Roughead leads Sea Eagles to victory

Garfield came from behind to grab a thrilling victory over Nar Nar Goon. 234573 Picture: GARY SISSONS

By David Nagel

Former Hawthorn champion Jarryd Roughead has booted four goals to play a starring role in Inverloch-Kongwak’s 12.16.88 to 11.10.76 victory over Tooradin-Dalmore in the West Gippsland match-off-the-day at Inverloch on Saturday.

Roughead and former Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy were the star attractions for a huge crowd the flocked to the seaside town to see if the Sea Eagles could repel a highly-rated opponent in premiership fancy Tooradin-Dalmore.

Roughead and Murphy both started forward in a first quarter that saw the Sea Eagles dominate, having 13 scoring shots to two with the aid of a stiff breeze. The home side wasted its opportunities, kicking 5.8 to 2.0 to take a 26-point lead to the first break.

“We played some outstanding football early but didn’t make the most of it and I honestly thought we’d stuffed things up at quarter time,” Sea Eagles coach Ben Soumilas said.

“It was probably a three to four goal breeze, and we had plenty of scoring shots, but didn’t get bang for our buck. We kicked 5.8, reverse that and kick 8.5 and I would have felt a lot more comfortable at quarter time.”

Soumilas’s fears almost came to fruition in the second term with Tooradin wasting scoring shots of its own to close to 10 points at the major interval. The home side would extend to 21 points at the final break to set up a thrilling final term.

“We were worried at that stage, we had left the door open and they were a big sniff,” he said.

“We were going to throw one or two behind the ball but stayed attacking and that probably made the difference in the end.”

Tooradin kicked five goals in the final stanza, but Inverloch answered with four to hold on for an impressive victory. Clint McCaughan starred in the ruck for the winners while the run and carry of Shem Hawking, and some exciting passages of play from Jack Hutchinson saw the Eagles home in a close one.

Veteran defender Adam Galea stuck to his guns for Tooradin and was well supported by Brad Lenders and Cooper Shipp.

Garfield coach Hayden Stanton was expecting a tough visit to Nar Nar Goon on Saturday, and that’s exactly what he got with his accurate Stars grinding their way to a 13.3.81 to 11.8.74 victory at Spencer Street.

The Stars trailed all day but rattled off a game-high five goals in the final term to run out victors.

Ryan Hillard rounded out a great game for the visitors with three goals, a total matched by Matt Rennie who made the most of his opportunities up forward. Veteran superstar Andy Soumilas was once again in the best players for the Stars, while Troy McDermott was at his cunning best for the Goon slotting three majors.

The Stars will now take on Bunyip in a clash of the undefeated after the Bulldogs overcame a lethargic first half, and a spritely opponent, to record a 16.16.112 to 3.11.29 victory over Kooweerup.

The Demons matched motors with the Bulldogs in the first half, particularly in the second term when Agape Patolo kicked the only goal for the home side with the last kick of the quarter. But mature bodies told out in the end with the Bulldogs booting 11 goals to one after half time to run out easy winners.

Brent Heus and Jackson Dalton were the stars for the Bulldogs up forward, booting five each, while Dylan Quirk was super-effective at ground level. Bunyip star Michael ‘Pup’ Whyte kicked a goal in his 200th senior game for the club.

Warragul Industrials have bounced back to the winners list in impressive fashion with a thumping 19.7.121 to 6.6.42 victory over Kilcunda Bass at Western Park.

It was a battle of wills up forward for the Dusties, with Will Gibson and Will Jolley booting three each, with Corey Nickels and polished-recruit Anthony Bruhn also slotting three majors. Big-man Corey Micari was super in the ruck for the Dusties, while Josh Wright and Darcy Atkins never gave up for the Panthers.

And Dalyston coach Peter Dunlop will be a happy man after the Magpies recorded their first victory of the season over Korumburra Bena.

The 9.8.62 to 1.14.20 victory was highlighted by a three-goal effort from Hayden Wallis, and the Giants inability to hit the scoreboard. The Giants 10 scoring shots to three-quarter time – all behinds – before Rhys Dixon finally found the radar in the final term.

In A Grade netball, Dalyston and Korumburra Bena produced the match of the round at Dalyston with the home-team Magpies landing some late blows to record a 41-37 victory.

This was an exciting contest all afternoon, with scores level at quarter time, before the Magpies took a one-goal lead to half and three-quarter time.

The Giants were brave to the very end, but a 10 goal to seven final term saw the Magpies make it two from two after an equalling thrilling win over Bunyip last week

In other games, reigning champs Tooradin-Dalmore score a 59-37 victory over Inverloch-Kongwak, Nar Nar Goon chalked up its first win of the season with a 47-29 triumph over Garfield, while Bunyip showed it looks to be finals bound this year after a comprehensive 69-29 win over Kooweerup.