BY NATHAN DOLE
Top teams clash at Ultima
ULTIMA will be striving to break Hay’s unbeaten run when they meet in Saturday’s 14th round of senior footy in the Golden Rivers season.
It’s second against first on Ultima’s turf from 2.25pm.
Ultima has won 11 matches, but both defeats this season have been against the Hay Lions.
The reigning premiers won the round four match in the Lions’ den by 17 points.
Next showdown between the Lions and Kangaroos was in round nine at Hay.
The Lions won 67-57.
Both teams have dominated recent hit-outs.
Ultima won last Saturday’s match at Murrabit by 101 points.
A week earlier and the Roos beat Wandella by 37 points which followed a 94-55 victory at Moulamein in the 11th round.
Winning margins for Hay the past three rounds have been 161, 114 and 119 points.
It will be a massive test for Ultima’s on-ballers and midfielders to limit the dominance of their opponents across four quarters.
Key players for the Kangaroos include Matt Taverna in the ruck, Caillum Brady at half-back, rover Jake Foster and Mitchell Seton-Stewart on a wing.
Ultima’s line-up to tackle the Lions includes Ryan Featherby, Jye Purtill, Thomas Bull, Ryan Devereux and Mitch Makepeace.
n-form players for the Lions include ruck-rover Jack Cattanach, Angus Gardiner in attack, and ruckman James Moran.
A formidable attack for Hay includes Kenneth Jubb, Dean Aylett and Jack Bone.
Wandella is back on home turf to take on Murrabit.
The Bombers from Wandella fought on for a 67-60 win at Moulamein last round.
In the round nine clash it was Wandella which won at Murrabit by 22 points.
The Blues from Murrabit will be determined to mark their fourth win of the season.
Players to watch for Murrabit include Rhys Carmichael, Sam Copland, Michael Grant and Jett Funnell.
The Blues will also look for big games from Ben Gillingham, Nathan O’Toole, Dean Harrop, Patrick Bryan and Pras Sayakhot.
Third in the premiership race, Wandella will be keen to mark another confidence-building victory in the lead-up to the first semi-final on August 25.
Justin Robinson made a welcome return to Wandella’s attack as he kicked six goals in a best afield performance at Moulamein last Saturday.
The Bombers’ best against the Swans included Jayden Crellin, Oliver Macartney and Connor Wilson.
Adam Ward is also back for the red and black for the first time since the round eight clash with Moulamein.
Wandella’s team for this round includes Logan Keighran, Jag Ogborne, Tim Robinson and Tanner Treacy.
It’s the showdown of the Tigers and Swans as Macorna hosts Moulamein.
When these teams met in round nine it was Macorna which marked an 81-71 victory.
The fourth-placed Tigers will not want to drop their guard in this contest.
Was a tough afternoon for Macorna’s players and fans at Hay last Saturday.
Key players in the yellow and black include Hunter Anset, Kurt Forder, and half-forwards Malcolm Neiwand and Xavier Wishart.
Macorna will also look to Fergus Bear, Will Robinson, Lachlan Thompson, Cooper Carmichael and Lachlan Ritchie to win plenty of contests.
Moulamein will aim to capitalise on a great chance to record its second win of the season.
The Swans were stung in the final quarter of last Saturday’s match against Wandella as the Bombers turned a 15-point deficit into a seven-point triumph.
Moulamein’s best against the red and black were Xander Hartland, Will Gibson, Rodney Reeves and Heath Moloney.
The Swans line-up to tackle the Tigers includes Cody Storm, Ely Miller, Caleb Scandolera, Mark Drotsky and Hunter Hartland.
Golden Rivers senior footy ladder:
Hay 371 per cent, 52 points; Ultima 234, 44; Wandella 82, 24; Macorna 62, 20; Murrabit 49, 12; Moulamein 52, 4.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
48 Declan Watson, Hay.
41 Ryan Devereux, Ultima.
30 Kenneth Jubb, Hay.
25 Justin Robinson, Wandella.
23 Jack Cattanach, Hay.
20 Will Collis, Hay.
19 Tristan McIntosh, Macorna.
17 Jack Shannahan, Murrabit.
16 Ely Miller, Moulamein.
16 Matt Taverna, Ultima.
15 Logan Keighran, Wandella.
15 Heath Moloney, Moulamein.
15 Michael Rowe, Wandella.
14 Patrick Bryan, Murrabit.
14 Jensen Hargreaves, Hay.
14 Jacob Watson, Hay.
13 Hunter Hartland, Moulamein.
13 Adam Ward, Wandella.
13 Ricky Wild, Ultima.
12 Jake Foster, Ultima.
12 Lincoln Frost, Ultima.
12 Jim Houston, Hay.
11 Angus Gardiner, Hay.
11 Jack Headon, Hay.
11 James White, Moulamein.
10 Malcolm Neiwand, Macorna.
10 Xavier Wishart, Macorna.