GSFL 2023: Albany extend winning streak to six games, Railways spoil Ross milestone and Royals hang tough

Albany continued their unblemished start to the 2023 Great Southern Football League season with a 149-point rout of Denmark-Walpole at Retravision Stadium on Sunday. The Sharks held the Magpies scoreless for the nearly all of the contest as they booted 14 first-half goals on their way to a 21.24 (150) to 0.1 (1) victory. In a match played in shortened 20-minute quarters with no time added on, the visitors never really got going in their sixth-straight defeat, with the Sharks midfield getting on top early. Isaac Baum once again asserted his dominance in the middle of the ground alongside Bryce Blaszkow, both winning countless possessions and clearances across the four quarters. The Sharks booted eight goals in the first quarter with Brett Peake and Baum putting though two and three goals respectively to open a 51-point lead at the first break. Things didn’t get easier for the struggling Magpies after the break with youngster Aiden Clark snagging his first of the day before goals to Peake, Blaszkow, Jack Beeck and George Bockman extended the margin to 91 points at half-time. Defender Kieran Zilm got on the scoresheet with a goal in the third quarter after spending time in the forward half with the Magpies failing to find any answer to the onslaught. Late in the fourth term, the ball was soccered through the Magpies’ goals to ensure they hit the scoreboard in some capacity before the final siren. Sharks’ Taj Williams and Beeck were also impressive while debutants Harvey Taylor and Kaleb Germain showed promising signs in their first league game. Peake finished with six majors and Baum chipped in with three. For the visitors, Tyler Stone showed great determination in the face of adversity along with Cody Kerr, Samuel Ross and Jhett Morrison-Carter. North Albany also had a heavy defeat, losing by 99 points to reigning premiers Railways at Collingwood Park on Saturday, kicking just one goal in the round six fixture. The match was Kangas’ veteran Graham Ross’s 250th league appearance but his side was unable to muster up a winning formula on the milestone day. Zak Hortin wound back the clock with a superb five-goal haul as did Joel Want. The Kangas’ regained star ball winner Matt Orzel but were still without co-captain Regan Lloyd and the Tigers wasted no time in putting them to the sword. Hortin and Want each had two goals apiece early while Haydn Sproxton added one to push the margin out to 36 points at quarter-time. The short break failed to kick the Kangas into gear, and they were unable to find the big sticks for the rest of the second quarter as Logan Stubber joined the party for the Tigers with two goals. A sole major to milestone man Ross in the third term gave the home side something to cheer about but the Tigers showed no signs of slowing down. A six-goal third term gave the Tigers a 94-point buffer at three-quarter-time and despite a goalless fourth term from both sides, the Kangas slumped to a disappointing 15.18 (108) to 1.3 (9) defeat at the final siren. Logan Stubber and Beau Ewen were terrific in midfield, while Leighton Smith and Bodhi Stubber provided strong defensive structure in their fifth win of the season. Nathan Crudeli was a shining light in a poor afternoon for the Kangas while Orzel, Kobi Keen and Drew Willcocks also tried valiantly. Royals took a significant step towards playing finals in 2023, as they ground out a 20-point win away on Saturday. The Lions made it three straight wins as they accounted for Mt Barker at Sounness Park and now sit more than two games clear of the fifth-placed Kangas on the ladder. It wasn’t pretty and they again wasted chances in front of goal but the Lions created plenty of scoring shots and four majors in the third term proved decisive. With captain Brayden Parker mopping up well in defence, Joel Flick and Corey Ward busy in the middle and lively half-forward Brandon Elliott a constant threat all day, the visitors got the job done. The Lions squandered early chances and kicked 1.6 in the first to lead by 10 points but the Bulls clicked into gear in the second. Daniel Patching sparked the home side with two terrific goals in the second but the visitors still held the advantage going into the last half with each side kicking three for the term. The Bulls added two majors in the third through Dylan Gowdie and Ben Kirkwood but the Lions kept finding the answers and pushed the margin to 28 points. Elliott snared his second while majors from Justin Galos, Nic Ashford and Jaiden Alison ensured the Lions remained on top. Reigning Kleemann medallist Zach Jackson shook off his woes in front of the big sticks to kick two final term majors and keep the Bulls in the game but Alison’s second sealed the 9.16 (70) to 7.8 (50) win. Elliott was terrific up front as he and Alison were the multiple goal kickers for the visitors. Joel Flick was very influential through the middle of the ground and kicked a long-range goal while Parker, Ward, Cameron Allison and Stephen Beal all played key roles in the result. For the home side, defender Lee Pavlovich took a plethora of intercept marks and was outstanding all afternoon, Patching worked tirelessly in the middle of the ground while Darcy Wallinger and Cameron Walsh had strong performances. Zach Jackson finished with two majors but was well held early and Mitch Jackson went down late with an ankle injury. Bull Alex Skinner and Lion Lorcan McNamara were yellow carded in the final quarter for their involvement in a melee.