The Barracuda's finish on 1,199/15 79.9 defeated by the Prospectors @JPK on 1,284/15 85.6 On a high from taking down the Armadillos last week the home team felt confident in taking on the Coolgardie boys. From the outset the visitors looked the goods with NWM going nuts in the first quarter Worrell smashing (literally) BL, Sicily got lucky with 3 frees going his way (wow!). It was a struggle all day for the Cuda’s especially in their forward line. AstroNaught kicked a couple, Mclean was solid, Bedford started on the wing but gave away 3 critical frees. The Magnificent Zorko copped a boot to the head in Q2 but played on, Weitering had eight contested marks, the Seagull chipped away, and the new recruit ran out of puff. For the Prospectors, 2-meter Peter booted 2, Caminiti controversially came on and put boot to ball while Ginnivan slotted a beauty from deep in the pocket. The Bont was on fire with 10 tackles; however, he also gave away too many frees, Corn Boy had the ball on a string, Liba had 23 possessions while Oh Errol started half forward and had McInerney run with him all day. Talking about the visitors, Wines dug deep, O’Meara was very solid and the Serong cherry picked what he liked. The Grundy smashed out 62 hit outs, and monstered Fort, who when he got his hands on the pig skin couldn’t do anything with it. What started out as a beautiful day on the field turned into a stormy nightmare for the home side as the visitors did what they needed to stay in the hunt mathematically for a top 8 position. BOG – Grundy (GEB), NWM (COP) & Bont (GEB)
Update from The Stadium, Bueng Kan. Even though there is heavy fighting approx 400klms south of here, "Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilising heavy weapons, field artillery, and BM-21 rocket systems," the Royal Thai Army said in a statement. the Thai Government has allowed this game to continue.. Progress score Ararat 1/74 and Bueng Kan yet to bat...
King Island Monarchs 1,264 DEF Hughenden Prairie Dogs 1,105 Hughenden forgot they were playing home this week and struggled against a side looking to secure their spot in the Top8. Game was dominated by King Island’s midfield with Flynn (87) easily outpointing this week’s ruck option for Hughenden of Cox (38) resulting in a dominant midfield performance from Green (150), Docherty (108) and Nash (101). They were ably supported by Impey’s (120) run from defence and Kennedy (124) playing his roaming role of forward/midfielder. Once the home side worked out it was a home game Oliver (101), Ash (120), Mills (115) and Battle (105) came to life in an effort to drag the team toward a win but there were again too many passengers not on the same bus. Hughenden played like the season is over and to them it is, the coach has warned the squad a few trades and delists are on the cards unless there is a distinct improvement over the next 2 weeks. At that point everyone went to the bar for a beer and reflection. For King Island they achieved what they needed which was a win plus percentage and security of knowing they will play finals football in 2025. Hughenden stay home (note to the team issued) against the Crocs who are fighting to make the 8 and King Island return home to take on the Bunyips – a Grand Final prelude? 3 Green – Monarchs (150) 2 Kennedy – Monarchs (124) 1 Impey – Monarchs (120) 1 Ash - Hughenden (120) BIG TAP Flynn in a landslide. @Tylo
Update from The Stadium and the Dildos lead the Rats 4/300 to 2/165 with no-one from either side setting the world on fire. Best for the visitors so far, Bramble 83 and Sanders 78 while for the Rats, Durham 87, in the mid and Buckley 78 down back, provided all of the Rats score. @insider
Progress score from The Stadium and the visitors came to play in this period and put the home team to the sword, pumping out 856 pts to the Rats 560 and lead Bueng Kan 13/1156 to 9/725. Ararat's midfield of Brayshaw 112, Soligo 116, Laird 106 and Rozee 94 absolutely dominated and were well supported up front with Jackson 123, and Miers 99 piling on the points, while only 2 from Bueng Kan showed any resistance, Jeffrey down back with 128 and Neal-Bullen 117, relishing being back in the 1st 15 And no matter what the Chief says @JPK......they'll always be the Dildos to me.. @insider
Update from the Dino Dome sees the homeside struggling to catch the visiting Crocs:- HPD 863/12 CBC 909/12 @fresh
Not be to be ..... W-Milera 154 stealing the game in the last quarter NV 1229/15/82 def by CP 1247/15/83
Full Time at The Stadium and with the home team trailing Ararat by 242 at the last change, and needing a miracle, Ararat have managed to hold on to defeat The River Rats 1244-1242. Final quarter heroics by Cameron 111, Wood 106 and M.Hall 102 was not enough to get the win and Ararat take home the 4 pts.....and with the armed conflict still happening only 250klms away, I'm sure they're ready to leave for home... BOG: 3. Jeffrey BKR 128 2. Jackson AA 123 1. Neal-Bullen BKR 117 BIG TAP: Cameron BKR def O'Brien AA 111-74 @insider
@JPK The Glittering Betrayal: Nuytsland Vikings vs. Coolgardie Prospectors Battle of the Graveyard The Graveyard was restless that morning, the gulls screeching like omens, the wind cutting through the rune-carved stones. This stretch of coast had drunk too much blood in too many seasons, and now it waited, hungry again. The Nuytsland Vikings dragged themselves into formation. Once a roaring tide of longships and fury, they were now a ragged company—broken shields, rusted axes, and spirits worn thin by months of raids and counter-raids. But this day felt different. Two long-lost warriors had returned—Young Ironskull, his head still bearing the dent of an axe that nearly ended him, and Mitchell the Stubborn, a giant of a man who had been bedridden since his leg shattered in the winter war. They came hobbling into camp like ghosts made flesh, and the Vikings’ sagging morale surged. Across the dunes, the Coolgardie Prospectors emerged—a different kind of clan entirely. Born of the dry goldfields, they were scavengers and schemers, men who prized patience and persistence over brute force. They carried pickaxes turned into polearms, pans refashioned into shields, and wore scavenged armor that glinted like buried treasure. They fought like the prospectors they were—always digging, always probing, striking only when the vein was richest. The Prospectors had been pillaged too. Their camps burned, their waterholes fouled. They were tired, sunburned, and dusty. But they still came. The battle began at midday. The Vikings, rejuvenated by their returning champions, roared like storms breaking on the cliffs. Young Ironskull swung his axe with mad glee, scattering Prospectors like sand before the wind. Mitchell the Stubborn, limping but unyielding, shattered pickaxes with his hammer as though breaking brittle bones. The tide turned. For the first time in months, the Vikings felt the old heat, the berserker blaze. The Prospectors faltered, retreating step by step, the crunch of gravel beneath them sounding almost like bones. By twilight, the Nuytslanders believed they had done it. The Prospectors’ line wavered, their banners sagged. Young raised his axe to the sky, bellowing: "Victory! The Graveyard is ours again!" But Coolgardie men were nothing if not patient. As the Vikings pressed for the final blow, the ground beneath their boots betrayed them—trenches dug at dawn, covered with loose soil, suddenly collapsing under their weight. The Prospectors had dug in—literally. Half the Viking charge disappeared into pits, broken and screaming. From behind the dunes, fresh Prospectors rose—men who’d been hidden, crouched low, waiting for that one desperate moment. They struck like gold fever. Young Ironskull, exhausted and trapped in a sinkhole, took three pickaxe strikes to the back before he fell face-first into the dirt. Leif the Stubborn swung until his hammer cracked, but even he was dragged under, his roars silenced by a shovel blade to the throat. By the time the moon rose, the Graveyard was quiet. The Vikings, for a fleeting hour, had believed they were the storm once more. But the Coolgardie Prospectors had mined their hope, tunneled beneath their triumph, and claimed the field. The Graveyard swallowed the last embers of Viking fire that night—and the Prospectors walked away with more than victory. They walked away with the story. 3 NWM 165 2 Sicily 130 1 Sweet 125
Hughenden Prairie Dogs 1,136 def Cow Bay Crocs 1,130 Cow Bay were in front all day until the final siren with Hughenden snatching a 6 point victory. Led by Thilthorpe (164) in the forward line Oliver (105) off the bench through the middle and a solid defence of Mills (125) and IQ (107), the P Dogs were able to muscle out their opponents for the win. Both sides lacked an actual ruck resulting in a dour contest between Cox (36) and Mac Andrew (39) leaving the midfields to toil away with the scraps with neither side really having any advantage. Cow Bay was consistent with Moore (105) and Bolton (100) being the only players to show something but it was not enough. The Croc’s coach was left wondering what has happened since the bye having now lost 5 in a row and losing touch with the Top 8, a win this week with percentage might be enough to catapult them into 8th place and a finals campaign. Hughenden will be pleased with a win for the home supporters to enjoy. It has been another up and down season with a struggling midfield and an occasional ruck. A further list review is needed. 3 Thilthorpe – HPD (164) 2 Mills – HPD (125) 1 IQ – HPD (107) The Big Tap saw Mac Andrew (39) over Cox (36) @fresh
Glad to be on the receiving end of another epic Viking story, thanks to the one-and-only @bryzza You're a champion writer mate, don't ever lose that! I'm sure I speak for the entire 'FU when I say its always a highlight reading these epic stories.