GSFL 2023: Albany on top of the ladder after slick goal-kicking display hands them impressive win over Royals

An eight-goal haul from Albany star Brett Peake helped his side withstand a strong challenge from Royals in a fiery Retravision Stadium derby on Saturday. The Sharks sit on top of the Great Southern Football League ladder after two terrific wins to start the 2023 campaign. Peake antagonised the Lions in the 25-point win and kicked four decisive goals in the second term as the Sharks established a match-winning lead on their co-tenants. The former Fremantle and St Kilda player was on fire in a high-scoring second term kicking four majors and one which sparked a scuffle early on, but the Sharks put seven goals on the board to open up a 26-point buffer by half-time. The Sharks lost ruckman Stewart Davies to a calf injury before the main break and the Lions dominated the stoppages and the ruck battle in the last half as they mounted a comeback. Taylor Powell kicked two in quick succession and when small forward Justin Galos dribbled through his second, the margin was back to seven points midway through the third. Peake provided a steadying goal for his side and then Isaac Baum converted and there were more words spoken after Peake slotted his seventh nearing three-quarter-time with the buffer back to 22 points. The Lions weren’t done with, however, as ruckman Nathan Powell continued to give his midfielders first use but they managed only three behinds early in the fourth. That run of misses was broken by Joel Flick who got it back to 13 points but again it would be Peake who stood up. The 118-game AFL player slammed through his eighth and again there was more push and shove between the two sides while the ball was being returned to the middle. The margin got back to 13 points after Nick Ashford kicked a set shot but majors from impressive recruit Harry Hordacre and then youngster Connor McCandless sealed the 16.6 (102) to 11.11 (77) win for the Sharks. Sharks coach Jamie Ramm said there were pleasing aspects of the performance. “Royals I thought were very good, kept coming back and every time we responded,” he said. “We were outplayed in the third quarter hands down but our forward line made most of those little opportunities and managed to get three goals to hold us still in the game. “You want to win every week but we are trying to get a style of play that can stand up at the end of the year … we’ve still got a bit of work to do.” Kane Pinney was superb as an intercepting defender while the influential Kieran Zilm kept Taylor Powell to only two goals. Robbie Lee provided drive throughout the day, Hordacre kicked three in a lively display and Bryce Blaszkow was busy in the opening half. The Lions were best served by Nathan Powell and young ball winner Ben Altus. Joel Flick was also prominent and Ryan Flick was damaging when pushed up the ground, while Ryan Kinnear (two goals) and Corey Ward tried valiantly to get their side back into the contest. “To our credit, it was even in scoring shots and we smacked them at the stoppages,” Lions coach Andrew Ruck said. “Around the ground we had a clear advantage but they just spread harder. We dominated for periods but I think we just cough up easy goals.” In a positive for the Lions, big man Stephen Beal played his first game of the season in the reserves and kicked a goal.