BY NATHAN DOLE
Wedderburn’s win at Donald seals finals berth
WEDDERBURN sealed its place in the Goldacres North Central senior footy finals by winning Saturay’s round 18 match on Donald’s turf.
Not only did the Redbacks beat the Royal by 10 points, but also gained a mental edge as the teams will meet in next Sunday’s first semi-final.
Donald led 25-21 at quarter-time before the Redbacks scored four goals and kept the home team to a tally of two in the second.
An 11-point lead for Wedderburn at half-time was cut to just three going into the last term.
Maths for Wedderburn were not difficult.
It was must-win to be assured of holding its place in the four.
The Redbacks lifted their play to score 2.4 and held the Royals to 1.3 in the final term.
At the siren, Wedderburn led 68-58.
The Redbacks’ attack was led by Tom Campbell, Noah Furlong, Oscar Holt and Mitchell McEwen on two goals each.
Ross Young kicked a match-high three goals for Donald as Noah Barry chipped in with two.
Wedderburn coach Tom Metherell was best afield and had great support from Noah Furlong, Joe Lockhart, Oscar Holt, Jacob DeAraugo and Darcy Jackson.
Andrew Browne, Ross Young, Hayden Geddes, Blake Grant, Dyson Bell-Warren and Cooper Anderson were best for the Josh Potter-coached Donald.
Emotions were running high at Nullawil as the Maroons met Wycheproof-Narraport.
It was the final match for both as separate entities as the Maroons and Demons merge next season to become Calder United Lions.
On Saturday it was Nullawil which needed the points to be a chance of climbing into the top four.
As Nullawil scored 2.6 in the first term, Wycheproof Narraport replied with three goals.
Nullawil kicked away to hold a 17-point lead at half-time and then slammed on 7.1 as it kept the red and blue to a score of 3.1 in the third term.
The Wayne Mitrovic-coached Wycheproof Narraport fought back brilliantly to score six goals in the last, but it was Nullawil which led 93-84 at the final siren.
Lucas Caccaviello led Nullawil’s attack on four goals as Jordan Humphreys, Andrew Oberdorfer, Rylee Smith and Adam Thomson added two each.
Nicholas Graboswki booted a match-high five goals for the Demons Wayne Mitrovic capped a fine game with four goals.
Best for the Darryl Wilson-coached Nullawil were Nicholas Keogh, Jordan Humphreys, Lucas Caccaviello, Dean Putt and Sol Kelly.
Josh Walsh, Koby Hommelhoff, Thomas Trewin, Cody Green, George Turner and Joe Kenny played well for the Demons.
Boort won a hard-fought match with St Arnaud by 11 points.
The Saints played great football to cut a 13-point deficit at quarter-time to just a point by half-time on their turf at Lord Nelson Park.
St Arnaud then won the third term, 22-13.
Faced with an eight-point deficit at the start of its last quarter of the season, Boort lifted its play dramatically.
The Dale Cameron-coached Magpies scored four goals and kept the Saints to just one.
At the final siren Boort led 69-58.
Ethan Coleman kicked three goals for the Magpies.
The Saints’ leading goalkicker was Torin Petrie on two.
Best for Boort were Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Matt Austin, Jayden Dick, Will Perryman, James Keeble and Jhye Baddeley-Kelly.
Mitch Egan, Zac Phillips, Jacob Tillig, Harley Durward, Jake Hicks and Ryan Lempa were best for the Scott Driscoll-coached Saints.
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers warmed up for a second semi-final by scoring a 148-point win at Sea Lake against Charlton.
The Tigers charged to a 38-point lead by quarter-time and scored 14 goals as it kept the Navies scoreless in the first half.
Charlton’s only goal was kicked by Mason Heenan in the third quarter.
The Bryce Delmenico and Billy McInnes-coached Tigers put in a ruthless display as they reached a score of 23.18 (156) by the final siren.
The Tigers’ attack was led by Lachy McClelland on five as Wade Donnan and Jackson McMahon booted four each.
Other multiple goalkickers were Max Cahoon and Josh Jenkins, three.
Best for Sea Lake Nandaly were Wade Donnan, Lachy McClelland, Jackson McMahon, Max Cahoon, Brody Weir and Connor Michael.
Ben Lanyon, Elliott Fitzpatrick, Patrick Soulsby, coach Mitch Collins, Jesse Taylor and Mason Heenan were Charlton’s best.
Birchip-Watchem had the bye.
North Central senior footy ladder:
Sea Lake Nandaly 230 per cent, 56 points; Birchip-Watchem 198, 54; Wedderburn 119, 38; Donald 107, 38; Nullawil 111, 36; Boort 91, 30; Wycheproof-Narraport 88, 26; St Arnaud 42, 8; Charlton 37, 2.
First semi-finals will be played this Saturday at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval.
Wedderburn will tackle Donald in the seniors match at 2.30pm.
The Hauslers reserves match at 12.35pm features Boort against Birchip-Watchem.
Sea Lake Nandaly will face Birchip-Watchem in the Charlton and District Community Bank-backed under-17s compeititon clash at 10.55am.
First up in this year’s finals series will be Donald against St Arnaud in the Uniting Church under-14s match at 9.30am.
Second semi-finals are on Saturday, August 31 at Donald.
In the seniors, Sea Lake Nandaly takes on Birchip-Watchem at 2.30pm.
Nullawil or Sea Lake Nandaly will be first to advance to the reserves grand final when they play from 12.35pm.
The under-17s match at 10.55am will involve Boort and St Arnaud.
Sea Lake Nandaly will play Boort in the under-14s second semi-final at 9.30am.
Leading goalkickers in the North Central senior competition:
97 Ben Edwards, Birchip-Watchem.
49 Josh Jenkins, Sea Lake Nandaly.
46 Tom Campbell, Wedderburn.
41 Mitch Farmer, Nullawil.
32 Oscar Holt, Wedderburn.
32 James Keeble, Boort.
32 Nicholas Rippon, Birchip-Watchem.
31 Adam Thomson, Nullawil.
28 Ethan Coleman, Boort.
26 Noah Berry, Donald.
26 Nick Grabowski, Wycheproof-Narraport.
26 Trent Grant, Donald.
24 Joseph Reid, Birchip-Watchem.
22 Blake Grant, Donald.
22 Lachy McClelland, Sea Lake Nandaly.
22 Billy McInnes, Sea Lake Nandaly.
22 Tyson McKenzie, Sea Lake Nandaly.
21 Jack Exell, Nullawil.
20 Rylee Smith, Nullawil.
19 Anthony Zelencich, Weddeburn.
18 Wayne Mitrovic, Wycheproof-Narraport.
18 Will Simpson, Sea Lake Nandaly.
17 Max Cahoon, Sea Lake Nandaly.
16 Wade Donnan, Sea Lake Nandaly.
16 Josh Grabowski, Wycheproof-Narraport.
15 Torin Petrie, St Arnaud.
15 Tom Potter, Boort.
14 Daniel Bell, Birchip-Watchem.
14 Thomas Cox, Sea Lake Nandaly.
14 Maysen Murgov, Wycheproof-Narraport.
14 Jamie Papalia, Donald.
14 Josh Potter, Donald.
13 Ty Colbert, Birchip-Watchem.
13 Cody Green, Wycheproof-Narraport.
13 Jackson McMahon, Sea Lake Nandaly.
13 Junior Miller, Wedderburn.
13 Brody Weir, Sea Lake Nandaly.
12 Chris Gavaghan, Charlton.
12 Darcy Jackson, Wedderburn.
12 Natnael McLaren, Boort.
12 Will Perryman, Boort.
12 Matthew Wade, Nullawil.
11 Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Boort.
11 Mitch McEwen, Wedderburn.
11 Ross Young, Donald.
10 Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Boort.
10 Andrew Browne, Donald.
10 Andrew Casey, Nullawil.