GSFL 2024: Mt Barker dig deep to claim thrilling win after pulsating final term against dogged Denmark-Walpole

Mt Barker have emerged with another nailbiting win over Denmark-Walpole, this time coming from behind at three-quarter-time to notch their fifth victory of the 2024 Great Southern Football League season. In what turned out to be the game of the round, the Bulls escaped with a narrow victory over Denmark-Walpole for the second time this year. The Bulls were lucky to hold on by a single point at home in round two and this time around they had to dig deep in the final to emerge with four vital premiership points. The Magpies led by seven points at three-quarter-time in front of a vocal home crowd, but the Bulls found a way and kicked five majors in the pulsating final stanza to snatch a thrilling three-point triumph. Momentum was with the home side at the last change, with returning star Shayne Zanetti and midfield bull Tyler Stone leading the charge after a sluggish start from their side. The Bulls were quick to hit the front in the final term that had three lead changes, as Daniel Patching who played solely as a deep forward kicked two goals inside seven minutes to get the visitors back in front. Zach Jackson then kicked a superb goal on the run as the Bulls went 11 points up at the eight-minute mark. The Magpies fought back as Zanetti, in his first game for the club since 2021, booted his sixth and then just a minute later Reagan Hutchinson bullocked his way through a pack and goaled to snatch back the lead. In the frantic few minutes that followed Patching had a third to get the Bulls back in front and then Zanetti cruelly went down with a shoulder injury. Zach Jackson gave away a 50m penalty for knocking the ball out of Hutchinson’s hands after a mark and then received a second yellow card for abusive language, ending his day. Bulls’ youngster Jared Ballard kicked a terrific goal to hand his side a 12-point buffer and three more behinds for the visitors appeared to have the contest sewn up. Tyler Stone, who willed himself all day, bobbed up with a clutch goal in the 24th minute from on the 50m arc and less than 90 seconds later Charlie Benson slammed home his third to reduce the deficit to three points and bring the crowd alive. The Magpies went forward again from the centre, but the Bulls clung on gamely to notch up a 14.11 (95) to 15.2 (92) win. Zach Jackson and Patching combined to kick eight of the 14 goals in the absence of Brodie Duffield and the injured Sam Lehmann, while Ballard kicked two vital majors. Brandon Ugle gave great drive from the middle, Tyreice Brown and Darcy Wallinger were influential and Clayton Wood was impressive in defence for the winners. Zach Jackson and Magpie’ Revis Alone were both sent off in the third term for wrestling. The Bulls were also without key position player Mitch Jackson, who copped a two-game ban for a dangerous tackle in round six. A sore Brent Parsons spent time forward after quarter time but the Bulls coaching staff were just relieved to get to the general bye in third spot with a 5-2 win, loss record. Zanetti was outstanding in his first game back, booting six goals in a best-on-ground display and his injury at the 17-minute mark was telling. Tyler Stone, Noah Madaffari and Brad Keast were huge around the stoppages and up forward Charlie Benson (three goals) showed show great signs. The Magpies were slow to start the contest as the Bulls kicked 4.6 in a dominant opening term. Two majors each from Zanetti and Benson and singles to Alone and Gus Brampton helped get the home side within four points at the long break and they won the third, kicking four goals to two, but could not finish the job and are still chasing their first win of 2024. The Magpies also lost youngster Tarik Hartfield to concussion but coach Brad Nisbett said he was proud of his team’s performance. “In the first quarter they jumped us pretty well,” he said. “Our second term all the way up to the fourth we played good footy and we had a crack and that’s all I can ask for. “We had the chance to but let them get on a few too many runs at times. “When we had the lead, we just had to hold it but the game shows that we can match it with better sides when we give effort.”