-By Nathan Dole
THE Blues from Murrabit will be striving to halt the run of Hay’s Lions in Saturday’s second round of the Golden Rivers senior footy season.
Both teams triumphed in the first round of the ’25 campaign.
Murrabit will be on home turf for a showdown with the Lions which starts at 2.25pm.
Moulamein faces a huge task at home against Ultima.
A Moulamein team jointly coached by Brodie Tonkin and Hayden Dalitz was on the end of a 11-goal loss at Hay in round one.
Ultima’s run at back-to-back premierships kicked off with a 51-point win at home against Wandella.
Key players for Moulamein include captain and ruck-rover Xander Hartland, ruckman Heath Moloney, rover Blake Launer, Adam Saunders in attack, Mark Drotsky and Cody Storm in attack.
Ultima co-coach Mitch Seton-Stewart was among the best in round one.
A Kangaroos’ line-up which has Kyle Symons as co-coach includes Thomas Isma in the centre, Jye Purtill and Kade Benfield in attack, Ryan Devereux, Ricky Wild, and ruckman Cameron Johnson.
The Jack Shannahan-coached Murrabit teamed well for a 69-48 win at Macorna last Saturday.
In-form players for the Blues were Logan McKinnon, Jordan Lampi, Bailey Pengelly and Bryden Morison.
Murrabit captain Ben Gillingham has a big role to play in the ruck against James Moran.
Other key match-ups for the Blues will be Matt Moon at full-back against Jack Headon, James Stewart at centre half-forward opposed to Hay co-captain Brad Pocock.
Key players in a Hay team coached by Jason Aylett and James Moran include Simon Bunyan, Joel Crocker and Jacob Watson.
It’s the Bombers against the Tigers as Wandella hosts Macorna.
Both are on the rebound from defeat.
The Wandella team coached by Justin Robinson includes Connor Carter, Mitch Collins, John Cooper, Archer Lancaster, Tim Robinson and Kane Timmins.
Best for Macorna were Jackson Fry, Hunter Anset, Kurt Forder and co-coach Shaun Haffenden.
The yellow and black has Paul Longstaff as co-coach.
Golden Rivers FNL senior footy ladder:
Hay 224.5 per cent, 4 points; Ultima 224.3, 4; Murrabit 143, 4; Macorna 69, 0; Wandella 44.57, 0; Moulamein 44.54, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
4 Josh Dwyer, Ultima.
4 Adam Thomson, Murrabit.
3 Harry Loughnan, Hay.
2 Matthew Angel, Macorna.
2 Kade Benfield, Ultima.
2 Connor Carter, Wandella.
2 Thomas Isma, Ultima.
2 Jordan Lampi, Murrabit.