Bendigo Advertiser |
REIGNING premier Wedderburn continued its impressive form leading into the North Central Football League finals after defeating Wycheproof-Narraport by 39 points on Saturday.
The Redbacks conceded five of the first six goals of the game, but recovered from their slow start to prevail 18.10 (118) to 11.13 (79) and win their fourth game in a row.
Wedderburn was brilliant in the second half as it produced some of its best football of the season to avoid a third loss to the Demons this year.
Having trailed by 16 points at half-time, the Redbacks slammed on 12 goals to two after the break.
The Redbacks’ third quarter was particularly dominant when they booted 9.3 to 0.4 to turn the 16-point half-time deficit into a 37-point lead at the last change.
Wedderburn forward Brady Herdman kicked three of his six goals during the third term.
Herdman was the Redbacks’ best, with his haul of six goals his highest for the season.
Ruckman Brett Strange, Bendigo Gold-listed Riley McIvor and Kerryn Hayes also played well.
The best for the Demons – who led by as many as 29 points during the second term – were Joel Turner, Joshua White, Samuel Driscoll and Ricky Allan.
● A superb second half against Boort propelled Donald to its fourth win of the season.
The Royals trailed by 20 points at half-time, before taking control of the contest to record a 22.9 (141) to 13.18 (96) victory.
The Royals piled on 16 goals to five after half-time, with forward Lucas Anderson the star.
Anderson booted 11 goals – the most by a player in the NCFL this year.
As well as Anderson, Darcy Harrison also caused the Boort defence plenty of headaches, adding five goals.
Anderson, who now has 35 goals for the season, Harrison, James Heslop and William McAllister led the better players for the Royals.
Boort – which has now lost five in a row after a promising start to the season – had good players in Nathan Gooding, Matthew Hodoras, Joseph Kane and Matthew Rice (five goals).
● Charlton defeated Birchip-Watchem by 72 points in the top versus bottom clash.
The Navy Blues raced to a 51-point lead at quarter-time on the way to a 16.20 (116) to 7.2 (44) victory, which featured strong games from Ben Walklate, Joseph McLean, Carl Thiesz and Michael Laffin. Joseph McGrath kicked five goals to take his season tally to 39.
It was a much more competitive effort from the Bulls on their first two games against Charlton this year, which they had lost by 123 and 188 points.
Jacob Noonan, Zac Holmes and Joshua Smerdon (two goals) were solid players for the Bulls.
Ladder:
1. Charlton (11-4, 187.5%)
2. St Arnaud (10-4, 139.9%)
3. Wycheproof-Narraport (10-5, 108.5%)
4. Wedderburn (8-5-1, 112.3%)
5. Boort (5-9, 77.7%)
6. Donald (4-9-1, 85.0%)
7. Birchip-Watchem (1-13, 41.7%)
Next week: Charlton v St Arnaud, Donald v Birchip-Watchem, Wedderburn v Boort.
