BY NATHAN DOLE
UNBEATEN at the halfway mark, Ultima is on track to grab the ultimate prize in this season’s Golden Rivers FNL senior footy action.
From wooden spooner in ’22 to premier in ’23 would cap a remarkable bounce by the Kangaroos.
After just two wins last season, Ultima has dominated most of eight contests this year.
There’s a long way to go, but the Roos did beat last season’s runner-up, Moulamein by 62 points in the fifth round.
The Kangaroos and Swans meet again this Saturday at Moulamein.
Players to have starred in Ultima’s run include Mitch Makepeace from midfield or across half-forward; Thomas Bull in the centre; and Caillum Brady in defence.
In ’22 it was Moulamein which fought its way from fourth place at the end of the home-and-away series to reach a grand final.
The Swans won the first semi-final against Wandella by 44 points and a fortnight later ended Quambatook’s run as they scored a 75-68 victory in the preliminary final.
Moulamein then took on Nullawil in the grand final at the Nullawil ground.
The Swans made a flying start to lead 30-17 at quarter-time, but the Maroons fired up to win the next three quarters – 39-2, 29-13 and 29-1 to complete a 114-46 victory.
In this year’s campaign it’s been the likes of Amos Farrell, Daniel Aarsman and Cody Storm who have led the way to be 7-1 at the halfway mark.
The Swans also have Andy Silva in top form up forward where he has kicked 23 goals.
A 4-4 record has Hay in third place.
A high for Lions was the 92-91 victory against Macorna.
Although it was beaten, Hay showed it can match the top two as margins against Ultima have been six and 34 points; and the Lions were only 14 points down at the finish of last Saturday’s home game against Moulamein.
The Lions will start favourite in their next two hit-outs against Wandella and Macorna before they meet Ultima in the 11th round on July 8.
Macorna is on track for a top-four finish and finals campaign.
The Tigers could be 6-5 by the end of round 11 as they face Murrabit, Hay and Wandella in the next three weeks.
From there it’s a sterner test as Macorna travels to Moulamein ahead of a home game against Ultima.
In last Saturday’s action the Tigers roared home against Ultima.
Despite a 39-point deficit at the start of the final term, Macorna scored 5.1 to 1.1 in the last for a 70-85 result against the unbeaten ladder-leaders.
Although they are two wins behind the fourth-placed Tigers, Wandella and Murrabit still have plenty to play for.
The Bombers and Blues will be determined in having a say in the make-up of the top four by causing an upset or two in the run home.
Wandella has a chance to upset the Lions’ charge in this Saturday’s match at Hay.
The round five clash between the Bombers and Hay ended in a 56-48 victory for the Lions at the hangar in Wandella.
One of Wandella’s best performances was in round four at Moulamein.
At half-time the Bombers were down 39-4, but hit back to score 5.2 to 2.4 in the third term.
Wayward kicking prove costly as Wandella scored 2.10 to 2.3 in the last as Moulamein took the points in a 9.16 (70) to 7.16 (58) result.
After a run of seven consecutive defeats, Murrabit hit back to beat Wandella in round eight by four points.
The Blues’ team was bolstered by the inclusion of Sydney Swans great Josh Kennedy in an on-ball role.
Kennedy was among the best as Murrabit won 71-67 at home.
Murrabit’s form had improved markedly in the lead-up to the showdown with Wandella as the previous week the Blues pushed Moulamein.
A top clash between the Blues and Swans at Murrabit ended in a 73-66 win for Moulamein.
Although chances have not been as plentiful as those in the top teams, Murrabit’s gun forward Damian Cupido has kicked 28 goals to be leading the race for the league award.
Cupido brings experience from stints in the AFL with Brisbane Lions and Essendon to the Murrabit line-up.
Ultima, 8-0, 179%, 32 points, 1st:
Roos on track to So far – d Hay 52-46, d Wandella 108-58, d Macorna 89-40, d Murrabit 138-71, d Moulamein 112-50, d Wandella 77-30, d Hay 86-52, d Macorna 85-70.
Run home – v Moulamein, a; v Murrabit, h; v Hay, a; v Wandella, h; v Macorna, a; v Moulamein, h; v Murrabit, a; v Hay, h.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Mitch Makepeace, Thomas Bull, Caillum Brady, Will Nelson, Darcy Farrell.
Leading goalkickers:
14 Ryan Devereux; 10 Jack Delmenico; 9 Kyle Symons; 8 Kade Benfield, Sean O’Reilly; 7 Zac Cattlin, Jye Purtill; 6 Thomas Bull, Mitch Makepeace, Jamie Nicholas, Mitchell Seton-Stewart.
Moulamein, 7-1, 128%, 28, 2nd:
So far – d Murrabit 122-56, d Macorna 106-69, d Hay 95-71, d Wandella 70-58, lt Ultima 50-112, d Macorna 155-87, d Murrabit 73-66, d Hay 72-58.
Run home – v Ultima, h; v Wandella, a; v Murrabit, h; v Macorna, h; v Hay, a; v Ultima, a; v Wandella, h; v Murrabit, a.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Amos Farrell, Daniel Aarsman, Cody Storm, Khy Stovell, Andy Silva.
Leading goalkickers:
23 Andy Silva; 20 Daniel Aarsman; 15 Khy Stovell; 14 Amos Farrell; 10 Blake Azzopardi.
Hay, 4-4, 105%, 16 points, 3rd:
So far – lt Ultima 46-52, d Murrabit 124-75, lt Moulamein 71-95, d Macorna 92-91, d Wandella 56-48, d Murrabit 77-27, lt Ultima 52-86, lt Moulamein 58-72.
Run home – v Wandella, h; v Macorna, a; v Ultima, h; v Murrabit, a; v Moulamein, h; v Wandella, a; v Macorna, h; vUltima, a.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Fergus Cattanach, Dom Booth, Brad Pocock, Dean Aylett, Hugh Crighton.
Leading goalkickers:
17 Simon Bunyan; 11 Fergus Cattanach; 9 Liam Whitbourne, Declan Watson; 6 Jensen Hargreaves, Kenneth Jubb.
Macorna, 3-5, 101%, 12 points, 4th:
So far – d Wandella 51-36, lt Moulamein 69-106, lt Ultima 40-89, lt Hay 91-92, d Murrabit 122-37, lt Moulamein 87-155, d Wandella 129-48, lt Ultima 70-85.
Run home – v Murrabit, a; v Hay, h; v Wandella, h; v Moulamein, a; v Ultima, h; v Murrabit, h; v Hay, a; v Wandella, a.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Nick Ingleton, Jack Featherby, Lachlan Ritchie, Shaun Haffenden, Grady Smith, Josh Walters.
Leading goalkickers:
22 Lachlan Ritchie; 14 Troy Parker, 11 Josh Walters, 9 Malcolm Neiwand, 8 Chris Wilson, 6 Josh Cameron, 5 Jack Featherby, Wayne Mitrovic.
Wandella, 1-7, 71%, 4 points, 5th:
So far – lt Macorna 36-51, lt Ultima 58-108, d Murrabit 83-35, lt Moulamein 58-70, lt Hay 48-56, lt Ultima 30-77, lt Macorna 48-129, lt Murrabit 67-71.
Run home – v Hay, a; v Moulamein, h; v Macorna, a; v Ultima, a; v Murrabit, h; v Hay, h; v Moulamein, a; v Macorna, h.
Players to watch, based on times in best list:
Tim Robinson, Russell Rich, Jack Radcliffe, Adam Ward, Lee Pollock, Jonty Taylor.
Leading goalkickers:
8 Michael Rowe; 6 Corey Walters, 5 Logan Keighran, Kane Timmins, Matt Wilkinson; 4 Shannon Burton, Archer Lancaster, Darren Rushton.
Murrabit, 1-7, 54%, 4 points, 6th:
So far – lt Moulamein 56-122, lt Hay 75-124, lt Wandella 35-83, lt Ultima 71-138, lt Macorna 37-122, lt Hay 27-77, lt Moulamein 66-73, d Wandella 71-67.
Run home – v Macorna, h; v Ultima, a; v Moulamein, a; v Hay, h; v Wandella, a; v Macorna, a; v Ultima, h; v Moulamein, h.
Players to watch, based on times in best list:
Dustin Blake, Tobie Cameron, Nathan O’Toole, Jono Aujard, Tom Copland.
Leading goalkickers:
28 Damian Cupido; 7 Morgan Randall; 6 Dustin Blake; 5 Nathan O’Toole.