Wimmera-Mail Times| JEPARIT-RAINBOW stormed home to beat Swifts in convincing fashion at the weekend.
The Storm were up by 37-points at quarter-time and kept on coming, increasing the margin to 52 by half-time and 66 by the final break.
The Baggies managed to slip in two goals for each quarter, but continued to be well out of reach throughout the match to eventually go down by 92 points.
Jeparit-Rainbow coach Chris Meyer said he was pleased with the win.
“The fact we’re playing good, consistent footy is terrific,” he said.
“It got a bit physical towards us but we played well through it.”
Meyer named Adam Schulz as a key player in defence and Simon Clugston as a pillar of strength up forward with his four-goal effort.
Peter Weir, Ben Zanker, Daniel Carey, Brodie Grant and Chris Meyer also scored multiple times throughout the match, with nine goal-kickers all up.
Meyer said having a plethora of options up forward was key to the Storm’s play.
“There are plenty of avenues to goal now,” he said.
“It’s harder for the opposition’s defence to shut down five or six of us.”
Andrew Cameron was a shining light for the Baggies, scoring three of the team’s eight goals.
Zach Salmi also kicked two goals for Swifts.
Jake Goodes, Scott Carey, Sean Mantell, Isaac Rathgeber, Adam Leslie and Nicholas Pickering were named among the Baggies’ best.
With just one round to go in the Horsham and District Football League for 2015, Swifts are well and truly out of the running but league newcomers Jeparit-Rainbow will definitely play finals.
Jeparit-Rainbow and Harrow-Balmoral both sit on 10 wins apiece and will jostle for third spot on the ladder next week when they take on Laharum and Rupanyup respectively.
Meyer said with finals just around the corner and a qualifying final position up for grabs, the Storm would work hard to finish the home and away draw strongly.
He said he was excited to face the undefeated Mountain Men at Rainbow next week for the final round.
“It will probably be a good thing to get another crack and take a good look at them before the finals,” he said.
“Obviously a win would be nice – to go into finals on a positive note would be great.”
Swifts will wrap up their season against Natimuk United at home next week.
