Sport
24 June, 2023
Saints skip clear to third place over Nhill
HORSHAM Saints have moved a game clear of Dimboola in third place of Wimmera Football League with a comfortable 34-point win over Nhill at Davis Park. The Saints started out slow, kicking four behinds to trail by nine points at quarter time. They...
HORSHAM Saints have moved a game clear of Dimboola in third place of Wimmera Football League with a comfortable 34-point win over Nhill at Davis Park.
The Saints started out slow, kicking four behinds to trail by nine points at quarter time. They got a move on in the second quarter kicking four goals to one to take a 15-point lead into the main break, and held Nhill scoreless in the third quarter before running out 9.15.69 to 5.5.35 victors.
Saints coach Ben Knott was happy with the win and pointed out a lot of positives, as well as what they could improve on.
“It was a scrappy game and I thought we did a lot of things right. We set up well behind the football and were moving the ball in defense really well,” Knott said.
“Where we need to improve on is going into forward 50, we broke down a lot of times. Our kicking for goal was also a bit off as shown by the scoreboard.”
“We are always trying to improve and put what we work on at training into practice but recreating it in a pressure situation is easier said than done,” Knott explained.
Patrick Knott was huge off halfback again with his physicality and drive outside of defensive 50. Mitch Martin was solid with four goals. Saints assistant coaches – Sam Clyne and Jacob O’Beirne were again great throughout the ground.
Ben Knott spoke positive about two other players.
“Jackson Davidson in the midfield has been consistent all year but he stood up and played well. Andrew Taylor played his first senior game of the year in the Ruck and held his own well and deserves a chance to hold his spot,” Knott concluded.
The Saints reserves had a comfortable 28 point win – 10.10.70 to 6.6.42. The under 17’s won by 72 points – 11.7.73 to 1 behind and the under 14’s won by 61 points – 9.16.70 to 1.3.9.
The Horsham Demons were comprehensively beaten by the Southern Mallee Giants to the tune of 90 points – 20.16.136 to 7.4.46 at the Horsham City Oval.
The win for the Giants was their sixth of the season and keeps them in second place, with the Saints, also on six wins, breathing down their neck. More importantly it keeps them a game clear of Dimboola.
The Demons remain in seventh place on the ladder and despite the loss, coach Tyler Blake is taking a lot of positives from the match from his young team.
“Firstly, we were playing a well-oiled experienced team. We started off slow and the conditions weren’t the greatest. We responded well in patches and didn’t let them roll us all game,” Blake said.
“They taught us a lesson in a couple of ways. But being a young team, however, we stayed pretty strong and ran as much as we could with them which I thought was a huge positive because they are a strong classy team and are in the premiership race this year,” Blake added.
The Demons had five under 17 players playing on the weekend – Zak Smith, Max Bunworth, Lachlan Hobbs, Jeremy Kemp, and Rory Motton. Motton was a standout and Blake spoke positive about him.
“Rory showed that he is another talented kid coming through the ranks. We trialed him everywhere – forward, wing, back – all over the ground and he stood out well and held his own,” Blake explained.
Brody Pope was consistent again through the midfield getting a lot of ball. Ben Lakin produced a lot of drive down back and Billy Carberry was solid in the ruck.
It was good news for the reserves whom stay in the hunt for finals with a comprehensive win by 134 points -21.16.142 to 1.2.8. The Under 17’s didn’t get to play with the Giants forfeiting and the Under 14’s shut the Giants out – 10.2.62.
Ararat remain unbeaten with a thrilling five-point win over Dimboola at Alexandra Oval. Led by Tom Mills with three goals, the Rats won 8.5.53 to 7.6.48. Cody Lindsay was best on ground for the Rats. The win keeps them two and a half games clear of the Giants and Saints on the ladder. For Dimboola their loss puts them a game behind those two teams but still remain a game clear of Minyip Murtoa.
Minyip Murtoa had a comfortable 41-point win over the Warrack Eagles at the Brim Recreation Reserve. Led by four goals from Jye Walter the Burra were never in danger winning 11.10.76 to 5.5.35. The win keeps them in fifth place, equal with Stawell.