GSFL 2023: Wayward Lions dominate scoring shots on their way to second win season after downing Kangas

Royals coach Andrew Ruck was impressed by his side’s performance in Sunday’s 47-point win over North Albany despite an inaccurate day in front of goal. The win was the Lions’ second of the season. The victory helped the Lions push past Mt Barker on the ladder, moving to third place on percentage after round five. A five-goal second term set the tone for the contest as the Kangas went down 14.22 (106) to 9.5 (59) in the Belt Up Round clash. “I thought the first few minutes we came out and dominated, we kicked three or four points and then they got a couple against the grain,” Ruck said. “We ended up with 37 scoring shots on the day and I think that was pretty reflective of the game. “Last week we showed really good signs and we’ll keep building. “We have quite a few younger kids that have played colts the last couple of years and are seniors now and they (Kangas) had a few who are still colts. “But to our boys’ credit, we were two down on the bench pretty early.” “It was a bit of a scrappy affair and a good contest but we just need to get back to getting that flow and stopping those errors. “It’s something we have to tidy up with our run of games coming up.” Despite an early ascendancy with inside-50s and clearances, the Lions weren’t able to translate that on the scoreboard, with the home side finding majors through Lucas Ravenhill and Kobi Keen. Nick Ashford hit back for the Lions but Jackson Cosh ensured the Kangas went into the break seven points ahead after nailing a brilliant running goal from the boundary. The visitors had their tails up in the second term, with a flurry of late goals helping them regain control of the game. Taylor Powell put through his first from the goal square, Jordan Hulm got on the end of another one from close range, and then Ashford converted a snap from 35m out. When Powell found the chest of a leading Ashford 40m out on a slight angle, the key forward made no mistake in front of goal, helping push the margin out to 20 points at the main break. The Lions had all the play in the third quarter but found little reward on the scoreboard, with Sam Holmes hitting the post from the goal square before Joel Flick and Corey Ward missed chances on the run. Despite dominating clearances and goal chances, the Lions’ only two majors came through Ward and the returning Tyreice Brown, while Kangas’ Ravenhill got one back for the home side. The margin ballooned out to 58 points at one stage in the fourth quarter after goals to Ryan Kinnear, Ashford, Brandon Elliot and Flick. The Kangas found some solace through late goals to Nathan Shanhun, Ravenhill, Cosh and Graham Ross but they slumped to their fourth loss of the season. Brayden Parker was brilliant through the midfield and dominated for large passages of the third quarter, while midfield partner Cameron Allison, winger Flick and half-back flanker Braden Murphy also showed good signs along with ruckman Stephen Beal and defender Corey Linthorne. Ravenhill kicked four goals in a losing side and battled hard all day with a determined Linthorne, while youngster Keen made a sound return to the side and Jarrad McDowall was terrific in the midfield and up forward. Nathan Crudeli and Shanhun also toiled hard in a losing affair. Parker was awarded the Belt Up Round match ball, while McDowall and Flick earned Belt Up jumpers for their respective sides. Lions’ Rivah Bocian injured his hamstring, while Holmes hurt his foot, with both players unable to finish the game. Kangas coach Brad Bootsma lamented a poor back end of the contest. “Once again we started well which is a good trait for us, but we’re not finishing well,” he said. “We just have to keep working at it because we know our good footy is good and our bad is bad so we just need to even out that ledger. “When they got the ball going they countered on our turnovers which hurt us a lot and they probably could have won by a lot more.”