GSFL 2023: Mt Barker continue red-hot form despite injury worries, Royals & Railways do the job in final round

Mt Barker made a strong statement ahead of the Great Southern Football League finals series, thumping minor premiers Albany by 43 points at Retravision Stadium on Saturday. In the final round of the regular season the Bulls led at every change and handed the Sharks their third loss of the season, just a week out from the qualifying final. Last year’s Kleemann medallist Zach Jackson was brilliant in the result, dominating from start to finish as he ensured the Bulls enter the finals in red-hot form having won their last four matches. The Bulls kicked the first three goals of the game to set the tone and they held a 12-point advantage at the first change. In a high-scoring second term the Sharks played far better and were rewarded with five goals but three majors from sharpshooter Ben Kirkwood and three from the boot of evergreen full-forward Sam Lehmann gave the visitors a 17-point buffer at half-time. Jackson won a stack of possessions in the third term and his side added four goals to stretch the margin to 31 points by the final change. The Sharks kicked the first major of the final term to give themselves a glimmer of hope but like they had done all day, the Bulls kept finding answers. Kirkwood kicked his fifth, Scott Price added a third major, two from Camball McMahon, a second to Daniel Patching and a major from Brandon Ugle sealed the 20.9 (129) to 13.8 (86) result. The win did come at a cost however, with serious concerns for talented defender Darcy Wallinger. Wallinger was helped from the ground with what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the final term and the Bulls had already lost ruckman David Stone and youngster Brent Parsons to hamstring injuries earlier in the day. Zach Jackson was clearly best-afield in the big win while Wallinger and Mitch Jackson were strong in the back half, and Kirkwood played his best senior game with five goals. Will Jones played an important role after Stone went down and Nigel Penny provided great drive while Lehmann finished with four majors. The Sharks clearly missed the impact of Kane Pinney and their defence was under pressure throughout the afternoon. Cameron Jones was busy in the defeat while Taj Williams (three goals), Lewis Bosch and Harvey Taylor tried valiantly. Brett Peake kicked four goals and was locked in an enthralling battle with Kobi Williams and fellow forward Jayden Zilm marked strongly to finish with two majors. Sharks ruckman Stewart Davies was not sighted after half-time with a shoulder injury. Royals will head into the GSFL finals in winning form after skipping to a 37-point victory over North Albany at Collingwood Park on Saturday. The Lions kicked the first five goals of the contest and then withstood a strong challenge from the Kangas in the third term to claim an impressive 15.15 (105) to 10.8 (68) result in round 15. Jayson Ford finished with a bag of five goals and had three first quarter majors as part of a rampant opening with Nic Ashford and Adrian Hardy also chipping in as they jumped to a 32-point lead at the first break. Brandon Elliott snapped truly early in the second and things looked all but over when Ashford converted a simple major from 30m out. But Kangas spearhead Graham Ross broke the drought, playing on from a mark in the goal square to convert the home side’s first and Zac Lake added another after Ashford kicked his third. Trailing by 40 points, the third quarter proved fruitful for a determined Kangas side as they clawed their way back within reach. Nick Barrow slotted a goal on the run but Ford had his fourth at the other end from a clever snap. A miss-kick into the Kangas forward line fell fortunately to Jyrin Woods who made no mistake from close range. Ross cut the margin back to 30 from a close range set shot after he was awarded two consecutive 50m penalties. Corey Linthorne was then penalised for a deliberate rushed behind and Barrow kicked truly from the goal square to bring his side within four goals. Chandler Askevold-McDonald stemmed the flow at the other end, marking 40m out before he was awarded a 50m penalty following a Kangas violation for running through the mark. Just before the end of the term, Kangas’ Calum Dixon was tripped in front of the big sticks and helped bring his side back to 25 at the last change. The Lions class and experience shone through in the latter stages however, and despite an opening goal courtesy of Kangas’ Jackson Wray, the Lions kicked the next four. David Parker intercepted a Kangas kick-in and sailed through his first before goals to Coel Hunter, Ryan Flick and Steven Edwards put the game out of reach. Ross and Lake scored their second for the Kangas respectively but Ford put the cherry on the cake, splitting the middle for his fifth goal after the siren. Classy midfielder David Parker was outstanding and stood up in all the key moments, Brayden Parker showed poise off half-back while Hardy and Ford were also electric in the forward half. For the Kangas Kobi Keen, Nathan Crudeli and Woods all provided drive through midfield while Barrow showed his composure across the ground. Kangas tall Lucas Ravenhill did not finish the game due to a leg injury. Ashford was the Lions other multiple goal kicker with three while Ross, Lake, Barrow and Wray all kicked two each for the home side. Meanwhile, Railways overcame a slow start against wooden-spooners Denmark-Walpole to power to a 91-point victory at McLean Park on Saturday. A makeshift Magpies outfit were impressive early but a seven-goal to nil second quarter onslaught from the reigning premiers set up the 20.8 (128) to 5.7 (37) win. Tigers skipper Bodhi Stubber (four goals), who found a new role at full-forward, led from the front booting four first-half goals. In the final match of the home-and-away season, the Magpies fielded six uncapped players and showed plenty of fight early to enter quarter-time trailing by just three points. The second quarter saw a shift from the Tigers and electrifying ball movement from defence to offence was the catalyst to the visitor’s dominance. Second quarter goals to Joel Want, late inclusion Angus Spencer and Jack Steel, among others, ensured they entered the main break with a 45-point advantage. The Mapies were dealt another blow before the start of the second half, with Barry Roberts being shown a yellow card for allegedly headbutting a Tigers player off the ball. The Tigers continued their ascendancy in the third, adding six more goals to extend their lead to 72 points heading into the final term. Forwards Haydn Sproxton (three) and Zak Hortin (three) provided numerous avenues to goal for the Tigers. Tigers defenders Leighton Smith and Ryan Davies were prolific off half-back and provided headaches for the home side. Magpies ball-winners Noah Madaffari and Reagan Hutchinson toiled through the middle all day while Tyler Stone kicked two goals.