Football
24 June, 2024
Summers ten goals leads Swifts to victory
Swifts' Paul Summers dominated up forward, kicking ten goals from 18 shots on goal against Rupanyup at Rupanyup Recreation Reserve in round ten of the Horsham District Football Netball League.
With both teams sitting second and fourth on the ladder, a close game was anticipated, and it didn't disappoint in the first quarter. Defence was high on both teams' radars, as the Swifts led by six points at quarter-time.
However, it was the second quarter where the Swifts exploded, kicking five goals to the Panthers, who kicked one behind to lead by 43 points at half-time.
Like all good teams, the Panthers never gave up and came out hard in the third quarter. They won the quarter marginally, reducing the margin to 39 points at the last break.
A seven-goal to two-final quarter from the Baggies delivered them an 18.22.130 to 8.9.57 win.
Noah Stirling kicked four goals for the Baggies, alongside Summers' haul. Ryan Folkes and Brodie Kindred dominated through the midfield and defence, respectively.
Blake Turner was their best player for the Panthers, kicking four goals, with the ever-consistent Bill Hansen and Mitchell Gleeson among their best through the middle.
Swifts coach Brett Hargreaves said it was a brilliant win.
"The first ten minutes of the match, they were strong, and we started to wrestle momentum and was able to get into quarter time up," Hargreaves said.
"They kept putting pressure around the ball and manning up around the ground and good on the outside, so we started to take it off them, and that was the difference.
"At half-time, we came out and rejigged a couple of things, but they kicked three of the first five goals and made a mini-comeback, but we were able to wrestle momentum back off them and took the game away from them, which was pleasing to see."
Ryan Folkes was brilliant in the midfield, and when Brayden Ison moved to the ruck, he battled hard with Mitch Gleeson. Hargreaves said he had definitely been their best player this year.
"He is going on another level when he needs it, and that is what impressed me the most," Hargreaves said.
"On Saturday, he went to Gleeson, and not only did he beat him, but he found his own footy and hurt him with speed, and I was super impressed because that is hard to do as Gleeson had the size difference and couldn't push him around."
Matthew Healy, up forward, is another player that stood out.
"He has been doing great at centre-half-forward, providing us with a big target as he has a good overhead mark," Hargreaves said.
"He can quickly feed out handballs and has a 60-metre kick on him, so it's good to have him as a forward target."
Summers' second double-figure haul now moves him to 66 on the goalkicking table, and with seven more matches remaining, he is on track to reach the century.