Bulls stake their finals claim with win over reigning premiers

Mt Barker took a significant step towards playing finals, grinding their way to a hard-fought 12-point win over North Albany at Sounness Park yesterday.

With all round 9 fixtures played on the same day in the Great Southern Football League, the focus was on Sounness Park as the third and fourth placed teams squared off.

It was the first time the Bulls had defeated a side above them on the ladder this season and in the process moved two games clear in the top four, winning 9.12 (66) to 8.6 (54).

The Bulls booted five telling goals with the aid of the wind to the town end of the ground in the third term which created an 18-point buffer at the final change.

The Kangas could only manage two goals in the final quarter as the home side held firm, to celebrate Luke Hammond’s 150th match in style.

Hammond and Kangas stalwart Graham Ross were both cheered from the ground with Ross playing in his 200th league match.

At Centennial Stadium, a dominant second term guided Railways to a comfortable 82-point win over Albany.

The Sharks stuck with the Tigers in the first term, as both sides kicked three goals apiece before the Tigers skipped clear after quarter time.

The visitors kicked seven goals and kept their rivals scoreless in the second quarter as Kane Shepard kicked three majors in as many minutes.

In a pleasing third term the Sharks fought back to win the quarter with Coen Marwick booting two goals but the Tigers were too strong in the end, 17.19 (121) to 6.3 (39).

Shepard finished with four goals and lots of possessions in his best game for his new club while Kenton Gibbs was impressive in the ruck and Bodhi Stubber (three goals) and Craig Frost were also solid in the win.

Marwick bagged four goals and was well supported by Fraser Eaton and Mitch Jackson for the home side.

Playing at a neutral venue Royals have powered to a 95-point demolition of a disappointing Denmark-Walpole.

The two sides met at Collingwood Park with both their home grounds unavailable and early on it looked set to be a great contest.

The Magpies led by six points at quarter time after going to the end favoured by the wind and when Lachlan Hutchinson kicked the first goal of the second term the margin was out to 13 points.

The ladder leaders responded from that moment on, as they added the next five majors to be 23 points ahead by half time and the second half was completely one-way traffic.

There was little to smile about for the Magpies as they added one goal in the second half, the Lions running rampant with a nine-goal final term on their way to a 19.15 (129) to 4.10 (34) thrashing of the Magpies.

Youngster Tyreice Brown was outstanding across the four quarters, his ball use carving up the Magpies, and he had plenty of support in clever forward Jayson Ford (five goals), midfielder Dave Parker, ruckman Nathan Powell and classy performer Jordan Heil.

The result for the Magpies would have been far worse if not for the performance of co-coach Ryan Gaerth while Luke Hutcheson and Cody Kerr worked hard but the loss leaves their side with plenty of work to do with six rounds remaining in the regular season.