BY NATHAN DOLE
KERANG’S unbeaten run was almost broken by Balranald in Saturday’s sixth round of the Central Murray FNL’s senior footy action.
The Blues and Kangaroos played out a great match at Kerang’s Riverside Reserve.
Unbeaten in its quest for back-to-back premierships, Kerang was under pressure from the Kangaroos in the 3SH-backed competition.
Balranald led 13-2 at quarter-time, but Kerang fought back strongly.
The Troy Coates-coached Blues won the second, 32-7, to lead 34-20 at the main break.
In the third it was Balranald which teamed superbly to cut the deficit to just four points as it added 1.4 and kept Kerang’s scoreless.
The Blues scored two goals in the last and held the Roos to 1.2 to complete a 46-38 victory.
Adam Hunter led Kerang’s attack on three goals as Rylee Smith chipped in with two.
There were no multiple goalkickers for Balranald.
Kerang’s best were Troy Davis, Adam Hunter, Martin Kelly, Jesse Clark, Josh Nitschke and Ryan Gillingham.
Jaxon Neagle, Jordan Wilkins, Drew Lloyd, Matthew Neagle, Jack Salau and Harrison Soraggi played well for Balranald.
Cohuna Kangas scored a crucial win against Tooleybuc Manangatang at Tooleybuc.
The Tyson Findlay-coached Kangas led 42-29 at half-time before the Saints overcame an inaccurate first half to score six straight goals to 4.1 in the third term.
The heat was on the Kangas as they led by two points going into the last quarter.
Led by the play of Luke Conca, Daniel Paterson and Will Thrum, Cohuna lifted to score 5.4 to 2.2.
At the final siren Cohuna led 101 to 79.
Rhys Free led the Kangas’ attack on four goals as Dylan Johnstone added three, as Jarrod and Tyson Findlay, Joel Helman chipped in with two each.
Josh Williams kicked a match-high five goals for the Saints as Connor McDonald chipped in with three.
Cohuna’s best included and Joel Helman, Tyson Findlay and Daniel Coates.
Jaicob Kenny, Ethan Goldfinch, Johnathan Marsden, Josh Williams, Connor McDonald and Jack Mazzarella were Tooleybuc Manangatang’s best.
Woorinen dominated the opening three terms of the clash at Lake Boga.
The Tigers led 23-1 at quarter-time and then added another three goals as it held the Magpies to a score of 1.2 across the first half.
Led by the play of Taylor Cameron, Lachlan Gardner and Josh Domaille, Woorinen kicked on to lead 62-10 at the final change.
Lake Boga lifted to win the last term, 14-7, but it was the Tigers who celebrated a 69-24 victory.
Will Collicoat led Woorinen’s attack on three goals as Doug Beames and Otto Conlan added two.
Goalkickers for the Magpies were David Gourdis, Angus Monfries and Xavier Sherlock.
Best for Woorinen included Ben Booth, Matthew King and Will Collicoat.
Lincoln Sieben, Marty Parsons, Ricky Wild, Angus Monfries, Jacob Simpson and Nathaniel Holmes-Brown were Lake Boga’s best.
Goalkicking accuracy played a big part in Nyah Nyah West United’s win against Mallee Eagles at Lalbert.
The Demons scored 12.3 on their way to a 55-lead at half-time in the Eagles’ next.
Mallee lifted to win the third term, 29-15, but the NNWU team went on to record a 130-68 victory.
The Demons’ line-up included Brandyn Grenfell who has dominated in the Loddon Valley FNL across 2022 and the opening six games of the ’23 season for Marong.
Grenfell kicked five goals for NNWU as Hassan Ahmat-Watkins, Brayden Bigham, Alex Erlandson, Joel Walsh and Liam White chipped in with two each.
The Eagles’ leading goalkickers were Paul Davis and Jacob O’Meara on three.
Best for Nyah Nyah West United were Joel Walsh, Jarrod Stokes, Charlie Boulton, Ethan Saville, Dominic Gallo and Tristan Dalbon.
Harrison Allen, Brent Macleod, Beau Bennett, Paul Davis, Brett Thomas and Angus McKenzie were best for Mallee Eagles.
Koondrook Barham had the bye.
Round six will be completed on the King’s Birthday holiday weekend when Swan Hill plays Tyntynder under lights on June 10 at Swan Hill Recreation Reserve from 6pm.
Central Murray FNL senior footy ladder:
Kerang 244 per cent, 24 points; Woorinen 240, 16; Balranald 176, 16; Nyah Nyah West United 129, 12; Swan Hill 108, 12; Cohuna 101, 12; Lake Boga 94, 12; Tyntynder 79, 4; Tooleybuc Manangatang 76, 4; Mallee Eagles 57, 4; Koondrook Barham 22, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
23 Josh Williams, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
15 Rhys Free, Cohuna.
14 Will Collicoat, Woorinen.
14 Ben Fuller, Balranald.
14 Bradlee Pay, Kerang.
13 Danko Bzenic, Woorinen.
12 Charlie Boulton, Nyah Nyah West United.
12 Michael Runciman, Kerang.
11 David Gourdis, Lake Boga.
11 Troy Coates, Kerang.
10 Doug Beames, Woorinen.
10 Jose Miliado, Swan Hill.
In next Saturday’s round seven action, Woorinen plays Kerang in Tigers’ territory at Woorinen from 2.30pm.
Koondrook Barham takes on Lake Boga at Barham.
Cohuna is at home to play Mallee Eagles.
Balranald and Swan Hill clash at Balranald’s Greenham Park.
Tyntynder tackles Tooleybuc Manangatang at Swan Hill’s Alan Garden Reserve.
Nyah Nyah West United has the bye.