Blanchetown Bunyips 1049 def by Coolgardie Prospectors 1171 The Bunyips poor season and sub-par performances just keep rolling on in 2024. The visiting Prospectors @JPK put in a solid performance in all lines without any real stellar performances. Overall, a pretty lackluster affair with pretty much every "premo" under-performing. One shining light for the visitors was Caleb Windsor scoring a very handy 120 from the Interchange bench and taking out the BOG for the round. BOG - Windsor - 3 Wines - 2 Davies-Uniacke - 1 Big Tap - O'Brien
Round 17 – AA vs SFB Coming off a down week in Round 16, the Armadillos faithful had their chargers revved up for @tyze1 and the running of the Bulls. Staghorn Flat had ideas other than rolling over, with Nankervis kicking The Peoples Beard square in the aggots, thus making him retire just after halftime with a ‘what could have been’ score of 100. As a result, Tobias dominated (159) the game and the Giant Tap – shout out to @HOLKY and his awesome work running it. Unfortunately for SFB however, their mids couldn’t capitalise on the ruck mastery. McCluggage (76), Newcombe (65), and Sholl (82) were all below their season averages, as only former Armadillo Stephen Coniglio (93) rose to eclipse his par-score. Whitfield (107) combined well with Salem (98) in the back half, while Brad Hill (80) toiled tirelessly from the wing to half forward trying to be a link man. No one else really gave a shout for the disappointed Bulls. The home side was feast or famine, and the drop off in form has the back office worried headed towards the pointy end of the season. Second deputy vice captain Rozee (168) bounced back in a big way, as did Luke Jackson (121) and career-best-form-cop-that-magpies Adam Treloar (129). Tom McDonald (115) continued his evergreen season which helped cover for Blakey (69) who had a good time but couldn’t hit the correct target. He swears it was an accident. Low-brow subtle childish humour aside, it was Ararat coming away comfortable winners. AA 1477 def SFB 1156
Match Report: Cow Bay Crocs vs Groote Eylandt Barracudas In an exhilarating matchup, the Crocs faced off against the Cudas in Round 17. The Crocs delivered a commanding performance with a total score of 1486 against the Barracudas' 1161, resulting in a winning margin of 325 points. From the onset, the Crocs showcased their dominance across the field. In the defensive line, Sheezel stood out scoring 141 points, while Clark also made a significant contribution with 103 points. The midfield was anchored by Taranto, who racked up 122 points, supported by Worpel's 110 points and Jacob Hopper's 87 points. Their strategic play overwhelmed the Barracudas' defenses. In the forward line, the Crocs' offensive power was evident as Moore and Rankine both scored impressively, with 103 and 97 points respectively. Bolton also made his presence felt, adding 98 points to the Crocs' tally. On the interchange, Wilkie delivered a strong performance with 139 points, further solidifying the Crocs' lead. Despite the formidable challenge, the Cudas put up a resilient fight. Cripps was a standout performer for the Barracudas, leading all scorers with an impressive 144 points. Bont also had a strong showing in the midfield with 106 points. In the defensive line, McGovern contributed 98 points, but it wasn't enough to bridge the gap. The ruck contest was closely contested, with the Crocs' Ned Moyle scoring 90 points, while Brodie Grundy managed 94 points. Ultimately, the Crocs' comprehensive team performance and strategic play ensured their victory over the Cudas, highlighting their strengths and depth across all positions. Big Tap Moyle (Cow Bay) 90 def by Grundy (Groote Eylandt) 94 BAFFU 3 Cripps (Groote Eylandt) - 144 points 2 Sheezel (Cow Bay) - 141 points 1 Wilkie (Cow Bay) - 139 points @YAD69
Final results from the Goldfields @tyze1 The home side has held on in what can only be described as a sloppy and scrappy game against the visiting Flat Bulls from Staghorn, who lived up to their name and were quite flat, but then so were the prospectors. With all the scraps, there were ball-ups galore, allowing both ruckmen to ply their trades with skill and class, the only pair of players across the whole ground who can say that with confidence. Both rucks managed to top the ton in a tight but fair tussle. The visiting T Nankervis had more success out of his ruck taps, with three of his four mids sharking the ball with ease - L Sholl, J Newcombe, and H McCluggage all managing to top the ton for the boys from Staghorn Flat. Conversely, none of the Prospector mids capitalised on the clean hands from O McInerney, with only C Serong getting close (99), while his midfield teammates left a lot to be desired. The clean ball out of the midfield was what supported two Bulls key forwards in K Lohmann and L Ryan put in some really excellent displays in front of the big sticks. This was however offset by their two teammates going missing, and being completely outplayed by Prospector defenders J Sicily and N Wanganeen-Milera, both of whom lived up to the hype and rebounded the ball straight back out of the D50 when it came their way. Going the other way, and the Prospector forward line was a shambles, with only rookie C Windsor achieving anything of note. This shambles was magnified by Bulls defender L Whitfield, who did as he pleased running out of the backline on numerous counter-attacks, brining up another ton for the visitors. He was however a lone hand, with the remaining members of the Bulls backline there in body only. The difference came off bench, where the visitors were left with a below average showing, while the local crowd could be seen warmly applauding a return to averageness for J O'Meara, and cheering raucously for the bloke who's so good they named him twice, A Aliir, the final man to bring up a ton on the day. All up there were just 3 100's for the home side, to 5 100's for the visitors, but it was the well below average scores from the visitors (7 less than 70, compared to 5 for the locals) that cost them the game. The home side were able to sing the song with just enough gusto to be heard through the paper-thin walls of the changerooms, following a lackluster 52 point win. The big tap: O McInerney, Coolgardie, 112, defeated T Nankervis, Staghorn Flat, 107, in an excellent display from both players, by only 5 points. The votes: 3 - L Sholl, Staghorn Flat, 118 2 - L Whitfield, Staghorn Flat, 113 1 - O McInerney, Coolgardie, 112 Next up sees Staghorn Flat back at home, hosting the Huskies from Horsham, while Coolgardie are on the road to Carnamah to take on the Cormorants. Good luck to all four teams.
Blanchetown Bunyips 1636 def Exmouth Anglers 586 The Bunyips finally decided to pull it all together and field a full side. Scoring one of our highest scores in recent memory, it was a total opposite for the visiting Anglers. Missing 6 players and no playing ruck meant this game was always going to be a one-sided affair. BOG - Davies-Uniacke - 133 Keays - 123 Dale - 123 Big Tap - ROB next week the Bunyips are at home again taking on the high flying Vikings @bryzza whilst the Anglers @eagle_eyed remain on the road travelling to Bueng Kan @choppers
Cow Bay Continue Bid for Top 2 Finish as Carnamah Falter Again Cow Bay delivered a resounding away win on the weekend to take them one step closer to a top two finish at the end of the regular season. A breakout performance in the ruck by Ned Moyle (110), who claimed a narrow victory over Lloyd Meek (104), helped set up the win, ably assisted by his midfield group of Hopper (97), Worpel (91) and de Goey (83) who had the better of Day & Johnson. Despite a down game from Sheezel, Clark (114) and Wilmot (94) picked up the slack down back whilst Dempsey (91), Bolton (73) and Moore (71) proved to be a superior forward line to the Cormorants disappointing group of Reid, Khamis, Rachele and Fogarty. With only 1 ton across the board for Carnamah they were never in the hunt, letting down the home crowd who had not seen their team in action for 6 weeks. With another tough home match up this week the local supporters might need to prepare themselves for further disappointment. Cow Bay 1257 def Carnamah 1010 Big Tap Moyle def Meek Votes 3 Clark (114) 2 Moyle (110) Meek (104)
Bueng Kan 1105 def King Island 1004 The River Rats made the long trip down to Bass Strait and had no trouble acclimatising to the miserable local conditions. Despite losing Duggan early in the contest, the Bueng Kan backline were too good for their opponents, lead by an impassable Sam Collins (99). The Monarchs put up a reasonable fight around the ball with Nash (94) and Green (93) trying hard all day. Their job made all the harder by a dominant display by Darcy Cameron (131) in the ruck who took full advantage of the home side's lack of a recognised ruckman. On the outside however, it was all Ed Langdon (120) dominating the outer wing. Any chance of the Monarchs sneaking into finals faded away as they limp to the end of the season, the defeat made all the more bitter as they hold the River Rat's first pick in the upcoming PSD. Votes 3 Cameron 2 Langdon 1 Collins
Serengeti Buffalos 1,436 def Hughenden Prairie Dogs 1,229 Scoring a season high was not enough for the home side going down by a massive 207 points as the Buffalos showed why they should be in the top 8 and playing finals football. The Buffalos run came from defence with Ridley (127), May (117) and Saad (133) repelling the ball constantly with Neale (143) taking advantage through the midfield and Greene (154) controlling the forward line. Hughenden welcomed back Mills (55) for his first game of the season and while quiet, his presence on field lifted the team with Battle (114), Oliver (100), Rayner (100) and Berry (106) all playing their best so far this season. The P Dogs even fielded a RUCK – Ryan (49), yes an actual RUCK. While Hughenden was more consistent it was not enough with the Buffalo’s flexing their muscle and class to secure the win. The Buffalos are a legitimate final 8 contender and will have a few teams nervous come finals time. Hughenden’s season was over long before this game but there were glimmers of what might be for 2025. BAFFU Awards 3 Greene (154) 2 Saad (133) 1 Ridley (127) Big Tap Draper (94) to Ryan (49) @wrightbrendan
Full time at The Den and the Whalers were unable to continue their run of momentum. Final score was 1110 to Pakenham 1305. Solid efforts from both teams, each with 4 players above 100. But the Parasites had better consistency, with 5 players in that 85-99 bracket. That will come in time, maybe with some good PSD picks or simply waiting for development. But Pakenham stay in the 8 with some winnable games in the run home. BAFFU: Anderson 3, Briggs & Acres 2 & 1 (not sure what tiebreakers the BAFFU has) Giant Tap: Briggs 122 def Marshall 107
The Barracuda's finish on 1,409/15 93.9 defeating the Huskies on 1,292/15 86.1 Nice to be back on home turf after being smashed by the Crocs, looking to lift against the visiting Huskies. The visitors are feeling confident after a win over the Monarchs and are looking to keep that going. In defence, McGovern was out with sore ribs, so Jake Kolo stepped in, had a couple of nice tackles, Corr was the lock down defender this week as Lloydy and Weitering played run and carry off the flanks with plenty of possessions. However, Papley really had a day out bagging 4 goals, Caldwell milked the frees, while Bailey rotated through the midfield. Grundy rose to the occasion with plenty of hit outs taking out the out of position Jiath who was like a huskies in water and no legs. Up forward the home team were steady with the Magnificent Zorko marking well, Mclean kicking 2 beauties and pinch hitting in the ruck. Bedford was the tackling machine but might have landed himself in trouble, we’ll see. For the visitors Guthrie of the Zac kind and McVee were solid with some nice possessions and contested marking as Matty Roberts tried to keep up and Harris fluffed the hand balls. Off the bench, the home team had Sharp and Tuohy provided much needed run. While the visitors went Mead who booted 2 and Williams couldn’t get make it stick at all. The Bont spent plenty of time up forward, kicking 1 and pushed through any and all tags, Corn Boy Cripps playing his 200th game was solid with 2 through the middle, Jarrod Flavour Berry roamed the wings and Oh, Errol had plenty of the ball including a massive 30 kicks. The visitors had Holmes cleaning up the slopes around the packs when he could, Drew and Flanders actually fought each other for the ball, you’d think they were playing against each other, and Duursma X played the outside man. Even with a Paply bagging 4 the home teams engine room was just too hot all day and took the 4 points and the win. This keeps the Cuda’s with the front runners. For the Huskies @ Wolffy84 this pushes them into the Dead Zone where it’s going to be tough getting in the top 8. BOG – Tom Papley (HH), Oh Errol (GEB) & Grundy (GEB)
@DamoH In the rugged reaches, where icy winds whipped through the Graveyard, two clans stood on the brink of war. The mighty Vikings, led by Warner Bloodaxe, were known for their fierce warriors and unyielding spirit. Opposing them were the Smugglers, a clandestine band of traders and fighters led by Captain Zurhaar, known for their ability to navigate treacherous seas and evade capture. The feud between the Vikings and the Smugglers had simmered for years. The Smugglers' raids on Viking settlements had grown bolder, pushing Warner to end the conflict once and for all. He gathered his warriors and set sail to confront the Smugglers on the open sea. As the war horn echoed through the grand hall of The Graveyard, Warner addressed his men. "For too long, the Smugglers have harried our shores, stolen our goods, and spilled our blood. No more! We sail to meet them at dawn. We will crush them, and their leader, Captain Zurhaar, will kneel before us or meet his end. To victory!" The warriors cheered, their spirits high. They sharpened their axes, donned their armor, and bid their loved ones goodbye. The next morning, their longships cut through icy waters, heading for the Smugglers' territory with grim determination. Out at sea, Captain Zurhaar watched the approaching Viking fleet. He knew his men were outnumbered and outmatched. "Prepare the ships!" he commanded. "We may be fewer, but we know these waters better than they do. Use every advantage, every trick. We fight for our survival!" The Smugglers readied their vessels, setting traps and preparing for battle. Despite their efforts, a sense of foreboding hung over them. They knew the odds were against them. As the Viking fleet approached, a fierce naval battle erupted. The Smugglers fought bravely, using their superior knowledge of the seas to launch surprise attacks and swift maneuvers. For a time, it seemed they might hold their own against the Viking onslaught. But Warners strategy was relentless. He divided his fleet, sending some ships to flank the Smugglers while others pressed the frontal assault. His warriors moved with precision, boarding enemy ships and cutting through the enemy ranks with brutal efficiency. Captain Zurhaar fought valiantly, his twin blades flashing in the sunlight as he led his men into the fray. He knew this was their last stand and was determined to make it memorable. But the sheer numbers and ferocity of the Vikings began to overwhelm the Smugglers. As the battle wore on, the Smugglers' lines began to break. One by one, their ships were boarded and overtaken, their defiance crushed under the weight of the Viking onslaught. Captain Zurhaar, wounded but unbowed, continued to fight, rallying his men for one final push. In the heart of the chaos, Warner and Captain Zurhaar finally met face to face on the deck of a Smuggler ship. The two leaders clashed, their blades ringing out in the din of battle. Zurhaar fought with all his might, but Warner's strength and skill were too great. With a final, mighty blow, Warner disarmed Zurhaar and drove him to his knees. "Yield, Zurhaar," Warner demanded. "Your men are defeated. Surrender, and I may yet spare your life." Zurhaar, breathing heavily, looked up at Warner with defiance in his eyes. "We may be beaten, but we are not broken," he spat. "Do what you will, Viking. My men and I fought with honor." Warner nodded, recognizing the courage in his foe. "You did," he said. "And for that, I will honor our warriors' code." With a swift motion, he ended Zurhaar's life, granting him a warrior's death. The Vikings emerged victorious, their dominance over the seas secured. They buried their fallen and honored the bravery of their enemies. Warner stood on the deck of his longship, looking out over the sea, his heart heavy with the cost of victory. NV 1263/15/84 CIS 974/15/64 3. Warner 130 2. Young 110 1. Zurhaar 103 Big Tap T D Koning
The Buff are struggling to adapt back in their home surrounds and the Monarchs are exacting full toll @Tylo Serengeti 627/9/70 v King Island 855/10/86
Tightening up but the Monarch’s still holding a handy lead as we come to the final stages of this one @Tylo Serengeti 782/11/71 v King Island 881/11/80