Only two games were rostered in round fifteen in the North Central Football League and three clubs having the bye.
In our only game on Saturday the Birchip-Watchem Bulls came from behind against ladder leaders St Arnaud to get the four points with a nine point win and keep alive their goal of playing finals this season. A loss to the Saints would have seen the Bulls virtually bow out of the race for the Halfhide Cup, but with their hard fought win, they have put themselves well back in the running and now sit outside the top four on percentage behind the Wycheproof-Narraport Demons.
In our second game of the round to be played Sunday between Wedderburn and Charlton at Donaldson Park for the Worksafe and Woosang Challenge Cups a win for the Navy Blues will see them shift back into second spot on the ladder swapping places with Donald.
With only four rounds to go after this weekend’s matches, the interest remains high in who will play finals and also what will be the final makeup of our top four at the end of the home and away matches.
St Arnaud v Birchip-Watchem
St Arnaud won the toss and elected to kick with a very strong wind and that decision proved correct at the time as the Saints slammed on five first quarter goals to hold a 34-point lead at the first break. Birchip-Watchem looked very sluggish in the opening term and there finals chances was not looking too bright with them only able to score just the two points in the quarter but in fairness they were kicking into a very stiff wind but the Saints were looking like they were on a mission to sure up their top of the ladder position.
Entering the second quarter the Bulls new that they had to give everything they could to pull back the Saints lead while they had the use of this very strong wind. Castellano produced the much needed first goal for the Bulls with the first couple of minutes of the second term and from there the scoring virtually dried up for both sides as the main possession getter in this quarter was the umpires as the game got scrappy with many packs forming and the umpires calling for a ball up on many occasions. At about the seventeen minute mark of the quarter the Bulls broke through for their second and they quickly added another from Gilmour and the margin narrowed and in time on the Bulls added three more goals to turn a 34-point deficit into a half time lead of four points. The Bulls had done plenty of work in this quarter but late in the period was rewarded for their efforts and their endeavour to lift their workrate had been accomplished. St Arnaud could only manage the one point in the second term and as they had done to the Bulls in the first term the Bulls reversed the rolls to look the better side in this quarter.
With less than a goal separating the two sides entering the second half the Bulls got a very important goal into the wind to extend their lead. Bloomer got the saints first goal of the term but this was again answered by Castellano for the Bulls. In the remaining half of the third quarter the Saints managed to kick four more goals and open up a ten point lead by the last change. McNamee kicked two goals in the final minutes of the term when the Saints really needed to overhaul the Bulls.
With the game in the balance the Bulls new their finals chances was riding on the outcome of this final quarter but their hopes were dinted when Vassallo extended the Saints lead out to sixteen points and many thought that the game could be slipping away but as he had done all day when things looked a little grim Castellano struck back for the Bulls which reset their finals goal as the margin narrowed again. O’Loughlan kicked a ripper on the run and the Bulls were right in the game and Gilmour marked strongly and goaled to give the Bulls the lead. With time running out Messer marked in the square and ignored a lead from Gilmour with his kick carrying all players and rolled through for the final goal of the game to give the Bulls a win of nine points and put them back in the race for a finals spot. St Arnaud even suffering this loss remains a game clear on top of the ladder and for the first time this year has lost two games in a row and will have a strong chance of getting back on the winners list new week when they take on Boort. The Bulls will need to keep their form of today going in their next round clash when they play old rivals Donald.
Hinkley was the Bulls best player as he turned many Saints forward moves back to where they came and he gained great support from Creaney, Noonan, O’Loughlan, Castellano and Cussack. For the Saints Wells was named their best with coach McNamee, Batters, Durward, Nick Coughlan and Vassallo adding strong support. Castellano for the Bulls finished the day with five goals, Messer got three and Ratcliff and Gilmour two each. McNamee was the main goal kicker for St Arnaud with three, Ambrose McIntyre and Bloomer kicked two.
Final score Birchip-Watchem 13-8=86 def St Arnaud 11-11=77
Last Modified on 03/08/2015 20:27