GSFL 2023: Albany reclaim top spot with emphatic win, Royals take big scalp and Mt Barker secure top four spot

Albany moved a game clear on top of the Great Southern Football League ladder with a thumping 142-point win over North Albany at Retravision Stadium on Sunday. Star forward Brett Peake was back to his brilliant best with a season-high nine-goal haul as the home side made light work of the Kangas from the outset. Their 11th win of the season puts them in the box seat for securing a home qualifying final with only two rounds left to play. The result was all but secured at half-time as the Sharks steamed ahead to a 64-point advantage and the Kangas managed only one goal in a miserable second half. Goals to Robbie Lee, Jayden Zilm and Harry Hordacre had the Kangas on the back foot early in the first term before they found their opener through Graham Ross. A 23-point quarter-time margin was extended in the second term as the Kangas failed to find the big sticks while conceding six goals at the other end. Peake booted four of his nine in the second term while youngster Kaleb Germain had his first from a brilliant snap on a tight angle from 30m out. The lead had blown out considerably by half-time and Lee was having a big presence on the game through midfield, hitting targets while providing plenty of dash on the outside. Tom O’Farrell stemmed the bleeding for the Kangas in the third term with his first, but that would be the Kangas’ final major of the contest. Peake had his fifth from a set shot 45m out and bobbed up again with a simple conversion just outside the goal square. The Sharks snagged nine goals in a crushing final term while keeping the visitors scoreless as they recorded a massive win, 24.17 (161) to 2.7 (19). Peake put through the first and final majors of the last term to finish on nine goals and youngster Aiden Clark also came alive with two classy finishes late. Lee, Bryce Blaszkow and Brock Anning were all terrific in the Sharks’ engine room, winning countless clearances and possessions across the four quarters. Jayden Zilm was good support for Peake with three majors and the only concern was a late injury to Marlin Bennett who was carried from the ground. For the visitors, Nathan Crudeli, Nick Barrow, Kobi Keen and Jyrin Woods all showed fight in an otherwise disappointing day. The results from round 13 ended the Kangas’ slim finals hopes. Royals late-season resurgence continued as they beat arch-rivals Railways for the first time this season, with an impressive 19-point triumph at Tigerland. The Tigers kicked three of the first four goals of the game but a strengthened Lions outfit kicked clear midway through the second term and never looked back. Majors to James Watters, Tyreice Brown and Nick Ashford going into half-time proved decisive as the home side trailed by 12 points. It was goal for goal in the third, Chandler Askevold-McDonald kicking truly before Jayden Scott got an immediate reply. Dominant big man Stephen Beal kicked a great goal but the Tigers were hanging around as Kane Shephard replied with a long-range set shot. However a goal in the 27th minute mark of the third from Jaiden Alison ensured the Lions took a significant 19-point buffer into the last change. Scott, who was having a terrific game in the midfield, jailed his third major to bring the deficit back to 14 points after eight minutes of the final term but the Lions held firm. Strong defending and winning plenty of their own ball in the middle, the Lions surged to a third straight win as Ashford put the icing on the cake with his third late in the game - the visitors prevailing 8.12 (60) to 6.5 (41). The Lions have now knocked off top four rivals Mt Barker, Albany and the Tigers in their last three games and are building strongly into the finals series. Ashford was the main avenue to goal while the work of ruckman Beal and the fleet-footed Brown also stood out. Ryan Flick had plenty of impact in the middle along with Alison while Steven Edwards and Joel Flick were also busy. Scott was sensational for the Tigers and kicked three vital goals while Beau Ewen, Craig Frost, Bodhi Stubber and Caleb Haua were also strong contributors but their side lost a second game in a row. Zak Hortin kicked the first two goals of the game but without Joel Want up front, he lacked support. Ray Daniels gave away a three consecutive 50m penalties in the second that led to a Brown goal from close range and they were not able to go with the speedy Lions when the play spread. The only sour point for the Lions was the loss of defender Seth Hambley who has a suspected broken jaw from a bump in the first term. Mt Barker sealed a top-four spot in the GSFL with a comfortable 48-point win over Denmark-Walpole at McLean Park on Saturday. The win puts them 14 points ahead of fifth-placed Kangas with two rounds left to play in the season. Despite a much-improved second-half, the Magpies were left to lament an eight goal to two first half as the Bulls coasted to a 14.9 (93) to 7.5 (47) victory. Forward combination Brandon Ugle and Sam Lehmann booted five goals each in a terrific offensive display as the Magpies fell to their 12th loss of 2023. The home side drew first blood through Jack Hickey, who snapped a close range effort to open scores, but it was the Bulls that answered back with four consecutive majors. Ugle slotted his first before Lehmann bobbed up with two set-shot conversions and Adam Large saluted with a well-taken roost from 45m out. The Magpies went further behind in the second quarter, Ugle utilising some clean ball use, snapping two quick goals while Mitch Pearce and Lehmann also joined the party. Bradley Cochrane gave Magpies their second on the cusp of half-time and the margin was trimmed to 37 at the long break. Lehmann had his fourth within 30 seconds of the third quarter but the Magpies hit back with Jhett Morrison-Carter slotting a long-range bomb from 50m out before Kallan Buttel made it back-to-back goals for the home side. Camball McMahon answered at the other end and Ugle put through his fourth from 50m to extend the buffer to 46 points. The home side found majors through Cochrane, Cody Kerr and Tyler Stone as part of a promising finish but Lehmann and Ugle both found their fifth majors of the afternoon with Zach Jackson also bagging his first as the Bulls claimed a sixth win of 2023. Ugle and Lehmann were brilliant up forward and had plenty of support from Zach Jackson and Keagan Taylor. For the Magpies, Cochrane (two goals) tried hard along with Morrison-Carter, Stone and Kerr.