Slick GSFL remain in division 3 title hunt

A thumping victory over North Midlands Football League has the Great Southern Football League still in contention to reach Sunday’s division 3 grand final of the Landmark Country Football Championships.

The GSFL threw away an opportunity to start their campaign with a win, losing by five points to Eastern Districts Football League at Arena Joondalup today.

However the GSFL bounced back to keep their carnival alive in the second match as they put North Midlands to the sword after conceding the first goal.

With only 19 players in the first game youngster Jayden Scott drove up from Mandurah to play in game two, arriving after the game commenced but his injection proved vital as he booted two first half goals to help his side skip clear.

The GSFL led by 35 points at half time after kicking six unanswered goals and they continued the demolition in the second half.

Zac Pearson moved deep forward and was lively with four majors, feasting on the work of Cameron Allison, Jack McPhee and Matt Orzel up the field.

Orzel, Scott and Luke Cameron all kicked two goals as the GSFL finished impressive 83-point winners in the end.

Kenton Gibbs was outstanding at centre half forward, his lead-up marking a highlight in the 15.8 (98) to 2.3 (15) victory.

The result leaves the GSFL third on the standings but with a superior percentage over the two winless teams Eastern Districts and Regional Allstars.

Regional Allstars are the GSFL’s first opponent tomorrow before they tackle Central Wheatbelt with two wins likely to be required to play in Sunday’s decider.

In the earlier fixture the GSFL led by two points at half time and then goals to Nic Barrow and Michael Trevenen put their side 14 points ahead.

However with only one rotation the GSFL couldn’t stop the run on from Eastern Districts as they kicked the last three goals of the game to win by five points, 5.3 (33) to 4.4 (28).

The GSFL made some critical mistakes in the final few minutes despite the best efforts of Orzel, McPhee and tough midfielder Joel Want.

Meanwhile today at Bendigo Bank Stadium the Great Southern Storm finished their carnival without a win after losing to Northern Suns and Peel.

The Storm finished at the bottom of the five-team colts division to miss tomorrow’s finals but they had their chances to defeat Northern Suns.

Goals to Jai Long and Zainel Bin Busu helped the Storm jump out of the blocks early but Northern Suns kicked the next three to hit the front.

Scott pulled the margin back to a single point early in the last half but every time Northern Suns had the answers.

Northern Suns kicked the last two goals of the game as they finished 17-point winners, 7.4 (46) to 4.5 (29).

Bin Busu, Scott and Codey Baxter led the way for the Storm in their final regular game but they went down to Peel by 25 points after a hard fought contest.

Nelson Kent and Keifan Rogers both finished with three majors in the 9.3 (57) to 13.4 (82) loss.

South West Football League and Regional Districts will meet in tomorrow’s colts decider.