Football
20 May, 2026
Thunder strike in Dimboola
Dimboola were back at home for their fifth round clash against Southern Mallee on Saturday, but it was their opposition that claimed the win.
After a big opening quarter from the Thunder, they led 8.2 (50) to 1.2 (8) at the end of the first quarter.
It was a quieter second quarter for the leading side, managing only 1.4, while the Andrew Moore-led team added three points to their score.
Dimboola weren't able to add to their score in the quarter after half-time, while the Thunder added 3.4 to lead by more than 70 points going into the final term.
With the Roos adding a further couple of points to their tally in the last quarter, the Thunder piled on a further 4.3 with final scores Dimboola 1.7 (13) to the Thunder 16.13 (109).
Coaching director at the Thunder, Jake Bridges, said his side was pleased to get the win over the Roos.
"I thought our first quarter in particular set the tone for the day — the boys were able to bring good energy around the contest, use the ball well and play the brand of footy we’ve been trying to build," Bridges said.
"More than anything, the pleasing part was seeing some evidence of the work we’ve been putting into our preparation and behaviours.
"We’ve spoken a lot about what 'great' looks like for us as a group, and yesterday gave us another opportunity to reinforce that through the way the players competed, connected and communicated with each other throughout the game."
Better players for the home side, according to PlayHQ, included Mitchell O’Donnell, Ashley Clugston and Moore, while for the winners, Bailey Edwards, Coleman Schache and Matty Lloyd were in brilliant form.
Jack Wood booted Dimboola's goal, while Bailey Edwards (5) and Coleman Schache (3) were accurate in the forward 50 for the Thunder.
While Bridges said a few of their players really stood out, it was more a reflection of the team's system.
"The willingness of players to model the behaviours we value; rewarding each other when we get things right and challenging each other to continue improving," he said.