BY NATHAN DOLE
Cohuna upsets Demons to seal finals berth
COHUNA Kangas sealed their place in the Radio 3SH-backed Central Murray senior footy finals by upsetting Nyah Nyah West United in Saturday’s 18th round.
The Kangas had to beat the Demons to be assured of holding fourth place and qualifying for an elimination final.
A second-quarter blitz of four goals to just three behinds put Cohuna in front by 30 points at half-time of the match on the Kangas’ ground.
Both teams added three goals apiece in the third term.
Although NNWU hit back to win the last, 17-15, the Jack Geary-coached Kangas had done enough to secure an 86-55 victory.
Izaac Johnson led the Kangas’ attack on three goals as Joel Helman and Jacob Mitchell chipped in with two each.
It was a match-high four goals from Brandyn Grenfell for the Jason Murphy and Nic O’Neill-coached NNWU.
Ethan Curran booted two majors for the red and blue who finish the home-and-away series in second place.
Best for Cohuna were Jackson Williams, Jack Donat, Brenton Conforti, Joel Helman, Jayden Cordy and Chris Anderson.
The Demons’ best were Ethan Curran, Corey and Riley Daniels, Ethan Saville, Max Thompson and Zak O’Shannassy.
Nyah Nyah West United will now prepare Mallee Eagles in next Saturday’s qualifying final at Lake Boga.
The Brent Macleod-coached Eagles warmed up for the finals by scoring an 111-point victory on Lake Boga’s turf.
Mallee led 21-9 at quarter-time and then slammed on 8.4 to 1.2 in the second.
Eight goals in the third were followed by six in the last as the Eagles soared to a 162-51 result.
Darcy Hourigan was in superb touch as he finished with 10 goals.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Eagles were Shaun Harrison, four; Dominic Makur, Darcy McGregor and Andrew Mead-Harding, two.
The Magpies’ attack was led by David Gourdis on three.
Best for Mallee were Kieren Bourke, Darcy Hourigan, Darcy McGregor, Beau Bennett, Clinton Cummins and Jacob O’Meara.
Zac Warne, Nick Taylor, Willem Pye, David Gourdis, Marty Parsons and Aaron Lonergan worked hard for the Dean Helmers-coached Lake Boga.
Last season’s runner-up, Balranald held fifth place and an elimination final berth as it marked a 100-point win against Tooleybuc Manangatang.
The Jydon Neagle-coached Kangaroos led 38-14 at quarter-time of the match on their ground at Greenham Park.
Balranald had opened up a 50-point lead by half-time after it added six goals in the second term.
Led by the play of Ryan Middlebrook, Harrison Soraggi and Drew Lloyd, Balranald kicked on for a 150-50 victory.
Jydon Neagle kicked a match-high five goals and had strong support from Drew Lloyd, four majors; Colin Andrews, Seth Connell, Kobe Lloyd and Harrison Soraggi, three.
The Saints’ attack was led by Josh Williams with three goals as Connor Nutting added two.
Best for Balranald included Kobe Lloyd, Rory Fitzgerald and Jaxon Neagle.
Jesse Wilson, John Wardle, Connor McConald, Blake Grant and Harrison Maher were best for the Brad Morris-coached Saints.
Woorinen fought on for an eight-point win against Tyntynder at Alan Garden Reserve in Swan Hill.
A high-scoring first half went the way of the Marcus Demaria-coached Woorinen, 63-40.
Tyntynder hit back to win the third term, 25-14.
A closely-fought last quarter was also won by Jack O’Rourke-coached Bulldogs, 19-15, but it was Woorinen which held on for a 92-84 victory.
Will Collicoat, Arnold Kirby, Henry and Hugh Thompson and Lachlan Warburton all kicked two goals for Woorinen.
The Tyntynder attack was led by Jayden Magro on six goals as Roy George booted two.
Best for Woorinen were Lachlan Warburton, Jye Barry, Matt Gardner, Mitchell Uhlhorn, Taylor Cameron and Brock McLean.
Tyntynder’s best were Jayden Magro, Marcus Wattie, Roy George, Matt Gilbee, Mick Dedini and Isaiah Bull.
Kerang warmed up for another finals campaign by scoring an 83-62 win against Swan Hill on the Blues’ turf at Riverside Park.
The Blues were under pressure as the Michael Herlihy-coached Swans led 44-41 at half-time.
Inspired by the words of multiple premiership-winning coach and player Troy Coates, Kerang hit back to win the third term, 33-4.
Although the Swans scored 2.2 to 1.3 in the last it was Kerang which led 83-62 at the final siren.
Brett Kennedy kicked four goals for the Blues as Tyson Clingan added two.
The Swans’ attack was led by Brandon Houlihan on four and Michael Herlihy with three.
Best for Kerang were Josh Hann, Josh Hunter, Brett Kennedy, Sean Hunter, Liam Jardine and Tyson Clingan.
Michael Herlihy, Adam Manning, Thomas Corridan, Brandon Houlihan, Nyawi Moore and Anthony Lewin played well in the Swans’ final match of the season.
Koondrook Barham had the bye.
Central Murray senior footy ladder:
Kerang 173 per cent, 58 points; Nyah Nyah West United 138, 48; Mallee Eagles 126, 46; Cohuna Kangas 144, 40; Balranald 136, 40; Woorinen 118, 40; Tyntynder 96, 28; Tooleybuc Manangatang 69, 28; Lake Boga 54, 12; Swan Hill 69, 8; Koondrook Barham 53, 4.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Lake Boga:
Under-15 at 9.50am: Tooleybuc Manangatang v Swan Hills.
Colts, under-18 at 11.10am: Swan Hill v Kerang.
Reserves at 12.50pm: Woorinen v Mallee Eagles.
Seniors at 2.30pm: Nyah Nyah West United v Mallee Eagles.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Balranald’s Greenham Park:
Under-15 at 9.50am: Koondrook Barham v Kerang.
Colts, under-18s at 11.10am: Tooleybuc Manangatang v Woorinen.
Reserves at 12.50pm: Lake Boga v Swan Hill.
Seniors at 2.30pm: Cohuna Kangas v Balranald.
Leading goalkickers in the senior competition:
73 Brandyn Grenfell, Nyah Nyah West United.
65 Darcy Hourigan, Mallee Eagles.
43 Jayden Magro, Tyntynder.
38 Josh Williams, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
37 Drew Lloyd, Balranald.
35 Jason Eagle, Tyntynder.
31 Andrew Mead-Harding, Mallee Eagles.
29 Joel Helman, Cohuna Kangas.
26 Ned McKeown, Swan Hill.
25 Colin Andrews, Balranald.
25 Jacob Mitchell, Cohuna Kangas.
24 Brett Kennedy, Kerang.
23 Will Collicoat, Woorinen.
23 Lachlan Gardner, Woorinen.
23 David Gourdis, Lake Boga.
23 Arnold Kirby, Woorinen.
23 Matt Neagle, Balranald.
23 Connor Nutting, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
22 Michael Herlihy, Swan Hill.
22 Izaac Johnson, Cohuna Kangas.
22 Jydon Neagle, Balranald.
21 Kye Attwell, Koondrook Barham.
21 Jordan McNeil, Kerang.
20 Sean Hunter, Kerang.
18 Roy George, Tyntynder.
18 Nic O’Neill, Nyah Nyah West United.
17 Seth Connell, Balranald.
17 Liam White, Nyah Nyah West United.
16 Charlie Boulton, Nyah Nyah West United.
16 Shaun Harrison, Mallee Eagles.
16 Lachlan Lellman, Balranald.
16 Koben Ryan, Lake Boga.
15 Jye Barry, Woorinen.
15 Daniel Coates, Cohuna Kangas.
15 Brandon Houlihan, Swan Hill.
15 Kai Kearns, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
15 Brent Macleod, Mallee Eagles.
15 Xavier Mitchell, Cohuna Kangas.
14 Johnathan Marsden, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
13 Tyson Clingan, Kerang.
13 Archer Dibsdale, Kerang.
13 Dylan Johnstone, Cohuna Kangas.
13 Jordan McKinnon, Koondrook Barham.
13 Luke Phelan, Swan Hill.
13 Toby Thoolen, Swan Hill.
12 Mitch Christensen, Koondrook Barham.
12 Thomas Hetherington, Kerang.
12 Tom Langford, Woorinen.
12 Josh Stone, Woorinen.
12 Lachlan Warburton, Woorinen.
11 Troy Coates, Kerang.
11 Billy Driscoll, Koondrook Barham.
11 Clayton McCartney, Woorinen.
11 Jude Palmer, Cohuna Kangas.
11 Jarryd Pertzel, Kerang.
11 Xavier Sherlock, Lake Boga.
11 Harrison Soraggi, Balranald.
11 Marcus Wattie, Tyntynder.
11 Jackson Williams, Cohuna Kangas.
10 Justin Ellis, Tyntynder.
10 Dominic Gallo, Nyah Nyah West United.
10 Jayden Lonergan, Lake Boga.
10 Darcy McGregor, Mallee Eagles.
10 Max Thompson, Nyah Nyah West United.