GSFL 2023: Albany stay unbeaten, Railways hold Royals to three goals and Mt Barker notch first win of season

Albany outlasted a stubborn North Albany side to emerge with a 46-point win at Retravision Stadium in round three of the Great Southern Football League on Sunday. In a game that was evenly fought for the majority of play, it was the Sharks who got on top of their counterparts with a six-goal to nil final quarter, helping them notch a third-straight win in 2023. Battling injuries, the Kangas trailed by 11 points at the last break but couldn’t find the answers as the game finished 16.11 (107) to 9.7 (61) at the final siren. The Sharks missed a few chances early and Jackson Cosh and Lucas Ravenhill were able to capitalise at the other end for the Kangas, putting through the first two majors of the game. Lewis Bosch continued his electric form in 2023, providing plenty of drive in the opening stages with his first goal of the contest followed by a major to Jayden Zilm as the Sharks wrestled the lead back. In a seesawing second term both sides traded goals and Kangas veteran Graham Ross came alive with three pivotal goals in the quarter. However a clever crumb and snap from Bosch followed by a classy running goal from George Bockman ensured the Sharks went into the main break with a one-goal buffer. Despite a blistering start to the Kangas where swingman Nick Barrow set up Lucas Ravenhill for the first goal of the quarter, the Sharks kept finding answers. Having been shut down for large periods of the game by Harrison Smith, Brett Peake finally had his first major in the dying stages of the third quarter as the Sharks pushed the margin back to 11. The Sharks shifted to top gear in the last term with Peake adding two more to go with majors from Taj Williams, Jack Beeck, Connor McCandless and Harrison Hordacre. It was a cruel outcome for the Kangas who won clearances for large parts of the match and peppered the Sharks’ defensive arc all afternoon. Sharks’ Kane Pinney was at his usual best, cutting off multiple entries, while Tait McLean used the ball exceptionally well off half-back. Bosch gathered a plethora of possessions while Isaac Baum’s second-half work at stoppages was outstanding. Barrow was damaging for the Kangas, playing through midfield and up forward while Ravenhill worked well up the ground all afternoon, taking contested marks at crucial stages. Jyrin Woods was at his best along with Smith, who put in an outstanding defensive display on Peake, while Ross (four goals) and Peake (three goals) were the main goal kickers for their respective sides. A superb first-half helped Railways claim bragging rights in the Lockyer Avenue derby, denying Royals their first win of the season at Tigerland on Saturday. The reigning premiers remain undefeated in the 2023 GSFL competition, notching up their third-straight victory. The Tigers booted the first seven goals in a rampant opening, setting themselves up for a convincing 11.10 (76) to 3.3 (21) triumph. The visiting side’s mistakes were pounced on by the Tigers in the first half as Kane Shephard, playing as a half-forward, put the first major through the big sticks to open scores. Goals to the returning Bailey Bennett, Joel Want and another late one to Shephard helped put the home side up by 27 at quarter-time. Lions’ Joley Graham had a chance to get his team on the scoreboard but sprayed his shot wide with Ryan Davies, Clay Michael and Kane Shephard making the most of their chances at the other end to help push their side further in front. It looked likely the Lions would head into the main break without a single major on the board as the clock ticked down in the second quarter. However successive 50m penalties against the Tigers put Stephen Beal in the goal square and the forward made no mistake in breaking the deadlock to drag the margin back to 40 points. Taylor Powell sparked some life back into the Lions with the first goal of the third quarter but they were outscored two goals to one as Dylan Schorer and Jack Steel replied at the other end. Joel Flick put through the Lions’ third of the contest but it was to no avail as Steel and Want both chipped in for their second goals as the Tigers stormed to a fifth-straight derby win over their rivals. Claremont midfielder Bennett was outstanding in a surprise return for his junior club along with big-bodied midfielders Jayden Scott and Beau Ewen, while Mitch Green showed silk with the ball in his hands. David Parker was terrific for the Lions and Joel Flick showed good signs on the wing in a difficult day. The Lions loss was compounded by injuries to Nathan Powell, Ryan Flick, Ryan Kinnear and Jaiden Alison, leaving them without a bench in the second half. Mt Barker’s first win of 2023 was set up by a nine-goal first half at McLean Park, the performance coming along with the return of Kleemann medallist Zach Jackson. Zach Jackson was a surprise inclusion for the Bulls in their clash with Denmark-Walpole and he kicked three goals in the 63-point win. After just four games in the WAFL with Perth, he has returned to the GSFL where he was dominant last season on his way to becoming a joint winner of the league’s biggest honour. The Bulls are confident Jackson will be with them for the remainder of the season, turning his back on a decision to play in the WAFL. However it was damaging midfielder Daniel Patching that proved the difference in the round three affair, kicking four goals and winning a stack of clearances. The Magpies were on the board early but the Bulls kicked five goals to two to gain the ascendancy by quarter-time. Playing as a deep forward, Jackson kicked a goal in the opening term before majors to Patching, Dylan Gowdie, Nigel Penny and a second to Rhys Hogg pushed the margin to 40 points at half-time. Youngsters Marlon Mastalerz, Evan Delbene and Tait Hartfield were all impressive for the Magpies, who kicked three majors in the third but five from the visitors at the other end had them well in control at three-quarter time. The Bulls wasted some chances in the final term but still ran out comfortable winners, 17.18 (120) to 8.9 (57). Patching kicked two majors in a brilliant third term and his influence grew as the game went on while half-forward Camball McMahon (two goals), ruckman Mitch Jackson (two) and ball winner Joel Gray also shone in the win. Magpies’ Cody Kerr did a good job on Jackson in the first half but he was freed up in a move into the middle and still won plenty of the ball. Young gun Josh Thompson won plenty of the ball in the middle for the Magpies, Tait Hartfield was important around the ground, Delbene was exciting across half forward and kicked two majors while Bailey Bennett (two) and Mastalerz also played well.