GSFL Round 8: Another bag for Brett Peake as Sharks join logjam at top of ladder with Tigers and Bulls

A seven-goal haul from Brett Peake fired Albany to their third straight win, overcoming North Albany by 40 points in round eight of the Great Southern Football League at Retravision Stadium on Sunday. The result lifted the Sharks to their sixth win of the season and they are one of three teams on 24 points locked in a battle for top spot. Peake, a former Fremantle and St Kilda player, has been in tremendous form of late, kicking 26 goals in the past three rounds to bring his season tally to 35. The Sharks and Kangas both started the contest aggressively, trading goals early in the first quarter before Peake booted three straight to open up a 20-point buffer at the first change. The Sharks continued to hit the scoreboard as Zac Pearson and Mitch Collier added goals to extend the margin early in the second quarter. Kangas forward Nathan Komene looked to inspire a second-term fightback, snagging two goals in the term before Jarrad McDowall slotted home a major to bring the Kangas within 25 points. But Peake bobbed up once again to snag his fifth goal, putting the Sharks back up by a comfortable 32 points at half-time. Kangas players came from across the ground to congratulate youngster Fynn Kelleher-Bird on kicking his first league goal but the Sharks continued to pile on scoring pressure in the third term, with Peake adding two more and pushing the margin out to 48 points by the last change. Kangas’ Dustin Boyce booted two majors in the final quarter and Jyrin Woods also hit the scoreboard with a terrific goal but the damage was done as the Sharks ran out as comfortable 16.9 (105) to 9.11 (65) winners in the end. Peake was best afield for the Sharks alongside Cameron Jones who played expertly off half-back, setting up his teammates going forward. Connor McCandless was impressive with two majors up forward and Matthew Martin (one goal) spent time in the ruck as well as playing as a deep forward. Tough ball winners Fraser Eaton and Isaac Baum toiled hard alongside speedster Robbie Lee. For the Kangas, Nathan Crudeli was terrific across the four quarters while Jyrin Woods and Kobi Keen provided great drive for the home side. Komene was also prominent in the Kangas’ forward line, kicking four goals from six shots on goal. Railways emerged with a 29-point win in a bruising encounter with the archrival Royals at Tigerland on Saturday. The Tigers had to withstand a strong challenge from the Lions but kicked four goals in the final term to celebrate defensive duo Haydn Sproxton and Bodhi Stubber’s major milestones with a win. The match had plenty of drama, with serious injuries and tempers boiling over on more than one occasion. Royals’ Brent Johnson was red-carded and reported for striking late in the first term after a melee in the middle of the ground and Railways’ Logan Stubber was yellow-carded for rough conduct in the same incident. The Lions had already lost prime midfielder Zak Mola to a serious ankle injury and despite Coel Hunter (calf) and Nick Ashford (hamstring) troubled by injury later in the game, the visitors failed to give in. The Tigers got the fast start and led by 20 points at quarter-time but the Lions responded strongly with six majors in the second, two from Jayson Ford and two from returning big man Stephen Beal as they trimmed the margin to 11 points. Matt Palfrey gave the Tigers more breathing room early in the third but the Lions took the momentum into the final term after goals to Brandon Elliott and Coel Hunter. The reigning premiers dug deep though to snatch back control as they got on top in the middle and goals from Kane Shephard, Jake Hunter, Palfrey and then finally Jayden Scott sealed their sixth win of the season. Scott was terrific in the middle and up forward, booting three goals in a best on field display, while Joel Want provided a real spark across half-forward. Shephard (three goals), Palfrey (two) and midfielders Mohit Jaggi and Ryan Davies were all important in the 12.15 (87) to 9.4 (58) win. Sproxton played his 200th league match, only the eighth Tigers player to do so, while Bodhi Stubber reached game 150 and the pair were chaired from the ground after the triumph. Ashford and Hunter battled on despite their injuries and their side took it right up to the Tigers for the best part of three quarters. Beal booted three goals and had a really strong afternoon on his return, while fellow tall Hamish McMorran took many intercept marks. Elliott was lively around goals, David Parker led from the front at the stoppages and youngster Lorcan McNamara played arguably his best senior game. The Lions will challenge a two-week ban offered to Johnson at the tribunal. An efficient second half helped Mt Barker defeat Denmark-Walpole by 65 points at McLean Park on Saturday. The Magpies’ pressure in the early stages of the contest made it difficult for the visitors to achieve any real momentum but a third-term blitz was the catalyst for the Bulls’ sixth win of the season. Sam Lehmann was terrific as the Bulls’ key forward, kicking four goals, while Scott and Josh Price worked in tandem to break apart the Magpies’ defence all afternoon. The Magpies were unrelenting in their endeavour but the Bulls outscored their opposition 13 goals to six in the second half on their way to a 19.12 (126) to 9.7 (61) victory. Lehmann kicked two early goals but his side lamented missed opportunities by Zach Jackson and Steven Scott, each kicking a behind early. Despite Magpies’ Daniel Rowling answering back with a goal of his own, Zach Jackson booted a major shortly after to help give his side an 18-point lead at the end of the first quarter. The Magpies started the second quarter defiantly as midfielders Jaden Guidi and Ryan Gaerth found success in winning clearances and contested possessions as they pushed their team forward. Goals to Cody Kerr and Nicholas Bahr-Pike had the Magpies’ tails up but Bulls players Scott Price, Sebastian Ballard and the returning Brent Parsons chipped in with a goal each to extend the margin to 26 points at half-time. Magpies’ Tyler Stone had an opportunity to bring his side back within 20 points early in the third quarter but failed to convert, spraying his shot wide for a behind. The Bulls made the Magpies pay, with Zach Jackson and Scott Price kicking two goals in quick succession, followed by a wonderful snap by vice-captain Bryce Blazskow. Shortly after, Stone marked 45m out from goal but quickly handpassed to Jaden Guidi, who slotted a classy running goal to give the Magpies a glimmer of hope. However, Bulls player Ben Kirkwood responded with a goal immediately at the other end, followed by Lehmann booting two goals in the space of a minute to push the margin to 56 points. Despite goals to Magpies’ Todd Brown and Stone early in the fourth quarter, the Bulls outscored their opposition six goals to four in the final term. Josh Price showed immense courage in the last quarter, running with the flight of the ball to take a spectacular mark 45m out before going back to kick one of his four final-term goals to seal the Bulls’ victory. Josh (four goals) and Scott Price were superb, along with ruckman David Stone and Brent Parsons. Darcy Wallinger and Lee Pavlovich were also terrific in shoring up the Bulls’ defence while Lehmann (four goals) provided a superb avenue to goal. Magpies’ midfielders Gaerth and Guidi were outstanding in the losing affair, while defenders Max Puls and Michael Hammond toiled hard in defence.