Denmark-Walpole player Brandon Woods suspended for striking as Magpies suffer heavy loss to Mt Barker

Denmark-Walpole forward Brandon Woods will not play again this season after copping a three-game suspension for striking in the Magpies’ heavy loss to Mt Barker on Saturday. Woods was red carded and reported for striking Bulls player Darcy Wallinger in the head after a scuffle broke out on the boundary nearing half-time. He was offered a three-match penalty for the offence post-game and the Magpies accepted the ban, ruling Woods out until round two next year. A massive 20-goal second half helped Bulls return to the winners’ list, easily accounting for the Magpies by 141 points at Sounness Park. The Magpies trailed by 41 points at half-time but a 10-goal third term set the tone for the rest of the game as the Bulls consolidated second spot on the GSFL ladder. Two seven-goal hauls from star player Zach Jackson and dynamic forward Keegan Berry played a key part in the 29.9 (183) to 5.12 (42) rout. In a scrappy first term, majors to Scott Price and Keegan Berry helped the home side draw first blood and despite a goal from Magpies’ Tyler Stone, majors to Zach Jackson, Berry and Sam Lehmann capped a solid first term for the home side. Bulls’ Keegan Berry was yellow carded late in the first quarter for rough conduct against Magpies player-coach Brad Nisbett. Woods found himself in space early in the second term, putting through the visitors’ second goal of the contest but the Bulls took control from that point on, opening up a 41-point lead at the main break. Zach Jackson came to life in the third term to boot five majors while Josh Price, Scott Price, Steven Scott and Lehmann also added goals. Stone did his best from his limited opportunities, converting two set shots in the space of five minutes, but the margin had ballooned to 83 points by the last change. The Bulls kept their foot on the pedal, kicking 10 unanswered goals in the final stanza and keeping the visitors goalless to coast to their ninth win of the season. Zach Jackson was again prolific in a forward-midfield role, while Camball McMahon and Bryce Blaszkow provided great support through midfield. Brent Parsons was damaging on a wing and Wallinger offered terrific rebound for the winners all day while Joel Gray also made a sound return to the line-up, gathering plenty of possessions. Bulls coach David Johnson was happy with his team’s return to system-based footy. “I was pleased with our effort after half-time,” Johnson said. “We had the opportunity today to find the intent and method that had been missing for a couple of weeks. “Whilst getting a win is always nice, I was more interested in the ball movement and sticking to our game style and I was happy with that aspect of our game. “We used the ball well and the score board efficiency showed we utilised the player in the best position rather than trying to overdo it. “Our workrate was good and I am pleased we could add to the platform we built earlier in the year.” Nisbett was again outstanding as an on-ball midfielder while Tyler Stone (two goals) played an important role. Midfielder Ryan Gaerth was also effective alongside defender Jack Marney in the heavy loss which was compounded by an injury to defender Chris Miller. “We had some good patches in the first half but we basically had two on the bench from half-time and I don’t think we had any on in the last quarter,” Nisbett said. “They (Bulls) were pretty up and about, they were pretty physical. “Gaerthy (Ryan Gaerth) and Tyler Stone didn’t play much of the last quarter, so it was a bit of party time in the second half for them.”