew Rake did his best to provide a target.

For the second week in a row the Panthers’ defensive unit stood firm with the likes of Glen Garlett, Marc Bevis, Shannon Spadaccini and Travis McGuire standing firm.

Onballers Trent Denardi, Ryan Creed and Brayden Lawler also grew in confidence and effectiveness the longer the game wore on.

After an inaccurate first half which saw them lead by 18 points at the main break, the Panthers upped the ante in a bid to take a stranglehold on the match.

Coach John Baggetta swung Glen and Cody Garlett into the forward line with immediate effect — the talented pair rattled on three quick goals to belt a wedge into the match.

Their teammates followed suit as the Panthers set about compiling an eight-goal quarter.

It was much of the same in the final term but to their credit the Bulls matched the Panthers’ six goal effort with Robinson and Cossom prominent forward of the centre and David Faulkner putting a strong defensive game.

Third-quarter surge seals win for Pies

By JORDAN GERRANS

Busselton 16.9 (105) def Collie 11.8 (74)

Busselton have broken a Collie Recreation Ground hoodoo and posted their first win at the ground in several seasons with a hard fought 31-point victory.

Collie went into the match without the services of key ruckman Paul Lindsay and his output was sorely missed, slumping to 31-point loss.

Luke Motion and Jarrod Debenham were put up against Busselton’s imposing figure of Brent Hall, with Hall roaming free as he pleased, feeding his onballers of Jordan Eastwell and James Price early on.

Neither side could take the ascendancy throughout the first half despite both clubs’s showing positive stages.

Collie’s best passages came when they decided to switch play across their half back flank and play through the open spaces on the far wing.

Quick kicks and handballing between Matt Michael and Jeb Swallow caught Busselton’s forwards by surprise and led to fast forward entries.

The Vernon brothers, Teke and Axel, were great benefactors of this, always being in front of their defenders and offering the Eagles a leading target all day.

Collie’s disposals by hand and foot were slick throughout the first half however after the half time break Busselton demonstrated an impressive change of intensity at the contestwhich caused Collie’s disposals to be rushed resulting in many turnovers.

Brent Snook and Tony Page began to bemore prominent for Busselton across half forward, with the Magpies having an eight goal to three term.

Ben Grace, who was returning from a severe hamstring tear, chipped in with five handy goals all of which came from within or in close proximity to the goal square.

The last quarter was very similar to the first two with neither side really breaking away from the other, making Busselton’s imposing third term lead by Eastwell’s clearance work all that important to the final result.

Collie coach Russell Sparks would have been thrilled with his team’s effort, only being outplayed in one quarter to a team that haven’t dropped from the top three all season.

Hawks inflict big loss on the Bulldogs

By JOHN DINGEY

Augusta-Margaret River 16.15 (111) def Bunbury 7.5 (47)

Augusta-Margaret River just stole the chocolates the first time around against Bunbury, but there were some big names missing from both camps for the rematch at Gloucester Park in Margaret River on Sunday.

The absence of Bunbury’s captain Jesse Gribble was countered when the Hawks ball magnet, Ben Noakes left the ground early with a hamstring strain.

The first quarter belied the conditions and was fast and high scoring.

Sustained pressure from the Bulldogs drew first blood through Jordan Adamson-Holmes before the Hawks counter punched with two goals to Justin Simmonds from clean centre breaks.

Bunbury retaliated with another two and the Hawks again responded with two nicely constructed majors.

At the first break Simmonds had three goals and Adamson-Holmes two — the big boys were looming large.

The second quarter became a scrappy arm wrestle with both sides finding it hard to score.

With the wind at their backs the locals were mounting sustained attacks, but predictable delivery played to the dour defence, and it was the Bulldogs who hit the scoreboard first before a dangerous Josh Morgan and lively Harry Marsh both found goals for the Hawks before the long break.

Bunbury rallied in the third, determined to bridge the gap.

David Butler and Courtney Moores were doing damage but were finding it hard to get past Rich Devitt and the Gerrans brothers who were firing at both ends of the field.

Consistent efforts from Kallen Evans and Ben Dillon were rewarded with two quick goals to Mitch Reeves and the margin was down to three kicks before the last break.

The Hawks kicked the flood gates open in the final quarter and blasted out eight goals in quick succession.

The hard hitting Jeremy Hummand Luke Normanwere gelling with a dominant Zac Beek, continually driving deep into Tim Noakes and Justin Simmonds up forward.

Hawks players who had earlier held a small edge, broke free and although the Bulldogs fought hard they were simply over run in the end by a convincing 73 points.

Slick midfield helps Tigers trounce Dons

By JOEL TYSOE

South Bunbury 17.16 (118) def Donnybrook 6.5 (41)

South Bunbury have continued their winning ways with a convincing 77-point win over Donnybrook at VC Mitchell Park.

Played in wet conditions early, it was the Tigers who jumped out of the blocks first.

Their slick midfield brigade was winning the contested ball, giving spearhead Josh Krueger and surprise inclusion Adam Hunter early goals.

The Dons were working hard at the stoppages, with Robbie Cross and skipper Chris Sheehan never far from the action.

Donnybrook’s persistence paid off and were rewarded when live wire forward Jaymine O’dine Khan converted.

The midfield contests were proving tight, with workhorse Ryan McKenzie giving Souths an edge with solid running and strong work around the contests.

Inaccuracy was South Bunbury’s number one enemy however, proving wasteful in front of goals and keeping the door ajar for the Dons.

The home side goaled twice in quick succession with Matt Barker and ShaneCristaldi converting, giving the home crowd plenty too cheer about.

Hunter steadied against the flow, kicking his second from point blank and Kaz Black chimed in for his first as a result of some great forward pressure.

South Bunbury began the second half with purpose, stamping their authority early courtesy of a Josh Ryder major.

Hunter bobbed up for his second and fellow big man Krueger, rotating in the ruck, snuck forward to make his tally a double as well.

Just as it looked like Souths were streaking clear the hardworking Dons hit back,with tall forward Mat Horton snapping truly to breathe some life into the home side.

Unfortunately for the Dons that’s where the momentum ended as South Bunbury’s clean ball movement and ability to break the lines became more evident as the game wore on.

A positive for the ladder leaders was the even spread of goal kickers, with 10 Tigers getting on the score sheet.

Eaton answers Lion challenge

By DARREL COCKRAM

Eaton Boomers 9.7 (61) def Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault 4.4 (28)

Eaton Boomers repeated their 2010 feat of defeating Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault twice in the season with a strong brand of wet weather football at Brunswick on Saturday night.

In scoring the win they threw the battle for the top five wide open.

The Boomers boosted their chances of a top three finish while the Lions will need to win almost all of their remaining seven games to secure a place.

From the opening ball-up it was the Boomers who showed the greater wet weather skills and whenever scrimmages developed invariably it was the Boomers who won the clearances.

Chris Atthowe had the first major on the board inside two minutes with a fine left footer from well out and Matt Tamm added another couple as the Boomers dominated the first quarter.

Steven Beal and Mitch Leyendekkers were having a great duel in the ruck but it was the Boomers’ small men Shaun Crane, Gino Catalano and Matt Buchanan who won the ball and the Lions were only able to penetrate the 50 on three or four occasions.

Dean Buzan made the most of his only opportunity to mark and goal late in the term and when the returning Daniel Hoghton goaled after a 50m penalty early in the second the scoreboard read 3.4 to 2.0.

That was flattering to the Lions as the Boomers’ defence was well on top and with goals at a premium the match looked over at half time after Peter Buchanan and Daniel Tamm goaled from close range.

The Lions briefly looked to have more of the play in the third but the Boomers had all the answers and it was two goals apiece for the term.

The Lions attacked early in the last quarter but only got minor scores when goals may have given them hope.

However, all hope disappeared when Atthowe noticed a vacant goal square and kicked long for the ball to skid through for six points.