Football
17 June, 2025
Hungry Nhill bring home the chocolates
Nhill travelled to Minyip Murtoa Recreation Reserve hungry for a win against the Burras – and they brought home the chocolates, 12.11 (83) to 9.9 (63).
Despite the Burras getting off to a cracking start, including booting the first six goals of the match, and being up 25 points after the first quarter and 17 points at half-time, it was an even game heading into the final quarter.
Nhill booted four goals, five to 1.3, securing a 20-point win.
Daniel Batson and Nathan Alexander in defence were great for the victors, along with Drew Schneider, who booted four majors, while Luke Fisher and Ben McIntyre were among the best for the Burras, with McIntyre one of a couple of players finding the big sticks twice.
The other was Wilson Mitchell.
Batson really shone when Nhill switched him into the ruck in place of Adam Zimmermann, and Clay Shadforth was also brilliant for Nhill in the middle, and while he didn't get a lot of clearances he was a strong tackler.
Now sitting in second, coach of Nhill, Jake McQueen, said he was happy with how his side were travelling.
"If you had have said at the season start we would be six and one I would have been more than pleased with that," McQueen said.
But despite getting another win on Saturday, McQueen said his side still hadn't put together a four-quarter performance as yet.
"We are still trying to fine tune a couple of things and get it right, and it was a bit of a slow start," the coach said.
"Hopefully, if we can put together four quarters, we might be able to actually blow a few teams out rather than have close games."
Prompted as to if it meant they might also be able to beat ladder leaders in Ararat (who they play this Saturday), McQueen laughed: "Yes, it would be lovely to beat Ararat.
"Even if it's a close one, I don't care either way."
McQueen praised Batson for his efforts in the ruck against Minyip Murtoa on Saturday.
"He started up forward but went into the ruck in the final half and played really well alongside Adam Zimmermann, our other ruck – both of those boys did well," he said.
"The midfielders, Deek Roberts and Lucas Dahlenburg, played a good match as well, I thought."