GSFL 2023: Royals and Mt Barker play out thrilling draw in opening round, Albany kick 33 goals in thrashing

Royals and Mt Barker played out an enthralling draw to open the 2023 Great Southern Football League men’s season on Saturday. While the other season opener played to kick off round one was a 182-point thumping, the game at Retravision Stadium turned into a cracker as the margin never got beyond 12 points in the second half. The Bulls, who had been decimated by player losses in the off-season and a change of coach in the fortnight leading up to the new season, fielded a very different looking side to that of the last couple of years. However the team played with great endeavour and they should have led by more at quarter time, if not for missing some gettable shots in front of goal. The Bulls kicked the first five goals of the contest to the end favoured by the wind and the Lions responded with five of their own in the second as returning key position player Taylor Powell took control in the front half. Taylor Powell kicked 2.4 in the term as the Lions drew level by the long break and it set the scene for an exciting last half. The Bulls kicked the first two goals of the third quarter through Dylan Gowdie and Camball McMahon to open up a 12-point advantage before the Lions snatched back the advantage after conversions from Brandon Elliott, Chandler Askevold-McDonald and then Jaiden Alison. A clever goal over his shoulder in the goal square from Scott Price late in the third gave the Bulls a one-point lead heading into the fourth term. The two sides traded goals early in the fourth and at one stage the Lions led by eight points. Gowdie kicked his second and then a run of behinds had the Bulls in front by a point and when Gowdie slotted a third with five minutes to play the visitors led by seven. Corey Ward made it an even six points and there was a sense around the ground that a draw was in play in the final minutes. In the 28th minute of the final quarter, Taylor Powell stepped up when his team needed him most, clunking a big contested mark and kicking the goal from close range to again level the scores. Neither side could muster another scoring opportunity as they finished locked together at 11.12 (78) apiece and shared the points in the opening round. Powell finished with 3.4 in his first game back since the 2019 Lions premiership win, while young forward Justin Galos kicked two majors. Ryan Kinnear was influential between the arcs, Ward worked hard in his return to Lions colours, Parker brothers David and Brayden had crucial moments and Hayden Johnson was terrific in defence. The Lions lost midfield pair Cameron Allison and Daniel Archbold-Mortensen to yellow cards at vital periods in the game. For the Bulls it was a really encouraging first-up display for their new-look side. Mitchell Jackson was superb in the ruck and around the ground, Price and Joel Gray won plenty of the ball while Gowide booted 3.2 in a successful move to attack and Lee Pavlovich was at his intercepting best in the back half. Albany started their season in the best possible way, thumping Denmark-Walpole by 182 points at McLean Park on Saturday. The Sharks booted 14 first-half goals as they opened up a 74-point lead in the first half before adding another 20 in the percentage-boosting victory. Vice-captain Brett Peake kicked five majors in the second-half to finish with seven as the Magpies slumped to a crushing 6.7 (43) to 33.27 (225) loss. The Magpies had their tails up early, snagging the opening two goals of the game through youngster Evan Delbene and reliable forward Tyler Stone, who was playing his 150th league game for the Magpies. However the Sharks responded emphatically, booting seven first-term goals to open a 22-point buffer at the first break. Returning inside-midfielder Bryce Blaszkow kicked two second-half goals along with Jayden Zilm (four goals) as they piled on the misery for the fatigued Magpies, who endured a goalless second quarter to head into the break 74 points behind. Eight goal-scorers joined the party in the final quarter, with Peake kicking three late in the piece as last year’s grand finalists had all the answers. Blaszkow (three goals) and Isaac Baum (three) were outstanding through the middle of the ground, while Taj Williams also (three) shone on his return to Sharks colours. Cameron Jones (two goals) broke lines off half back all day, while Robbie Lee impressed with his pace and Kane Pinney intercepted well in the defensive half. Former WAFL player Jack Beeck made a strong impression on his debut, gathering a plethora of possessions across the four quarters. For the home side, Reagan Hutchinson toiled hard while Jack Marney, Barry Roberts and Stone (two goals) showed signs of fight in a tough day. Stone was chaired from the ground after the final siren in his milestone match.