GSFL 2023: Slick Royals side knock off ill-disciplined reigning premiers to continue late season resurgence

Royals late-season resurgence continued as they beat arch rivals Railways for the first time this season, with an impressive 19-point triumph at Tigerland. The Lions have now knocked off top-four rivals Mt Barker, Albany and the Tigers in their last three games in the Great Southern Football League and are building strongly into the finals series. The round 13 victory came without star duo Corey Ward and Jayson Ford and coach Andrew Ruck says his side are building nicely. “Our back end of the years have always been pretty good,” Ruck said. “Our last five games of the last five years, we haven’t lost many. “We’ve got a lot of good players but they are not always engaged. How do you engage them — finals usually does. “We know we got to win two in a row to make the dance, we take (this win) as a morale booster. “It’s nice to beat Barker, Sharks and Railways and just shows all our efforts aren’t in vain and we are around the mark.” The Tigers kicked three of the first four goals of the game but a strengthened Lions outfit kicked clear midway through the second term and never looked back. Majors to James Watters, Tyreice Brown and Nick Ashford going into half-time proved decisive as the home side trailed by 12 points. It was goal for goal in the third, Chandler Askevold-McDonald kicking truly before Jayden Scott got an immediate reply. Dominant big man Stephen Beal kicked a great goal but the Tigers were hanging around as Kane Shephard replied with a long-range set shot. However a goal in the 27th minute mark of the third from Jaiden Alison ensured the Lions took a significant 19-point buffer into the last change. Scott, who was having a terrific game in the midfield, jailed his third major to bring the deficit back to 14 points after eight minutes of the final term but the Lions held firm. Strong defending and winning plenty of their own ball in the middle, the Lions surged to a third straight win as Ashford put the icing on the cake with his third late in the game, the visitors prevailing 8.12 (60) to 6.5 (41). Ashford was the main avenue to goal while the work of ruckman Beal and the fleet-footed Brown also stood out. Ryan Flick had plenty of impact in the middle along with Alison while Steven Edwards and Joel Flick were also busy. Tigers coach Mark Bayliss said ill-discipline was a major factor in the result. In the second term goals to Watters, Brown and Ashford all came as the result of 50m penalties, with Brown’s conversion coming after Ray Daniels gave away three consecutive 50m penalties. “The second quarter cost us,” Bayliss said. “A few of my players were undisciplined during that period. In analysing what that cost the game I think that was the difference but I’ll address that during the week. “They deserve that win, they played good football. “I’m getting my side ready for finals, we’ve got top two. “You want some form going into finals, injuries are preventing that for us a bit and blokes away doesn’t help . . . we’ll be there at the end and if we are good enough, we are good enough. If not we will get found out.” Scott was sensational for the Tigers and kicked three vital goals while Beau Ewen, Craig Frost, Bodhi Stubber and Caleb Haua were also strong contributors but their side lost for a second week in a row. Zak Hortin kicked the first two goals of the game but without Joel Want up front, he lacked support. The only sour point for the Lions was the loss of defender Seth Hambley who has a suspected broken jaw from a bump in the first term.