BY NATHAN DOLE
Bulls win thrilling showdown with Tigers
IT’S Birchip-Watchem which was first into the Goldacres North Central senior footy grand final after Saturday’s thrilling second semi-final win against Sea Lake Nandaly.
The premiers of the past two seasons clashed at Donald Recreation Reserve.
The Bulls from Birchip-Watchem charged to a 17-point lead by quarter-time.
Birchip-Watchem’s dominance in the opening term was reflected by a tally of nine scoring shots as the Tigers had just two.
After a brilliant start the Trevor Ryan-coached Bulls led 24-7 at the first break.
Both teams added 18 points in the second.
The Bulls kicked three straight goals, while the Tigers could not cut the deficit as they scored 3.6.
In the third quarter it was Birchip-Watchem which again controlled a lot of the play.
The Bulls led 68-44 going into the final term.
A Tigers’ line-up jointly coached by Bryce Delmenico and Billy McInnes fired up.
As SLN scored 4.5 it kept Birchip-Watchem to a tally of 1.1.
Birchip-Watchem’s score of seven points was enough to clinch a 75-73 victory and earn a week’s rest rolling into the September 14 grand final.
The competition’s leading goalkicker, Ben Edwards capped another great match with four goals for the Bulls as Joseph Reid and Nicholas Rippon added two.
Sea Lake Nandaly’s leading goalkickers were Thomas Cox and Jackson McMahon with two.
Best for the Bulls were Angus Butterfield, Lachlan Ryan, Meyrick Buchanan and Nicholas Rippon.
Thomas Cox, Wade Donnan, Luke Martin and Tyson McKenzie played well for the yellow and black.
The Tigers now have a tougher run to claim back-to-back premierships as they will tackle Wedderburn in next Saturday’s preliminary final at Charlton Park.
In the Haeuslers reserves competition, Nullawil marked a three-goal win against Sea Lake Nandaly in the second semi-final.
Beaten just once in the home-and-away series, Nullawil started favourite.
The Maroons’ sole defeat in the run to the finals was a 38-61 result at home against Sea Lake Nandaly in the 14th round.
On Saturday it was Nullawil which overcame an inaccurate first half to mark a three-goal win against the Tigers.
Sea Lake Nandaly scored three straight goals in the first half as Nullawil had a tally of 2.4 by half-time.
In the third it was Nullawil which dominated play.
The Maroons scored 4.4 as the Tigers added a behind.
Although the yellow and black fought back to win the last, 13-6, it was Nullawil which celebrated a 50-32 victory.
Nullawil shared the goalkicking around as seven players were on target.
The Tigers’ attack was led by Joel Clohesy on two.
Best for Nullawil were Angus Forrester, Zac Kelly, Mitchell Barry and Billy Forrester.
The Tigers’ best were Joel Clohesy, Isaac Durie, Wayne Landry and Felix Warne.
Sea Lake Nandaly will tackle Boort in the preliminary final.
The young Saints from St Arnaud are first to the under-17s grand final.
It was St Arnaud against Boort in the preliminary final of the Charlton and District Community Bank-backed competition.
Boort led 14-7 at quarter-time before the Saints scored three goals and kept the Magpies to a behind in the second term.
St Arnaud led 28-15 at half-time and it was a closely-fought third quarter which went Boort’s way, 15-12.
Inspired by the play of Frankie Donald, Ben Greenaway and Owen Lowe it was St Arnaud which kicked on for a 56-37 victory.
The Saints’ attack was led by George Gorrie and Jackson Needs on two goals.
Boort’s leading goalkicker was Cooper Gooding with two as he was among the best with Jackson Bird, Harold Malone and Lachlan Hall.
The Magpies will meet Sea Lake Nandaly in the preliminary final.
Second semi-final day kicked off with the under-14 match between Sea Lake Nandaly and Boort.
The Tigers raced to a 15-1 lead by quarter-time of the match in the Uniting Church-sponsored competition.
Boort drew within a goal by half-time after the young Magpies scored 2.2 and held the Tigers to a goal in the second quarter.
The third was when SLN took charge.
The yellow and black added 2.4 and kept Boort scoreless.
Although the Magpies won the last, 7-6, it was Sea Lake Nandaly which marked a 43-22 victory.
Cooper Symes kicked two goals for the Tigers as Henry Cox, Zander Wight, Ryder Newick and Riley Allan were best.
Boort’s best were Seth Muller, Harry Clapp, Mase Young and Archer Lee.
The Magpies now take on Donald in the preliminary final on Charlton’s turf.
Goldacres North Central footy second semi-finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Birchip-Watchem 3.6 6.6 10.8 11.9 (75)
Sea Lake Nandaly 1.1 3.7 6.8 10.13 (73)
GOALS – Birchip-Watchem: Ben Edwards 4, Joseph Reid, Nicholas Rippon 2, Daniel Bell, Meyrick Buchanan, Lachlan Ryan. Sea Lake Nandaly: Thomas Cox, Jackson McMahon 2, Max Cahoon, Wade Donnan, Lachy McClelland, Tyson McKenzie, Ryan O’Sullivan, Brody Weir.
BEST – Birchip-Watchem: Angus Butterfield, Lachlan Ryan, Meyrick Buchanan, Nicholas Rippon, Hamish Hosking, Jacob Noonan. Sea Lake Nandaly: Thomas Cox, Wade Donnan, Luke Martin, Tyson McKenzie, Jack Poulton, Charlie Cox.
Reserves:
Nullawil 1.4 2.4 6.8 7.8 (50)
Sea Lake Nandaly 0.0 3.0 3.1 5.2 (32)
GOALS – Nullawil: Jack Barry, Jayden Coghlan, Sam Goldsmith, Dude Kelly, Zac Kelly, Angus Forrester, Tom Fawcett. Sea Lake Nandaly: Joel Clohesy 2, Harry Harcourt, Felix Warne, Nathan Wight.
BEST – Nullawil: Angus Forrester, Zac Kelly, Mitchell Barry, Billy Forrester, Jayden Coghlan, Jack Barry. Sea Lake Nandaly: Joel Clohesy, Isaac Durie, Wayne Landry, Felix Warne, Jordan Bath, Chase Tait.
Under-17s:
St Arnaud 1.1 4.4 6.4 8.8 (56)
Boort 2.2 2.3 4.6 5.7 (37)
GOALS – St Arnaud: George Gorrie, Jackson Needs 2, Frankie Donald, Chad Hendy, Owen Lowe, Hamish Tannock. Boort: Cooper Gooding 2, Lachlan Hall, Jake O’Flaherty, Darby Perryman.
BEST – St Arnaud: Frankie Donald, Ben Greenaway, Owen Lowe, Sean Bridgeman, Kynan Torney, Jackson Needs. Boort: Jackson Bird, Harold Malone, Lachlan Hall, Cooper Gooding, Jack Potter, Max Beattie.
Under-14s:
Sea Lake Nandaly 2.3 3.3 5.7 6.7 (43)
Boort 0.1 2.3 2.3 3.4 (22)
GOALS – Sea Lake Nandaly: Cooper Symes 2, Oscar Conlan, Henry Cox, Judd O’Sullivan, Hugo Warne. Boort: Liam King, Brodie McPherson, Darby Perryman.
BEST – Sea Lake Nandaly: Henry Cox, Zander Wight, Ryder Newick, Riley Allan, Hugo Warne, Oscar Conlan. Boort: Seth Muller, Harry Clapp, Mase Young, Archer Lee, Connor McNally, Darby Perryman.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Charlton Park:
Under-14s at 9.30am: Boort v Donald.
Under-17s at 10.55am: Boort v Sea Lake Nandaly.
Reserves at 12.3pm: Sea Lake Nandaly v Boort.
Seniors at 2.30pm: Sea Lake Nandaly v Wedderburn.