Magpies major slip-up, a costly Tigers victory and Lions roar over co-tenants with second-half blitz

North Albany hung on in the dying stages to record their second win of the season, which ignited their finals aspirations at the completion of round eight of the Great Southern Football League yesterday. The Kangas moved within a game of the fourth placed Albany after an upset 10-point win over Denmark-Walpole at Collingwood Park. The Magpies trailed by 27 points at the final change but kicked three majors in the fourth to give the home crowd some anxious moments in the closing stages. However it was a rampant eight-goal second term that powered the Kangas to their second win of 2021, as they turned a nine-point quarter time advantage into a significant 45-point buffer by the long break. The Magpies kicked seven goals to two after half time but it meant little as they fell to a disappointing defeat, which severely dented their hopes of finishing in the top two. Youngster Rhori Williams-Jolley was outstanding for the home side with four goals and he was well supported by ruckman Aden Castlehow and ball magnet Nathan Crudeli as their side prevailed, 12.10 (82) to 10.12 (72). Caleb House and Dustin Boyce each booted two majors as a very youthful Kangas outfit emerged with a hard-fought victory. Simon Barker and Jayden Woods kicked two goals each for the Magpies while Coen Marwick, Brody Hickey and Cody Kerr were all strong contributors but the visitors were left to rue a sluggish start. Shayne Zanetti was kept to one goal and former AFL player Ash McGrath was an omission from the side that snuck over the line against Mt Barker the previous week. Royals bounced back to the winners list in commanding fashion, as they thrashed Albany by 77 points in the Centennial Stadium derby. The Lions were boosted by the inclusion of former WAFL player Steven Edwards, who was cleared back to his original GSFL club on Thursday prior to the June 30 transfer deadline. Edwards played six league games for South Fremantle this season, his last on May 29 when he had 13 disposals and eight marks against West Coast. The classy 25-year-old had an immediate impact as he kicked four goals in the triumph. After their lengthy 32-game winning streak came to an end in round seven, the Lions went behind early as the Sharks came out firing and held an eight-point advantage at the first change. The Sharks trailed by 10 points at the main break but the reigning premiers shook them off after half time, piling on 13 goals to two on their way to a seventh win of the season. Despite the final margin blowing out beyond 10 goals the Sharks were very impressive in the first half. The Sharks kicked the first goal of the third stanza to pull the deficit back to a goal but it was all the Lions from that point on. In his return Edwards booted two goals in a row before Jordan Heil made it a 23-point game midway through the third term. Stephen Beal added two majors in quick succession and then Cooper Childs and Cameron Allison helped the Lions pile on seven straight goals to open up a 47-point advantage at the last break. Ex-St Kilda and Fremantle player Brett Peake kicked his fourth of the game for the Sharks to start the fourth term but the Lions added the next six goals to finish big winners, 20.8 (128) to 7.9 (51). Edwards was magnificent in his first game back since the 2019 grand final and finished with four goals while Childs and Beal added three each. Allison and Michael McGlade were influential through the midfield all afternoon. Peake kicked two goals in the opening term to give Sharks the early ascendancy and he was one of their better players. Cameron Jones worked hard all day while returning youngster Fraser Eaton and defender Kyle Ryder were also telling contributors. Railways are counting the costs of their 89-point win over Mt Barker at Sounness Park yesterday, finishing with just one fit player on the bench. The Bulls kicked the first two goals of the game before the visitors wrestled back the lead by quarter time. Ethan Knee was a casualty of the opening term with a shoulder injury and things got worse for the Tigers after that with Zak Hortin (groin) and Mitch Green (hamstring) hobbling to the bench before the end of the second stanza. The Tigers kicked the only four goals of the second term with Jayden Scott’s set shot after the siren helping them to a 37-point half time buffer. In a dominant third term the Tigers momentum was halted only briefly by two goals in 30 seconds from Josh Price, as they piled on eight goals to put the result beyond doubt. Trailing by 73 points at the last break, captain David Stone kicked a clever snap for the home side but there was little joy aside from that as the Tigers marched to a convincing victory, 18.18 (126) to 5.7 (37). Logan Stubber was superb through the midfield and kicked a third term goal, Craig Frost was influential at half-back and in the middle and Kane Shephard also won plenty of ball for the Tigers. Matt Palfrey and Coen Jackman were the two focal points in attack kicking five and four goals respectively to help their side remain on top of the ladder. Stone was gallant in defeat for the Bulls and he was well supported by Josh Price and midfielder Bryce Blaszkow, in a side that had five forced changes from last week.