GSFL 2023: Rampant Lions claim derby bragging rights, Bulls come from the clouds and Kangas get third victory

Royals continued their late-season surge in the Great Southern Football League on Sunday, this time knocking off top two side Albany to claim bragging rights in the Retravision Stadium derby. For the second-straight week the Lions got the fast start and never faltered, going on to win comfortably against the second-placed Sharks. Adrian Hardy booted four goals and was outstanding in the big 16.10 (106) to 10.13 (73) result as the Lions celebrated star small forward Jayson Ford’s 100th league game in the best possible way. Sibling duo Joel and Ryan Flick worked in tandem brilliantly along with ruck Stephen Beal, and despite a strong finish from the Sharks, it was far too late as they fell to their second defeat of 2023. Hardy snapped truly for the opening goal and had his second with an easy major in the goal square before Jaiden Alison helped push the margin out to 16 points early on. Joel Flick joined the score sheet with a clever snap and the Lions were firmly in the box seat with the first four goals of the contest. The Lions had their fifth but goals to Lewis Bosch, Harrison Hordacre and Connor McCandless got the Sharks back within reach. Both sides traded goals early in the second term, with McCandless putting through his second from 20m out before Chandler Askevold-McDonald answered with a set shot at the other end. Brett Peake earned a holding the ball free kick to snag his first but the Lions fired through the next three through Ashford, Connor Lazar and the milestone man Ford, who kicked truly from 30m on an angle to open a 23-point lead. Nic Ashford found the chest of Hardy who then slotted his third, leaving the Sharks reeling 27 points behind at the long break. Kicking with the breeze in the third term, the Lions strengthened their foothold in the game with Joel Flick finding a goal in the first minute. Bosch hit the post for the Sharks and Ashford failed to convert back-to-back chances at the other end but speedster Hardy found his fourth out the back. Ford celebrated his second of the day in style, working his set shot from left to right masterfully to help push his side to a game-high 49-point advantage. The Sharks fired out of the gates in the fourth with Robbie Lee, Hordacre and Taj Williams helping to trim the margin but goals to Lions’ Ben Altus, Ryan Flick and Ashford quelled any hopes of a unlikely comeback. Cameron Jones and Brett Peake kicked late majors for the Sharks but they ultimately fell to their heaviest defeat of the season. Hardy kicked four in just his second league game of the season and Joel Flick booted three while Ryan Flick, Tyreice Brown and Beal were all vital in the Lions’ triumph. Jones, Bryce Blaszkow, Robbie Lee and Kane Pinney all toiled hard in a tough outing for the Sharks. North Albany fired to their third win of the season, coasting past bottom side Denmark-Walpole by 110 points at Collingwood Park on Sunday. The Kangas remain a mathematical chance to play finals, 10 points adrift of the fourth placed Mt Barker with three rounds left in the regular season. However on a day where co-captain Nick Barrow played his 100th league game, the Kangas overcame a sluggish start to power to a big victory in the end, 20.8 (128) to 2.6 (18). Magpies tyro Tyler Stone kicked two goals in the first term to give the visitors a four point advantage but his side were held goalless in the final three quarters as they slumped to an 11th loss of the year. The Kangas gained control in the second term with eight unanswered goals to lead by 47 points at half-time. The home side were held to two majors in the third stanza but piled on eight in a dominant final quarter to keep their slim top-four hopes alive for another week. Barrow and Matt Orzel were the architects in the middle of the ground, young tall Lucas Ravenhill (two goals) was outstanding and Travis Conn did the damage up front booting a game-high five goals. Angus McKercher, Nathan Crudeli and Graham Ross were the other multiple goalkickers for the winners. The loss for the Magpies was soured by a red card to Barry Roberts in the final quarter, the defender placed on report for striking. Magpie Bradley Cochrane also received a yellow card in the third quarter. Stone was superb again in a losing affair while teammates Cody Kerr, Lennox McHenry and Reagan Hutchinson were also valuable contributors. The Magpies fielded 20 players in the league fixture. Meanwhile the Bulls produced an inspired fourth-quarter comeback to defy the odds and hand reigning premiers Railways a second defeat of the 2023 at Sounness Park on Saturday. The home side were down for the count at three-quarter-time and the margin had ballooned out to 43 points with the result appearing to be a mere formality. However a stunning eight-goal final term guided the determined Bulls to a sensational comeback, with young star Camball McMahon booting four majors in the last quarter to seal an epic 13.7 (85) to 12.11 (83) result. After a mixed day in front of the big sticks, Sam Lehmann kicked truly for Bulls first of the final quarter, nailing a set shot from 20m out on an angle. Lehmann was beginning to come alive and he put through his second of the quarter before Zach Jackson narrowly missed his attempt, hitting the post minutes later. Ben Kirkwood gathered and kicked every bit of 50m with a stunning long-range bomb to trim the Tigers lead back to 23 and it would only get better for the home side. Moments later, Dylan Gowdie would put through one of the best goals of the season, smashing an airborne football from 40m out on the run to rocket through a stunning soccer-style full volley. McMahon had his first of the quarter from 40m out but Josh Duffield stemmed the flow for the Tigers, floating his first major of the afternoon through to put the visitors back up by 17. The next three goals would all come from the boot of Bulls’ gun McMahon however, prime mover Zach Jackson engaged in some lovely link up play on the wing to set up McMahon’s second. Mitch Jackson repelled another exit outside the Tigers defensive 50m and sent a long ball into the Bulls forward line, McMahon taking a spectacular contested mark before putting through another. Zach Jackson found the chest of the hot-handed leading forward, and he put through his fourth from 40m out to drag the Bulls within four points with just over five minutes remaining. The Tigers, try as they might, could not prevent repeated inside-50 entries, this time Rhys Hogg sending a long ball to a two-on-two contest in the forward pocket. Josh Davenport gathered at ground level, weaved through some traffic and hand-passed over to the hands of that man again, McMahon, who put through the sealer in the goal square, sparking delirium among the Bulls’ faithful. The ball was on the wing when the final siren sounded where tempers frayed as a melee broke out between the two sides. A number of players had to be separated and Bulls assistant coach Gary Pope was also involved and had to be removed by Bulls officials. On the cusp of half-time Brandon Ugle was yellow carded for a late hit on Logan Stubber while Jayden Scott also received a yellow card late in the fourth quarter for a late bump on Dylan Gowdie. Logan Stubber failed to return after that with a knee injury. Along with McMahon, Darcy Wallinger was terrific on his return to the line-up as well as Lehmann (four goals), Zach Jackson and youngster Keagen Taylor. For the Tigers Scott, Beau Ewen and Logan Stubber tried hard in the midfield as well as Leighton Smith in defence, while skipper Bodhi Stubber was outstanding in the back half. Earlier the Tigers had goals through Joel Want, Zak Hortin and Kane Shephard in the first quarter while Lehmann and Hogg kicked majors for the Bulls. Tigers’ Jack Steel and Hortin added one each in a scrappy second term and despite goals to Zach Jackson and Lehmann the visitors held a 24-point half-time advantage. Shephard, Want and Ethan Knee hit the scoreboard in the third term before Jaxon Lomardini put them up by 48 points. McMahon’s first of the afternoon came minutes before the siren in the third term, a goal that would prove crucial in the final outcome.