Border Mail Round 10 – Review
PREMIERSHIP favourite Brock-Burrum ruthlessly exposed the gulf between itself and finals contender Lockhart after handing the Demons an 88-point touch-up at Burrumbuttock on Saturday.
The defending premiers now boast the highest percentage in the competition which could prove crucial with Culcairn and Osborne also still firmly in the mix for a coveted top-two finish.
Premiership coach Kade Stevens labelled the victory as their best four-quarter performance so far this season, with the ladder leaders now boasting a 9-1 record.
“Ideally we would like to keep winning and not have to worry about percentage,” Stevens said.
“But it was nice to boost the percentage and get that buffer in case it becomes important later in the season.
“I was pleased how we finished the match off compared to the previous week against Billabong Crows where we had a few lapses in concentration and let the opposition back in the match.
“So the message at half-time was don’t overuse the footy, one handball and a kick and I thought that stood us in good stead in the second-half.
“Our back six has been super all year and today was just another example of that, in keeping the opposition goalless in the first three-quarters.
“They have probably been the driving force behind us being in a position to challenge for a top-two finish.”
While the home sides defence led by Jeremy Luff, Jarod and Mitch Koschitzke was outstanding it was their running players who set the Saints alight.
Willson Mack, Ron Boulton and Nico Sedgwick all racked up plenty of possessions and were the springboard for many of the Saints attacking moves.
Mack capped a polished display with four goals, narrowly shading Boulton who finished with three.
The battle of man mountains Matt Seiter and Neil Irwin was a highlight with Seiter slightly more damaging around the ground.
Nick Taylor, Blake Jones and Andrew Emery also tried hard for the Demons.
The Saints achieved the win with coach Stevens, Tyson Neander and Aaron Livermore on the sidelines.
Stevens said he was most likely to return from his knee injury after the July 13 bye.
Rutherglen recruit Neander and Livermore could possibly return next week.
HENTY stars Jared Brennan and Daniel Cox made sensational returns to lead the Swampies to a 35-point victory over Rand-Walbundrie-Walla at Henty on Saturday.
Brennan and Cox were in electrifying touch in their first appearance since May 25 as the home team celebrated its Indigenous Round match in style.
Big forward Shannon Terlich played a blinder in attack, dragging down 10 marks and kicking four goals, while Kim Kantilla proved a handful in a forward-pocket with three majors.
Rand-Walbundrie-Walla trailed by only seven points at half-time with ruckman Jack Duck and defenders Kurt Jenson and Brian Lieschke playing well.
Lieschke held star Swampie spearhead Damian Cupido to two goals.
The loss leaves the Giants eight premiership points outside the top-six with a crunch month of matches ahead against Jindera, Howlong, Murray Magpies and CDHBU.
