BY NATHAN DOLE
Balranald ends Cohuna’s run
BALRANALD ended Cohuna Kangas season as it won Sunday’s elimination final in the Radio 3SH-backed senior footy competition in the Central Murray.
It was two mobs of Kangaroos which met on Balranald’s turf at Greenham Park.
The Jydon Neagle-coached Balranald stayed in the premiership race as it marked an eight-point win against the Jack Geary-coached Cohuna Kangas.
A great match ended with Balranald in front, 11.14 (80) to 10.12 (72).
Lists of goalkickers and best players for both teams were not supplied.
Balranald advances to next Sunday’s first semi-final against Nyah Nyah West United at Cohuna Recreation Reserve.
The NNWU Demons will be on the rebound from a four-point loss to Mallee Eagles in the qualifying final.
It was a brilliant match between the Eagles and Demons at Lake Boga on Saturday.
The Brent Macleod-coached Eagles charged to a 36-15 lead by half-time.
Nyah Nyah West United fought back brilliantly to score 5.1 and held Mallee to a tally of 1.1 in the third quarter.
The Jason Murphy and Nic O’Neill-coached Demons led 46-43 at a quarter to go.
In the last it was Mallee which added 4.1 and held NNWU to a score of three goals.
The Eagles led 68-64 at the final siren.
Mallee’s attack was led by Paul Davis, Andrew Mead-Harding, Jacob and Zac O’Meara on two goals each.
The Demons had Charlie Boulton, Dominic Gallo and Brandyn Grenfell kick two majors.
Best for the Eagles were Paul Davis, Matthew Despott, Harry McGregor and Joe Halloran.
NNWU’s best were Dominic Gallo, Ethan Saville, Joel Walsh and Brayden Bigham.
Mallee will now meet the Troy Coates-coached Kerang in Saturday’s second semi-final at Woorinen Recreation Reserve.
In the reserves competition, Lake Boga stayed in the premiership race after a 69-62 win against Swan Hill in Sunday’s elimination final.
Best for the Magpies were John Foskett, Gary Goodes, Shannon O’Reill and Brady Hogan.
Swan Hill’s best were Brad Williamson, Shannon Polglase, Patrick Conlan and Jye Hogan.
Next hit-out for Lake Boga will be the first semi-final against Mallee Eagles.
The Eagles could not Woorinen’s charge to a 49-16 victory in the qualifying final.
Jason Iannucci capped a best afield performance with three goals as Matthew Iannucci, Tim Gammon and Nick Higginbottom were Woorinen’s best.
The best for the Eagles were Charlie Kingwill, Nickolas Miller, Andrew McDonald and Brayden Shipp.
In the Colts competition, Woorinen won the elimination final against Tooleybuc Manangatang by 33 points.
Hugh Thompson kicked six goals as the Tigers marked a 72-39 victory.
The Saints’ attack was led by Seth Linford on two goals.
Best for Woorinen were Otto Conlan, Hugh Thompson, Xavier Johnson and Tahj Bolton.
Tooleybuc Manangatang’s best were Rydar Morris, Kallum Hazlett, Julian Muir and Seth Linford.
Swan Hill won its way into the Colts second semi-final after a 56-15 win against Kerang on Saturday.
Sonny Beasy kicked three goals for the Swans as Bodhi Kelly chipped in with two.
Best for the Swans were Lane Cardenas, Bodhi Kelly, Sonny Beasy and Jett Hinton.
Kerang’s best were Eddie May, Zarne Thamm, Flynn McKnight and Nicholas Oliver.
The league’s finals series kicked off with the qualifying final of the Mildura Health Fund-backed under-15s competition between Swan Hill and Tooleybuc Manangatang.
Both teams struggled for goals across the first half as the Swans scored 1.6 and the Saints replied with 1.3.
The Swans kicked away to a 21-point lead by the last break as they scored 3.1 to a point in the third term.
Tooleybuc Manangatang fought on to score three straight goals in the final quarter, but Swan Hill’s tally of two points helped it clinch a 33-28 victory.
Clem Harris kicked a match-high three goals for the Swans as Jacob Zanker booted two majors for the Saints.
Best for Swan Hill were Sam Brown, Lenny Ryan, Noah Pearson and Jimmy Kelly.
The Saints’ best were Callum and Julian Muir, Campbell Fisher and Jedd Morris.
Koondrook Barham won the under-15s elimination final against Kerang by eight points.
The Rivers led 4.4 (28) to 3.2 (20) at the final siren.
Nate Pretty kicked two goals and was among Koondrook Barham’s best with Alex Chisholm, James McDonald and Ethan Patten.
Best for the Blues from Kerang were Saxon Povey-Walker, Mitchell Bilton, Declan Heffer and Madden Povey-Walker.
Central Murray footy elimination finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Balranald 11.14 (80) d Cohuna Kangas 10.12 (72).
GOALS – Balranald: not supplied. Cohuna Kangas: not supplied.
BEST – Balranald: not supplied. Cohuna Kangas: not supplied.
Reserves:
Lake Boga 3.3 6.5 9.6 10.9 (69)
Swan Hill 4.0 6.2 8.4 9.8 (62)
GOALS – Lake Boga: not supplied. Swan Hill: not supplied.
BEST – Lake Boga: John Foskett, Gary Goodes, Shannon O’Reilly, Brady Hogan, Parker Tonkin, Patrick Storer. Swan Hill: Brad Williamson, Shannon Polglase, Patrick Conlan, Jye Hogan, Spencer McKenzie, Angus Monk.
Colts:
Woorinen 10.12 (72) d Tooleybuc Manangatang 5.9 (39)
GOALS – Woorinen: Hugh Thompson 6, Blake Mazzarella 2, Mitchell Bannam, Liam Edwards. Tooleybuc Manangatang: Seth Linford 2, Connor Hazlett, Rylee Taylor, Lex Wilson.
BEST – Woorinen: Otto Conlan, Hugh Thompson, Xavier Johnson, Tahj Bolton, William Rush, Oscar Thornton. Tooleybuc Manangatang: Rydar Morris, Kallum Hazlett, Julian Muir, Seth Linford, Connor Hazlett, Campbell Fisher.
Under-15:
Koondrook Barham 4.4 (28) d Kerang 3.2 (20)
GOALS – Koondrook Barham: Nate Pretty 2, Michael Gilbert, James McDonald. Kerang: Tyler Bilton, Ronarrian Dowdy, Eddie May.
BEST – Koondrook Barham: Alex Chisholm, Nate Pretty, James McDonald, Ethan Patten, Jakson Curry, Riley D’Silva. Kerang: Saxon Povey-Walker, Mitchell Bilton, Declan Heffer, Madden Povey-Walker, Tyler Bilton, Hudson Taylor.
Central Murray footy qualifying finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Mallee Eagles 3.0 5.6 6.7 10.8 (68)
Nyah Nyah West United 2.2 2.3 7.4 10.4 (64)
GOALS – Mallee Eagles: Paul Davis, Andrew Mead-Harding, Jacob O’Meara, Zac O’Meara 2, Shaun Harrison, Brent Macleod. Nyah Nyah West United: Charlie Boulton, Dominic Gallo, Brandyn Grenfell 2, Corey Daniels, Riley Daniels, Nic O’Neill, Liam White.
BEST – Mallee Eagles: Paul Davis, Matthew Despott, Harry McGregor, Joe Halloran, Beau Bennett, Darcy McGregor. Nyah Nyah West United: Dominic Gallo, Ethan Saville, Joel Walsh, Bradyen Bigham, Jordan Iudica, Zak O’Shannessy.
Reserves:
Woorinen 4.4 5.8 5.12 6.13 (49)
Mallee Eagles 0.0 2.1 2.1 2.4 (16)
GOALS – Woorinen: Jason Iannucci 3, Tyler Beasy, Riley Jones, Mitch Whitfield. Mallee Eagles: not supplied.
BEST – Woorinen: Jason Iannucci, Matthew Iannucci, Tim Gammon, Nick Higginbottom, Andrew Lolicato, Adam Hendy. Mallee Eagles: Charlie Kingwill, Nickolas Miller, Andrew McDonald, Brayden Shipp, Wes Bennett, Ryan Fordham.
Colts:
Swan Hill 2.4 3.4 6.7 8.8 (56)
Kerang 0.0 0.2 1.2 2.3 (15)
GOALS – Swan Hill: Sonny Beasy 3, Bodhi Kelly 2, Paddy Hufer, Kaillum Polglase, Harry Scott. Kerang: Ronarrian Dowdy, Will James Evans.
BEST – Swan Hill: Lane Cardenas, Bodhi Kelly, Sonny Beasy, Jett Hinton, Lachlan Vrolijks, Kaillum Polglase. Kerang: Eddie May, Zarne Thamm, Flynn McKnight, Nicholas Oliver, Mason Dibsdale, Dylan Threlfall.
Under-15
Swan Hill 1.4 1.6 4.7 4.9 (33)
Tooleybuc Manangatang 0.1 1.3 1.4 4.4 (28)
GOALS – Swan Hill: Clem Harris 3, Hugh Angus. Tooleybuc Manangatang: Jacob Zanker 2, Zachary Lehner, Jedd Morris.
BEST – Swan Hill: Sam Brown, Lenny Ryan, Noah Pearson, Jimmy Kelly, Clem Harris, Tyler Marold. Tooleybuc Manangatang: Callum Muir, Julian Muir, Campbell Fisher, Jedd Morris, Jacob Zanker, Tyler Mazzarella.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Woorinen:
Under-15s at 9am: Lake Boga v Swan Hill.
Colts at 10.20am: Lake Boga v Swan Hill.
Reserves at 12.25pm: Kerang v Woorinen.
Seniors at 2.30pm: Kerang v Mallee Eagles.
Schedule for Sunday’s first semi-finals at Cohuna Recreation Reserve:
Under-15s at 9am: Tooleybuc Manangatang v Koondrook Barham.
Colts at 10.20am: Kerang v Woorinen.
Reserves at 12.25pm: Mallee Eagles v Lake Boga.
Seniors at 2.30pm: Nyah Nyah West United v Balranald.