Mulwala: Dylan McNamara, Jackson Gash, Charley McKenna, Josh Ednie, Brodie Tyson, Jackson Meade.
The Mulwala seniors team has responded to last week’s narrow loss with a gutsy close win of their own against a determined Finley team.
In a must win clash for the team, things were not looking great early as Mulwala couldn’t find an avenue to goal or the forward fifty even in the first quarter and had their first scoreless quarter since Noah built the arc.
Fortunately for the team, Finley were unable to capitalize on their control of play and the second quarter saw Mulwala claw back the lead through the clever Sean Robinson and Harry Haley. Jackson Gash stepped back into the fray as though he had never left and was providing as much vocal support to teammates as he was gathering possessions.
His precise kicking into the Mulwala forward half was also proving the difference.
Brodie Tyson and Dylan McNamara were making life difficult for the Finley forwards as the game tightened right up in the second half and became a game of inches where every contested ball became hard to win.
Charley McKenna was able to provide some outside run and carry which became important in providing options for forward Jackson Meade who continued to work hard in Mulwala’s half.
Sean Robinson booted two majors in the Lions 4 point win.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
The coaching masterstroke of moving Brodie Tyson into the ruck began to work for Mulwala as the gap left in the backline was rectified by the brilliance of Dylan McNamara who saved the game for Mulwala with his many last line of defense marks resembling more of a freakish soccer goalkeeper.
The game was there to be won in the dying minutes and every Mulwala player worked hard to get the ball forward allowing Max Hemphill to mark and goal with minutes left to put Mulwala in front and victorious in a thrilling finish to the game.
Reserves
Finley 1.5.11 def Mulwala 15.9.99.
The Reserves team has been buoyed by the return of several players over the last few weeks and looked incredibly sharp early in the game as they piled on 5 goals to zero in the first quarter through the crafty work of Dylan Robinson.
Matt McLachlan was in everything early in the game as he and Austin Fraeunfelder worked brilliantly together in the middle of the ground and Joey Bland and the Psaltaris twins were outrunning their opponents across the field.
The Finley forward arrays were quickly quashed by the stern defensive skills of Tim Cooper, Nathan Beasley and Nathan McNair and the ball was continuously propelled back into the forward half with smooth transition play by Mulwala.
The Finley backline had no answers to the sublime transition football Mulwala were showing as the goals continued to flow as Jaxen Wheeler and Cam Magher tried to match the Dylan Robinson show but to no avail.
A fantastic team effort highlighted by the fast ball movement across the ground as the team looks sharper by the week.
Goals: D Robinson 8, J Bland 2, C Magher 2, J Wheeler 2, C Nye 1.
Best: Dylan Robinson, Joseph Bland, Nathan Beasley, Tim Cooper, Nathan McNair, Addison Psaltiras.
Thirds
Finley 4.1.25 def Mulwala 5.5.35.
The Under 17s started off sluggishly as expected due to the high number of players that had been unwell during the week.
Somehow, they managed to get enough players on the field with only a small handful of them at training during the week and the effects were evident early.
At the quarter time huddle Coach House asked for the boys to dig as deep as their coughs to get the game back on their terms.
The backline was under unusually immense pressure throughout the game as Charlie Drake and John Burns were terrific in the air whilst Beau Sissons and Rhys Burgess were able to clean up any ground balls with great run and carry out of defense.
With the early injury to star onballer Ollie Watson, Levi Saunders, Maiko Leith and Archie Purtle lifted their work rate through the middle of the ground and the boys battled their way to a tough win.
Goals: M O’Bryan 3, B Donovan 2.
Best: Levi Saunders, Maiko Leith, John Burns, Jai Sneddon, Archie Purtle, Charlie Drake.
Fourths
Finley 1.4.10 def by Mulwala 13.7.85.
The undefeated Under 14s continued their winning streak with a comprehensive 75-point victory over Finley.
The team got their usual quick start through the quick step of Henry Donovan who is quickly marching his way toward the top of the goal kicking ladder.
The usual suspects in the middle of the ground in Axel Saunders, Byron Dodd and Nate Leith were causing a great deal of chaos for their Finley opponents until Super Coach Donno moved Nate into the forward half where he continued to run amok finishing with five goals for the day, several from outside the 50m arc.
Alan Gardner and Benny Ferguson played well above their jumper size as they terrorized their opponents all game and Tyce and Fletcher Woodhead again worked hard for four quarters as the boys ran away with another great win.
Goals: H Donovan 6, N Leith 5, T Woodhead 2.
Best: Axel Saunders, Nate Leith, Henry Donovan, Tyce Woodhead, Byron Dodd, Fletcher Woodhead.
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