BY NATHAN DOLE
Hay Lions roar into another grand final
HAY is a win away from capturing back-to-back senior footy premierships in the Golden Rivers competition.
The Lions roared to a 49-point victory against Ultima in Saturday’s second semi-final at Wandella.
It was Ultima which started well and led 26-23 at quarter-time.
Hay struck back to win the second term, 22-4.
The reigning champions lifted their play to another level as they slammed on 6.7 and kept the Kangaroos to a tally of 1.1 in the third quarter.
Both teams scored two goals in the last as Hay led 101-52 at the final siren.
Declan Watson led the Lions’ attack on four goals as Jack Headon added three and Angus Gardiner and Kenneth Jubb chipped in with two.
Only multiple goalkicker for Ultima was Ricky Wild on two.
The Kangaroos earned the double chance and will use it when they play Wandella in next Saturday’s preliminary final at Ultima.
It will be Ultima or Wandella against Hay in the September 7 grand final in Hay.
The Bombers from Wandella dominated Sunday’s first semi-final showdown with Macorna at Murrabit.
Wandella slammed on five goals to nil in the first quarter and did not ease up.
The Bombers led 59-16 at half-time and put the result beyond doubt as they scored 4.3 and kept the Tigers to just two behinds in the third term.
Michael Rowe went on to kick a match-high five goals as Wandella marked a 123-24 victory.
Other multiple goalkickers for the red and black were Logan Keighran on three, and Darren Rushton with two.
A sign of Wandella’s dominance was another nine players featuring on the goalkicking list.
Macorna’s attack was led by Lachlan Ritchie, Michael Roberts and Josh Walters.
Best for Wandella were Kaine O’Connell, Sam Taylor, Adam McKenzie and Archer Lancaster.
Malcolm Neiwand, Jordan Simpson, Blake Forster and Fergus Bear worked hard for the yellow and black.
First semi-final scoreboard:
Seniors:
Wandella 5.1 9.5 13.8 19.9 (123)
Macorna 0.2 2.4 2.6 3.6 (24)
GOALS – Wandella: Michael Rowe 5, Logan Keighran 3, Darren Rushton 2, Bailey Hamon, Archer Lancaster, Adam McKenzie, Kaine O’Connell, Justin Robinson, Tim Robinson, Sam Taylor, Laing Waddingham, Adam Ward. Macorna: Lachlan Ritchie, Michael Roberts, Josh Walters.
BEST – Wandella: Kaine O’Connell, Sam Taylor, Adam McKenzie, Archer Lancaster, Michael Rowe, Tim Robinson. Macorna: Malcolm Neiwand, Jordan Simpson, Blake Forster, Fergus Bear, Harley Somerville, Ryan Dee.
Reserves:
Hay 3.1 5.6 9.12 10.20 (80)
Macorna 4.1 4.2 5.3 5.4 (34)
GOALS – Hay: Max Cooper 3, Tom Christensen, Tom McGufficke 2, Jack Bone, Mitch Busch, Daniel Zambon. Macorna: Chris Wilson 4, Ethan Burdett.
BEST – Hay: Max Cooper, Simon Darlow, Jack O’Brien, Lane Griffiths, Daniel Zambon, Mason Anderson. Macorna: Kally McDougal, John Hogan, Chris Wilson, Darcy Hausler, Josh Cameron, Kyle Pearce.
Under-17 ½:
Ultima 6.4 11.6 17.13 19.21 (135)
Hay 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 (6)
GOALS – Ultima: Sam Miller 5, Rory Bell, Kodyn Melbourne, Archie O’Toole 3, Parker Condely 2, Blake Condely, Jaz Davison, Billy O’Toole. Hay: Lachlan Spence.
BEST – Ultima: Lachlan Bull, Ed Kuchel, Archie O’Toole, Kodyn Melbourne, Parker Condely, Rory Bell. Hay: Bailey Caughey, Dan Jamieson, Josh Gardiner, Hilton Hargreaves, Jacob Lund, Lachlan Spence.
Under-14 ½:
Wandella 4.0 5.1 10.3 13.3 (81)
Macorna 0.0 0.1 0.1 1.1 (7)
GOALS – Wandella: Oscar Grenwood 5, Jack McClelland, Chase Rowe, Seth Rowe, 2, Jackson Barker, Archer Waddingham. Macorna: Kohen Edge.
BEST – Wandella: Jackson Barker, Oscar Greenwood, Ollie Fowler, Seth Rowe, Alby Lancaster, Will Taylor. Macorna: Elliot Warren, Jacoby Tonkin, Mitchell Quaife, Caden Heap, Mitchell Stone, Logan Sutterby.
Second semi-final scoreboard:
Seniors:
Hay 3.5 6.9 12.16 14.17 (101)
Ultima 4.2 4.6 5.7 7.10 (52)
GOALS – Hay: Declan Watson 4, Jack Headon 3, Angus Gardiner, Kenneth Jubb 2, William Collis, Hugh Crighton, Jacob Watson. Ultima: Ricky Wild 2, Bailey Codling, Corey Grey, Ed Kuchel, Jamie Nicholas, Jacob Schaper.
BEST – Hay: not supplied. Ultima: Ricky Wild, Lincoln Frost, Mitchell Seton-Stewart, Kyle Symons, Caillum Brady, Cameron Johnson.
Reserves:
Ultima 8.6 (54) d Murrabit 6.12 (48).
GOALS – not supplied.
BEST – Ultima: Angus Hinton, James Summerhayes, Kade Benfield, Jayden Kiel, Reece Harberger, Zac O’Brien. Murrabit: Darcy Hetherington, Riley Carse, Josh Bray, Teeraphat Khongphueng, Simon Ettershank, Ashton Wood.
Under-17 ½:
Macorna 2.3 7.4 10.4 11.6 (72)
Wandella 2.3 3.6 4.7 5.10 (40)
GOALS – Macorna: Will Meharry 3, Jaxon O’Rourke, Broden Wishart 2, Mason Cordwell, Will Longstaff, Rivers Webb, Sam Whinfield. Wandella: Parker Treacy 2, Myles Greenwood, Archer Lancaster, Kane Wilson.
BEST – Macorna: not supplied. Wandella: Laing Waddingham, Myles Greenwood, Blake Greenwood, Archer Lancaster, Kane Wilson, Charlie Hallam.
Under-14 ½:
Murrabit 4.5 (29) d Hay 4.1 (25)
GOALS – Murrabit: Leo Ellison 3, Xavier Murray. Hay: Ned Williamson 2, Alex Giddins, Dillon Green.
BEST – Murrabit: Leo Ellison, Xavier Murray, Jobe Hein, Xavier Hein, Callum Ettershank, Jed McDonald. Hay: Noa Koroi, Max Hutchings, Liam Young, Kyper Woods, Ned Williamson, Dillon Green.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Ultima:
Under-14 ½ at 9.35am: Hay v Wandella.
Under-17 ½ at 10.45am: Wandella v Ultima.
Reserves at 12.25pm: Murrabit v Hay.
Seniors at 2.40pm: Ultima v Wandella.