Border Mail – Round 7 – Review
HENTY turned in its best performance of the season to hammer Rand-Walbundrie-Walla by 45 points at Walbundrie on Saturday.
The ladder leader made a sensational start by kicking the opening six goals of the match with their pace proving telling at league headquarters.
The win was marred by a potentially serious hamstring injury to star midfielder Daniel Cox.
Cox went down after clearing the ball from the centre in the dying minutes of the clash and had to be assisted from the ground by trainers.
Rand-Walbundrie-Walla coach Myles Aalbers also came off late with a leg injury.
Henty coach Joel Price was thrilled with the Swampies flying start.
“That first half was probably the best footy we’ve played all year,” Price said.
“We played well against Jindera but the way the boys came out was great.
“Our attack on the footy and our intensity was super.
“It was an important win for us.”
Cox was brilliant for the victors in the centre, Daniel Smith did plenty of damage across half-forward and Harry Nunn worked hard in the midfield.
Jarrah Maksymow kicked two goals in the opening quarter and stretched the Giants defence with his blistering pace while Damian Cupido finished with 5.6.
Ruckman Mitch Thomas toiled hard for Rand-Walbundrie-Walla and Chris and Jeremy Duck were pivotal in the Giants kicking four goals during the third quarter.
Jindera spearhead Trent Castles snared 10 goals in the Bulldogs’ 83-point win over Howlong at Jindera.
Castles was unstoppable as Ryan Speed, Danny Middleton and Dylan Pettingill pumped the ball into attack with minimal pressure.
Kurt Brereton played well in his first match of the season after missing last year with concussion while Nathan Chamings and Andrew Wilson will be pressing for selection next week.
Tom Weldon ran with Spider star Steve Jolliffe while Ben Dower and Mitch Lawrence combined to blunt the impact of Peter Hancock.
Matt Lee and Charlie Hamilton tried hard for injury-hit Howlong.
Osborne wore down a persistent CDHBU by 14 points.
Kodie O’Malley, Marty Bahr and Hayden Gleeson stood up for the reigning premier against some spirited opposition from Shannon Broadbent, Kane Mills and Tim Cooper.
Holbrook survived a scare to defeat an improving Lockhart by 12 points.
Aaron Baker, Sam Harris and Alec Sullivan were pivotal in the Brookers restoring order after a slow start to the match.
Lockhart were best served by Blake Jones and Zac Sheather.
Culcairn defeated Murray Magpies by 72 points at Culcairn.
Jye Shields, Tim and Dane Hallinan and Caleb Simmonds picked up a swag of possessions while Dennis Pedemont had his best haul of the season kicking five goals.
Daniel Maher and Ash Murray tried hard for the Magpies.
Brock-Burrum accounted for Billabong Crows by 83 points.
