-By Nathan Dole
THE Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers were too strong for Wedderburn in Saturday’s eighth round of senior footy in the Goldacres North Central season.
Although Wedderburn had home-ground advantage at Donaldson Park it was the premier of the previous two seasons which controlled a lot of the contest.
Sea Lake Nandaly led 26-8 at quarter-time and 39-21 by the main break.
A closely-fought third term went the way of the Tigers, 13-9.
Led by Wade Donnan, co-coach Billy McInnes and Adam Pattison, Sea Lake Nandaly slammed on eight goals in the last as the Redbacks scored three majors.
At the final siren the yellow and black led 102-51.
Adam Pattison led the attack on five goals as former Adelaide and Geelong forward Josh Jenkins kicked four.
The Tigers also had Max Cahoon kick two majors.
Leading goalkicker for Wedderburn was Mitch Jensen on four as Jye Mortlock kicked two.
Best for the SLN Tigers included former Geelong player Oscar Brownless, Jack Poulton and Charlie Cox.
The Tigers also have Bryce Delmenico as co-coach.
Joe Lockhart, Jackson McEwen, Jye Mortlock, Darcy Jackson, Isaac Holt and Ben Bacon were best for the Tom Metherell-coached Wedderburn.
Closest margin of the afternoon was at Boort Park where Boort beat St Arnaud by 37 points.
The Dale Cameron-coached Boort charged to a 20-nil lead by quarter-time.
St Arnaud hit back to win the second term, 24-12.
An eight point lead for the Magpies at half-time was 37 by the last change after they scored 6.5 and kept the Saints to a tally of two goals in the third term.
Jhye Baddeley-Kelly finished with three goals as nine team-mates were on target in the 88-51 result.
The Saints’ attack was led by Max Hungerford on three.
Boort’s best were Lachlan Hall, Harry Weaver, Peter Barbopoulos, James Keeble, Jarrod Fitzpatrick and Jhye Baddeley-Kelly.
Max Hungerford, Bailey Durward, Mitch Birthisel, Kurtis Torney, Darby Schilder and Luke Jackson were best for the Scott Driscoll-coached Saints.
It was big wins for Calder United Lions and Birchip-Watchem against Donald and Charlton respectively.
The Calder United Lions won 167-1 at Nullawil.
Jack Exell kicked eight goals as Rylee Smith booted four in a best on ground performance.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Lions were Mitch Farmer, three; Cody Green and Zane Keighran, two.
Best for Calder United were Rylee Smith, Steven Kennedy, Zane Keighran, Jack Exell, Josh Walsh and Koby Hommelhoff.
A six-two record has the Lions who are coached by Darryl Wilson, non-playing, and Jordan Humphreys, playing, in second place on the ladder.
Best for Donald were Charlie Campbell, Brady Griffiths, coach Daniel Pearce, Josh Smulders, Thomas Reekie and Dyson Bell-Warren.
It was another ruthless performance by the unbeaten Birchip-Watchem against Charlton at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval.
The Ash Connick-coached Bulls scored five goals in the first term, six in the second, and five in the third.
As the Bulls racked up 16 goals in three quarters it kept Charlton goalless.
The Navies goaled through Seb Zagame in the last quarter.
The brilliant Ben Edwards kicked six goals as Nicholas Rippon kicked three in a 144-7 victory for Birchip-Watchem.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Bulls were Daniel Bell, Meyrick Buchanan, Jacob Christie and Marshall Rippon with two.
Best for Birchip-Watchem were Nicholas Rippon, Ben Lakin, Cormacc Wilson, Rhona Conboy, Hamish Hosking and Lachlan Ryan.
Jed and Rhys Thompson, Bailey Hooper-Dixon, Elliott Fitzpatrick, Patrick Soulsby and Archer Patterson worked hard for the Mitch Collins-coached Navies.
North Central senior footy ladder:
Birchip-Watchem 325 per cent, 32 points; Calder United Lions 313, 24; Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 298, 24; Boort 154, 24; Wedderburn 127, 12; Charlton 23, 8; St Arnaud 41, 4;. Donald 11, 0.
Third and second-placed Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers and Calder United Lions meet in next Saturday’s round nine clash at Sea Lake Oval from 2.30pm.
Donald will be on home turf against the red-hot Birchip-Watchem.
Charlton and Boort clash at Charlton Park.
St Arnaud faces Wedderburn in Saints’ territory at Lord Nelson Park.
Leading goalkickers:
64 Ben Edwards, Birchip-Watchem.
42 Jack Exell, Calder United Lions.
38 Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Boort.
23 Max Cahoon, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
21 Nicholas Rippon, Birchip-Watchem.
20 Mitch Jensen, Wedderburn.
20 Lachy McClelland, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
20 Kayne Rutley, Boort.
18 Thomas Cox, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
18 Joseph Reid, Birchip-Watchem.
17 Mitch Farmer, Calder United Lions.
17 Adam Pattison, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
16 Tyson McKenzie, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
15 Peter Barbopoulos, Boort.
14 Jordan Humphreys, Calder United Lions.
13 Max Hungerford, St Arnaud.
12 Rhona Conboy, Birchip-Watchem.
12 Carlos Egan, Boort.
11 Ethan Coleman, Boort.
10 Daniel Bell, Birchip-Watchem.
10 Oscar Holt, Wedderburn.
10 Darcy Jackson, Wedderburn.
10 Zane Keighran, Calder United Lions.
10 James Keeble, Boort.
10 Steven Kennedy, Calder United Lions.
10 Jye Mortlock, Wedderburn.