General News
2 August, 2023
Burras join Roos after win
DIMBOOLA has suffered a third successive loss in Wimmera Football League after being defeated by Minyip-Murtoa at the Recreation Reserve on Saturday. The Roos are now joined by the Burras on equal points on the premiership table with 4.81 percent...
DIMBOOLA has suffered a third successive loss in Wimmera Football League after being defeated by Minyip-Murtoa at the Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
The Roos are now joined by the Burras on equal points on the premiership table with 4.81 percent separating the two sides with three rounds remaining in the home and away season.
Dimboola faces some tough assignments in the final three rounds with a clash with Horsham Saints at Coughlin Park this weekend, a bye in round 17 before finishing with a match up against ladder leader Ararat in the final round.
Saturday’s loss was part of round 15 which saw Ararat maintain its unbeaten run with a 63-point victory over Southern Mallee Giants, while Horsham opened with seven unanswered goals to overpower Warrack Eagles by 56 points.
The game of the round took place at Davis Park in Nhill when the home team went in search of their third straight win but fell short by the narrowest of margins in a thriller against Stawell.
The clash at Dimboola produced a defensive struggle as both teams worked hard to set up scoring chances but could only manage three goals between them in the first half.
Minyip-Murtoa scored the only two goals of the opening stanza when midfielder Luke Fisher kicked both goals, the first coming after 12 minutes of play before landing a long range goal from 50 metres to give the Burras a 10-point lead at quarter time.
Dimboola worked hard to set up scoring chances through the midfield and welcomed Tom Cree back into the fold in the absence of coach Jack Landt who received a one game penalty after being reported against Southern Mallee Giants last round.
The suspension will see Landt miss the remaining rounds of the home and away season with the penalty added to a two-game suspended sentence carried over from 2022.
Cree provided the Roos with their best chance of goaling before a kick he’d rather forget missed the mark as both teams again struggled to hit the scoreboard during the second quarter.
Will Griffiths scored the only goal for the term after receiving a 50 metre penalty and converting from 20 metres as the Roos cut the Burras lead to five points at half time.
The third term proved the game-turning period of the match as the Burras made the most of their chances in attack as both teams continued to match strides through the midfield but it was the Burras who grabbed a match winning break.
It took 10 minutes for the first score when Billy Hayes cut the margin to four points with a minor score before Corey Morgan produced a clever piece of play to set up Fisher for his third goal of the day.
The goal opened up scoring as the Burras added a further four goals for the term and the Roos started to find their range with two for the term.
Tanner Smith extended the Burras lead to 11 points before Hayes cut the margin to five points with his first major and coach Tim Mackenzie made the Roos pay for a missed mark in defence to kick his team clear again.
A strong mark to Burras forward Mitch Johns extended the margin to 17 points as Darcy Dubois again kept the margin within range when he coverted after receiving a free kick.
But another strong passage of play from the Burras saw Johns add a second goal for the term right on the three quarter time siren as the visitors opened up a 23-point margin at the last change.
Looking to cut the margin early in the term, the Roos attacked hard but were met by some strong defence from the Burras who were able kick the all important opening goal of the final term when Jye Walter converted from 30 metres to extend the lead to 29 points.
From point on, both teams added two goals for the remainder of the quarter with Hayes adding a second from close range and Tom O’Dwyer converting after a strong mark.
But goals to teenager Mitchell Wilson, who kicked his first goal in senior football, and a goal to Jae McGrath from close range maintained the Burras advantage to finish 29-point victors.
Hayes topped a strong game with his two majors and with Ben Miller, Matt Rosier and ruckman Dru Pilmore were able to set up scoring chances from the centre of the ground, while Ryan Bell and Aisea Raikiwasa teamed well in defence as they worked hard to stem the scoring chances of the Burras.