BY NATHAN DOLE
Upsets aplenty across North Central league
THERE were plenty of upsets as the Goldacres North Central senior footy league marked its 17th round on Saturday.
Wedderburn reclaimed fourth place on the ladder, while Boort and Wycheproof-Narraport defeated top teams Donald and Birchip-Watchem.
St Arnaud marked its second victory of the season as it took the points at Charlton Park.
At Wedderburn’s Donaldson Park the Redbacks took on Nullawil.
Stakes were high in the second-last round of the home-and-away series.
There were plenty of attacking moves in the first quarter as Nullawil led 2.6 to 2.5 at the first break.
Wedderburn won term two, 28-9, and held a three-goal buffer going into the second half.
Defences were well on top in the next quarter as Nullawil added three behinds and Wedderburn scored two.
The Tom Metherell-coached Redbacks scored 3.4 in the last to complete a 69-57 victory.
Tom Campbell, Oscar Holt and Junior Miller led Wedderburn’s attack on two goals each.
Nullawil’s leading gaolkickers were captain Jordan Humphreys and Adam Thomson with two.
Best for Wedderburn were Oscar Holt, Junior Miller, Jackson McEwen, Joe Lockhart, Tom Metherell and Sam Lockhart.
Matt Wade, Jordan Humphreys, Daniel Watts, Zach Caccaviello, Andrew Oberdorfer and Billy Forrester were best for the Darryl Wilson-coached Nullawil.
Upset of the day was at Boort Park where the Magpies marked a 77-point victory against Donald.
The Dale Cameron-coached Boort unleashed a seven-goal blitz in the opening term to lead 43-3 at the break.
By half-time the Magpies led 68-10 against their third-placed opponent.
Boort won the next term, 19-17, and finished with plenty of run as it scored 5.6 to 3.1 in the last for a 123-46 result.
Lists of goalkickers for both teams were not supplied.
Best for Boort were Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Jarrod Fitzpatrick, James Byrne, Natnael McLaren, Jack Smith and James Keeble.
Logan Geddes, Andrew Browne, Hayden Geddes, Ryan Bath, Jamie Papalia and coach Josh Potter were Donald’s best.
Wycheproof-Narraport marked its final home game as the Demons by beating Birchip-Watchem by two goals at Wycheproof.
From next season, Wycheproof-Narraport will join forces with Nullawil to become Calder United Lions.
The Wayne Mitrovic-coached Demons led 28-14 at quarter-time of the clash with the Bulls.
Birchip-Watchem hit back to win the second term, 16-14.
A tally of 2.1 as it kept the hosts to a score of 1.4 in the third put the Bulls within nine points going into the last quarter.
Both line-ups scored three goals in the last as Wycheproof-Narraport players and fans celebrated a hard-fought 73-61 victory.
Cody Green, Koby Hommelhoff and Heath Senior all kicked two goals for the Demons.
Donald’s attack was led by Ben Edwards with seven.
Best for Wycheproof-Narraport were Josh Grabowski, Thomas Trewin, Koby Hommelhoff, Robert and Morgan Fawcett, and Nick Grabowski.
Ben Edwards, Nicholas Rippon, Meyrick Buchanan, Austin Dean, Sean Hogan and Jacob Noonan were best for the Trevor Ryan-coached Bulls.
St Arnaud marked win number two as it beat Charlton by 11 points at Charlton Park.
The Scott Driscoll-coached Saints were down 34-38 at half-time.
A tally of 2.3 as it kept the Navies to a score of 1.2 in the third gave St Arnaud a one-point lead going into the final quarter.
Goalkicking accuracy was a key factor as St Arnaud finished the match on 10.6 (66) as Charlton’s score was 7.13 (55) at the final siren.
Jarryd Kelly and Jackson Needs both kicked two goals for the Saints.
Charlton’s leading goalkicker was Harrison Harrison Taylor on two.
Best for the Saints were Ryan Lempa, Thomas Bertalli, Daniel Gifford, Sam Male, Bailey Nicholas and Simon Elliott.
Elliott Fitzpatrick, Ben Lanyon, Sam Woods, Jed Thompson, Bailey Dixon and Patrick Soulsby were best for the Mitch Collins-coached Navies.
Sea Lake Nandaly had the bye.
North Central senior footy ladder:
Birchip-Watchem 198 per cent, 54 points; Sea Lake Nandaly 211, 52; Donald 108, 38; Wedderburn 119, 34; Nullawil 111, 32; Boort 90, 26; Wycheproof-Narraport 88, 26; St Arnaud 40, 8; Charlton 40, 2.
In next Saturday’s 18th round, Donald will be home against Wedderburn in the clash of third and fourth.
Nullawil faces Wycheproof-Narraport at Nullawil Recreation Reserve.
Sea Lake Nandaly takes on Charlton at Sea Lake.
St Arnaud and Boort meet on the Saints’ ground at Lord Nelson Park.
Birchip-Watchem has the bye.
Leading goalkickers, pending update from Boort v Donald:
97 Ben Edwards, Birchip-Watchem.
46 Josh Jenkins, Sea Lake Nandaly.
44 Tom Campbell, Wedderburn.
41 Mitch Farmer, Nullawil.
32 Nicholas Rippon, Birchip-Watchem.
30 Oscar Holt, Wedderburn.
29 Adam Thomson, Nullawil.
27 James Keeble, Boort.
25 Trent Grant, Donald.
24 Joseph Reid, Birchip-Watchem.
23 Noah Berry, Donald.
22 Billy McInnes, Sea Lake Nandaly.
22 Tyson McKenzie, Sea Lake Nandaly.
21 Ethan Coleman, Boort.
21 Jack Exell, Nullawil.
21 Nick Grabowski, Wycheproof-Narraport.
21 Blake Grant, Donald.
19 Anthony Zelencich, Weddeburn.
18 Rylee Smith, Nullawil.
17 Lachy McClelland, Sea Lake Nandaly.
17 Will Simpson, Sea Lake Nandaly.
16 Josh Grabowski, Wycheproof-Narraport.
14 Daniel Bell, Birchip-Watchem.
14 Max Cahoon, Sea Lake Nandaly.
14 Thomas Cox, Sea Lake Nandaly.
14 Wayne Mitrovic, Wycheproof-Narraport.
14 Maysen Murgov, Wycheproof-Narraport.
13 Ty Colbert, Birchip-Watchem.
13 Junior Miller, Wedderburn.
13 Torin Petrie, St Arnaud.
13 Josh Potter, Donald.
13 Tom Potter, Boort.
13 Brody Weir, Sea Lake Nandaly.
12 Wade Donnan, Sea Lake Nandaly.
12 Chris Gavaghan, Charlton.
12 Cody Green, Wycheproof-Narraport.
12 Jamie Papalia, Donald.
12 Will Perryman, Boort.
11 Darcy Jackson, Wedderburn.
11 Matthew Wade, Nullawil.
10 Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Boort.
10 Andrew Casey, Nullawil.
10 Natnael McLaren, Boort.