Donnybrook have defeated South Bunbury at Hands Memorial Oval on Sunday afternoon, in round five of the Dale Alcock Homes South West, South West Football League season, and in doing so, broken South Bunbury’s twenty three game winning streak, which stretched back to round one, 2024.
The Tigers would be slow starters again, conceeding the first three goals of the game, with Kieran Hug snapping a good goal at the five minute mark to get the Dons rolling. Kristian Cary, who played a good game would be on the end of a chain of handballs to convert the Dons second, and when Hamish Hutton sprinted into an open forward line and put through the Dons third, the visitors were twenty points in front.
A fifty metre penalty would see Blaine Johnson reduce the margin, but only momentarily as Dion Parker kicked a goal on the run from the boundary line to extend the margin again. Jye Clark answered with a good goal of his own, but the opening term would belong to the Dons, with Zac Trigwell kicking his first after the quarter time siren to give the Dons a 19 point quarter time lead.
The second quarter tightened up, and the contest was fierce, with one passage of play on the members wing, one of desperation with smothers and tackles galore, which had both sets of spectators applauding. The Tigers responded with a good goal from Kade Wallrodt and then Shaun Crane, and when Aaron Jarvis received a free kick on the goal line the home side were back with in a point. Todd Gregory would hobble off with what looked like a hamstring injury, and after scores were momentarily level, Zac Trigwell put the Dons back in front. Late in the quarter, a defensive error saw Cooper Clarke-Dehring toe poke the ball across the goal line to give Donnybrook a 14 point lead at half time.
The third quarter was as tough and physical as the second, but the Dons sufficated the Tigers scoring, with the home side managing just a behind. Zac Trigwell converted a set shot at the two minute mark of the term, and the big crowd would the have to wait twenty minutes for the next, which was kicked by Cary, extending the margin to a game high 26 points.
Clarke-Dehring kicked an early goal to start the last, and it looked certain that the Dons were going to inflict the Tigers first defeat in 24 matches, but the Tigers rallied again, with Ethan Nordahl snapping a goal, followed by a goal to Jay Wright. When Dion Parker kicked truly from 50m on the run, the Dons were home, and when Kai Luzi kicked one of the goals of the season from the right forward pocket the Dons were celebrating. A further late goal to Parker gave the Dons a 36 point victory the biggest margin of the match, in what was a great contest.
Cahill Beggs and Nathan McCosker played well for the Dons, and Cooper Clarke-Dehring and Zac Trigwell gave the Dons plenty of targets up forward. Kevin Chitty again played a great game getting a multitude of possessions for the Tigers. The Don’s win gave them the Dr Ern Manea Cup for the first time since 2019, and it is the first time they have won the cup at Hands Oval since 2018.
SCOREBOARD
Donnybrook 5.2.32 7.6.48 9.7.61 13.9.87
South Bunbury 2.1.13 5.4.34 5.5.35 7.9.51
Goals: Donnybrook – Cooper Clarke-Dehring 3, Zac Trigwell 3, Kristian Gray 2, Dion Parker 2, Kieran Hug 1, Hamish Hutton 1, Kai Luzi 1. South Bunbury – Jye Clark 1, Shaun Crane 1, Aaron Jarvis 1, Blaine Johnson 1, Ethan Nordahl 1, Kade Wallrodt 1, Jay Wright 1.
Best: Donnybrook – Cahill Beggs, Nathan McCosker, Zac Trigwell, Clayton Giblett, Zac Jerrard, Jordan Falco. South Bunbury – Kevin Chitty, Aaron Jarvis, Ethan Nordahl, Kade Wallrodt, Thomas Gorter, Kade Szyszka.
Ground:Hands Memorial Oval
Umpires: Scott Jones, Greg Rolfe, Cameron Valenti
Crowd: 875
