THE Central Murray Football Netball League ended a five-year AFL Victoria Community Championship losing streak on Saturday, holding on to defeat North Central by 14 points.
The win – Central Murray’s first since 2010 – moved the competition back into the top 20 and sets up a showdown with neighbouring competition, Sunraysia in 2017.
The visitors dropped to 23rd in the rankings and will take on the Southern Football Netball League next year.
The hosts took advantage of kicking with the breeze in the opening term at the Swan Hill Showgrounds, and led at every break in the encounter between the 21st and 22nd-ranked leagues in Victoria.
The visitors – playing representative football at Swan Hill for the first time in 33 years – opened proceedings thanks to a goal from Sea Lake-Nandaly’s Billy McInnes, but as the quarter went on Central Murray’s clearance rate increased with Matt Wade (Swan Hill), Ryan Gillingham (Kerang), Pierce Liddle (Lake Boga) and Frazer Neate (Koondrook/Barham) putting North Central’s defenders under unrelenting pressure.
Although North Central’s two big men, Lochlan Sirett (Birchip-Watchem) and Jordan Hargreaves (Wedderburn) were getting the ball, Central Murray’s coach, Troy Coates and Wade were starting to control proceedings.
Central Murray responded thanks to a goal from skipper Ryan O’Sullivan with goals to
Jay Reynolds (Koondrook/Barham), Matt Iannucci (Woorinen) and Coates opening up an 18-point lead at quarter time.
Aided by the breeze in the second term, North Central began to assume control, with Donald pair Brodie Haddow and Darcy Harrison leading the way.
Goals to Wedderburn’s Danny Benaim and McInnes reduced the margin, but the efforts of Central Murray defenders Brandon Hayes (Kerang), Rhys Bradley (Cohuna Kangas) and Alex Erlandson (Nyah-Nyah West United) kept the hosts in the match.
Continued Page 19
From Page 20
North Central’s hopes received a blow late in the quarter when McInnes was sent off for a late bump on Bo Alexander (Mallee Eagles), reducing the visitors to 17 men until the 10-minute mark of the third quarter.
Joel Campbell (Nyah-Nyah West United) and Toby Thoolen (Swan Hill) helped give the hosts a 12-point lead at the main break, and continued to control play until McInnes returned to the field.
Lachlan Cohen (St Arnaud) held sway in the back line, giving the visitors hope to mount a fightback, with Haddow, Matt Elliott (Sea Lake-Nandaly) and Lachlan Gilbert (Sea Lake-Nandaly) moved to the midfield to cover an injured Caleb Bloomer (St Arnaud).
Central Murray led by 22 points at the final break, but the margin dropped to 10 points early in the fourth quarter thanks to goals to Ricky Allan (Wycheproof-Narraport) and McInnes.
Wade stepped up for the hosts, generating the next clearance to get the ball to Thoolen, who increased the margin to more than three goals.
However, North Central coach, Daniel Gash’s decision to move Sam Dunstan (Donald) into attack almost paid off.
The teenager kicked two goals in the space of seven minutes to reduce the margin to two points – the closest the visitors had been since early in the opening term.
Wade’s efforts in the middle of the ground then went up a level to ensure the hosts would record its first championship win since its 2010 performance against Wimmera.
The Swan Hill midfielder united with O’Sullivan to get the ball to Josh Stone (Tooleybuc/Manangatang), who kicked truly, then played a role in the sealer.
Travis Matheson (Kerang) and Erlandson swept the ball out of the host’s defensive 50, finding Wade, who passed the ball to Doug Palmer (Woorinen) 12 seconds after the ball was closing in on North Central’s goal to extend the lead to 14 points.
Thoolen, Stone and Coates kicked two goals each for the victors, with McInnes finishing with three for North Central.
Wade was deemed to be best on ground for Central Murray according to the umpires officiating the match, with Haddow receiving the same accolade for North Central.
Erlandson and Brad Pay (Kerang) also played well for the hosts, with Dunstan and Cohen standing out for North Central.
