Fairy tales are often written well before the event and on Saturday that appeared the case when a slow starting GLENGARRY overcome their more fancied opponent to register their opening win of the season after what had been an emotional week for the Magpies.

A minute silence was observed by both clubs prior to the opening bounce of the senior match in a mark of respect following the passing of Glengarry Life Member Colin May, who had a 50 year affiliation with the club.

The Saints began brightly, kicking the opening five goals of the match and dominated the centre bounces largely through their fleet footed midfield engine room. Up forward Tim Johnston was plucking marks and looked dangerous as the key figure in the Saints forward line. It was a lightening quick start to the contest by the visitors as they ran rampant with an undermanned Glengarry line-up left flat footed and wanting.

Hard hitting at the ball and the man, Cowwarr inflicted a physical contest, their more mature and strong bodies brushing aside their opponent as they appeared well drilled and poised in and around the ball.

The scoring dried up as both sides pushed forward in the late stages of the first term with neither able to break through stoic backlines. Up until that point there had been little for the home side to rejoice about before the Magpies broke the shackles, tall Aaron Winkler marking ahead of the siren to register the sides second at the change, 2.2 (14) to 5.1 (31).

Mitch Sharp made it three on the run for Glengarry as he opened the scoring in the second. It was quickly added to with Trevor Mays first for the day as the Magpies reeled the margin back to four points.

The Saints backlines was under siege as they struggled to clear centre half back as the Magpies forwards confidence grew. New recruit Ross McDermott pestered the Saints back six to force the error and score. McDermott's resulting goal signalling a five goal turn around before Cowwarr broke through for their first major with a kick after the siren.

The blows continued to be traded in the first 10 minutes of the second half, Glengarry skipping away with a handy buffer following two straight kicks before Cowwarr responded with coach Luke Cooper leading the way on the board.

Little separated the sides in the third term, with Glengarry's Ryan Potter and Dean Brooks lifting the side in the middle of the ground while Winkler and McDermott continued to test Cowwarr defenders.

Two points favoured the Magpies at the final change before they saluted a club legend with a six goal to two final term to win, 16.11 (107) to 13.9 (87). Colin's son Trevor was among the Magpies best which included Winkler and McDermott who finished the contest with seven majors.
For the Saints Jordon Bourke and Johnston led from the front throughout the contest with Johnston staring with six majors.

A straight kick separated CHURCHILL from Gormandale at the long change, the contest remained tight in the premiership term before the Cougars initiated the blow in the late stages of the match to run home four goal victors.

The Cougars skipped away to an early lead, before the scoring dried up and the home side found themselves troubled by the lower ranked Tigers. The sides went blow for blow in the third term, with Churchill's inaccuracy in front of goal leaving the door ajar for the visitors.
In a spirited final quarter effort led by best on ground Churchill captain Chris Williams the second placed Cougars put their foot down to coast home to victory, 11.18 (84) to 9.6 (60).

For the second week running reigning premiers HEYFIELD proved too classy, with the Kangaroos accounting for Boisdale/Briagolong by 63 points on the road.

The stage was set in the second quarter as the Kangaroos through goal sneak Mitch Dowse and power forward Jesse Bedggood began to stamp their presence on the Bombers backline. The visitors slammed home seven goals to three to take a commanding 34 point lead into half time.

The going didn't get any easier in the second half, while the Bombers kept with Heyfield on the scoreboard in the third term they couldn't match their intensity in the final quarter. Remaining goal less they watched as the reigning premiers added five goals to none to further extend the final margin.

Jesse Leeds and defender Scott Anderson were among the Kangaroos best. Lucas Mowat didn't drop his colours in a strong performance for the Bombers while Danny Pratt and Pat Gordon finished with two apiece.

Top of the table WOODSIDE claimed their third straight victory in one of their best starts to a season in recent years.

It was far from one way traffic in the contest against Sale City, the two young line-ups kept within reach of one another in an enthralling arm wrestle in the first half before the Wildcats mounted their challenge with a strong third term the impetus for victory.

Down by a mere three points at the main change a spirited Woodside emerged from the rooms at the start of the third. The side ran rampant in a dominating term, slamming home 6.4 (40) to 2.0 (12) with the charge led on the scoreboard by full forward Justin Staley who finished the
match with six majors.

TTU fought out a classic battle fitting of honouring the Anzac spirit under lights on Thursday against Rosedale, to claim their second win of the season by 10 goals.

The match drew a large crowd with the battle on the field a true test of spirit as both sides exemplified the true meaning of the Anzac spirit. At dusk Blues and Bomber players stood in the middle of the ground as the crowd joined them in paying their respect, the bugle playing out the last post before two returned serviceman tossed the coin to start proceedings.

It was the Blues that burst out of the blocks early Jeremy Reid opening proceedings before Jack Wyhoon combined with Nic Rutter who snapped Rosedale's second.

Neither side could impose themselves on the contest early as the ball concentrated back and forth between the two half backlines in a frenetic opening 10 minutes of play. It was far from clinical footy, with scruffy and physical passages of play common place.

It took some 15 minutes into the opening term for Bombers to register their first major, which was closely followed by their second as they locked scores level. A long kick on the 50 metre arc by Bomber coach Matt Stolarczyk recorded the visitors third before consecutive misses let the Blues defenders off the hook ahead of the first siren.
The Blues were left wanting in the second term as the Bombers dominated around the ground and quickly blew the margin out to 45 points at the main change.

It was a renewed Blues line-up following their half time addressing by coach Nick Leechino, Rosedale come out firing opening the second half with the first two as they went blow for blow in the third term on the scoreboard with the Bombers. They however could do little to eat into the Bombers margin, dropping their first match of the season 16.17 (113) to 7.8 (50).

By Lauren Carey