Tigers too good for Magpies

Tiger Brett Robinson headed a hard hitting South Bunbury unit on Saturday night at Sir Stewart Bovell Park defeating the Busselton Magpies 13.6 (84) to 10.5 (65).

Robinson booted three goals and produced a dominant four quarter performance crucial to the Tigers win over the Magpies.

The relentless Tigers chiselled out the gritty 19-point victory through their uncompromising tackling pressure which forced the Magpies to overuse and be indecisive with the football.

However, South Bunbury left the door ajar for the Magpies in the first half as it undermined its own intensive game plan with turnovers.

The first quarter was tightly contested with both sides scrambling for the football early on between the half back lines.

The Tigers eventually broke the deadlock with defender Matt Wilkinson hitting up Brynn Francis for his first of five goals for the evening.

Magpies playmakers Aiden Fraser and Tim Iaonnou set up Damien Lee and Brent Hall respectively with successive goals only for Tiger Robinson to wind up the quarter with his first.

South Bunbury opened the second term as they finished the first with Robinson scoring.

Vice-captains Damon Bull and Chris Andrew began to stamp their influence on the game while Francis bagged another from a brilliant Robinson goal assist.

Magpies James Price and Sam Shepherd collaborated to give Hall his second but Fraser was the standout for the quarter booting two for the home team.

Both teams upped the ante after half time going goal for goal until the Tigers ended the seven goal sequence with three in a row.

The Magpies threw Daniel McGinlay into the middle alongside reliable midfielder Jordan Eastwell to capitalise on McGinlay’s speed and attack which got Hall his third and Dave Whitehead his first.

Wing man Jackson Arbon, Fraser and Whitehead linked up and supplied Brent Snook with a major.

Tiger Leith Dower was unselfish providing Guy Piggot with an easy shot.

Andrew dominated the quarter while Francis took a strong contested mark and kicked two for the term.

Tiger Patrick Ryan was collected heavily finishing his night.

The final term offered very little reward for effort with only three goals scored between both teams.

Magpie Arbon’s give and go act included ruckman Adam Dehring delivering McGinlay a juggling mark and his only goal.

Hall kicked his fourth while Tiger Francis managed another strong mark and kicked his fifth sealing the visitor’s third straight win.

The result means South Bunbury remains third on the ladder while Busselton drop to sixth.

Scoreboard

South Bunbury 2.1 6.1 12.3 13.6 84 def Busselton 2.2 5.4 8.4 10.5 65

Goals:

SB – B. Francis 5, B. Robinson 3, F. Millar 2, N. Fielding, T. Gray, G. Piggott.

BUSSELTON – B. Hall 4, A. Fraser 2, D. Lee, D. Whitehead, B. Snook, D. McGinlay.

Best:

SB – B. Robinson, B.Francis, C. Andrew, D. Bull, S. Crane, C. Rota.

BUSSELTON – D. McGinlay, B. Hall, J. Eastwell, J. Arbon, B. Snook, J. Budiselik.