GSFL 2024: Minor premiers Albany spoil Mt Barker 30-year celebrations with amazing come-from-behind victory

Albany coach Jamie Ramm praised his side after they looked down and out at 41 points behind Mt Barker during the second quarter on Saturday, before showing why they are favourites to lift the cup again. In a game fraught with volatile momentum swings, it was the Sharks who made the most of their hot runs to emerge seven-point victors in arguably the match of the Great Southern Football League season and spoil the Bulls’ 30-year celebrations at Sounness Park. Not even eight match-defining goals from Bulls spearhead Ashley Wallam were enough to keep the reigning premiers at bay as the Sharks somehow clawed their way back to a famous road win. When the game was on the line and the Sharks were trailing by 23 points at the final change, their emerging young stars stood up when it mattered most, with Harvey Taylor, Kaleb Germain and George Bockman all holding their nerve under immense pressure to kick vital goals. A spectacular running goal from the boot of Harvey Taylor capped off four straight last-quarter majors for the Sharks and handed his side the lead for the first time since the eight-minute mark of the first quarter. Wallam kicked his eighth soon afterwards to take back the lead, sending the home fans into raptures before George Bockman (three goals) converted a set shot from a near-impossible angle with three minutes to go to snatch back a one-point advantage. With just one minute left on the clock, Germain kicked truly from directly in front to seal a memorable 14.14 (98) to 14.7 (91) victory for the visitors. Ramm praised the Sharks’ youngsters, who have proved hugely valuable to the side that gained immense confidence from the sensational comeback win. “Normally this time of year you drop them back down but they’re pretty talented young kids,” Ramm said. “It was a good game of footy. They (Bulls) were fantastic early and then we sort of got back in the game. “I suppose (the message was) perseverance. We haven’t started well all year . . . we’re still missing opportunities and we looked a bit fumbly early, but that comes with pressure. “It was good for our guys to know that they can win a game when they’ve been well and truly beaten.” Wallam gave the boisterous throng of Mt Barker faithful plenty to cheer about early with three goals by the first change, before adding another two after quarter-time as the Bulls launched to a 41-point lead courtesy of eight unanswered goals. Their forward line was flush with avenues to goals, with Wallam, Zach Jackson (two goals) and Sam Lehmann (two) all adding goals in the striking burst and proving they can all gel together in the forward 50. However, when Sharks’ Lewis Bosch (two goals) scored a much-needed goal against the run of play and then Mitch Collier converted two in quick succession, the Sharks suddenly had three in as many minutes and the momentum rapidly shifted. Runaway Sean Plaisted trophy winner Brett Peake (three goals) added two on either side of a George Bockman finish, who pounced on an uncharacteristic error from Bulls’ Lee Pavlovich, cutting the deficit to two points at the long break. The Bulls reassumed control of the game in the third, with five goals to one including two from the boot of Wallam, who added his sixth and seventh inside two minutes. Sharks’ Kane Pinney was spectacular across half-back alongside Cam Jones, while Collier and George Bockman were influential inside 50. Harvey Taylor and Brock Anning excelled on the wings and star ball-winner Bailey Taylor slowly worked into the game for the Sharks, who were without Isaac Baum after half-time. Daniel Patching was prolific in the engine room for the Bulls, while Seb Ballard and Darcy Wallinger rebounded superbly all game. Bulls coach Brad Hook said he was enormously proud of his side and the game proved invaluable continuity ahead of finals. “Today is probably the best team we have out on the park all year and we wanted to do that today because we haven’t had that yet,” Hook said. “Ash (Wallam), Zach (Jackson) and Sam (Lehmann) haven’t played together before today so that’s a learning curve for us kicking forward, and so it was a really good hit-out to go into finals. “We could have maybe done it a whisker better, but they have all missed a bit of footy, so every game is going to be better for them. “Just to get that team to play a game together and have everyone pull up well is positive.”