Lively Bulls leap off the bottom

Livewire forwards Dionne Woods and Jesse Wynne combined for 10 goals between them as Mt Barker jumped off the bottom of the Great Southern Football League ladder with a hard-fought 27-point win over Denmark-Walpole at Sounness Park on Saturday.

Woods’ five second-half goals proved the difference as the dangerous veteran finished with six majors for the match in the Bulls’ first win of the season, 14.13 (97) to 11.4 (70).

New recruit Wynne was equally dangerous but inaccuracy plagued the goal sneak, who finished with 4.8.

The Magpies led by two points at half-time after facing a 19-point deficit at the first change but could only boot three goals in the second half in a disappointing fade-out to remain winless after three rounds.

The visitors produced some of the best football of the season in the second quarter, with the five-goal term led by young ruckman Kalin Lane and Tyler Stone, who each booted two goals in the term.

Without the competition’s leading goal kicker Shayne Zanetti, the Magpies lacked a focal point to stretch the Bulls’ defence, despite Stone and Lane each finishing with three goals.

The Bulls were still missing spearhead Kym Monteath and key midfielder Nic Chidgzey to injury, but wise heads in captain Peter Taylor and Sam Lehmann were instrumental throughout the four quarters in Lee Pavlovich’s 100th game.

The veterans combined throughout the contest in the home side’s first win, which took them from last position on the ladder.