South Bunbury have started their title defence with a seventy point victory over Dunsborough on Saturday night, in round one of the Dale Alcock Homes South West, South West Football League season.
The match was much closer than the margin suggested, masked by South Bunbury’s horrendous accuracy in front of goals, who at one stage in the third term were 4.16.40.
After the Tigers kicked the opening goal via Ethan Nordahl, the Sharks immediately answered, taking the lead after seven minutes courtesy of some strong work by Jake South who was initially rewarded for a great tackle on an opponent to kick his first and then a soccer goal from twenty metres out to record his second. Shaun Crane snapped a good goal to put the Tigers back in front, but that was immediately answered by Jonty Searle who unleashed a long kick from well outside 50m to put the Sharks back in front, taking a four point lead to the first break.
The Sharks went further in front at the start of the second quarter courtesy of Cameron Dean, before the Tigers started to control the ball, arresting momentum from Dunsborough. The Tigers kept the Sharks in the contest, kicking two goals eight for the quarter, leading by nine points at half time.
Ryder Phillips kicked an early goal at the start of the third term to narrow the margin back to three points, but that would be the Sharks final goal of the match. South Bunbury continued on their inaccurate ways, kicking five consecutive behinds, before Jace Cormack and Blaine Johnson both found the major opening, leading by nineteen points at three quarter time.
The final term saw South Bunbury kick four goals in eight minutes, before the wheels fell off for the Sharks, with a multitude of 50m given away, with at least three goals resulting from the goal line. The Tigers would kick eight goals for the term, to run out comfortable victors. Shaun Crane and Jace Cormack were standout performers for the Tigers, while Caleb Stephens and Jake South were good for Dunsborough, with South particularly in the first half giving them a focal point up forward.
South Bunbury will face Busselton on Saturday night at Hands Memorial Oval in a replay of last years grand final, while Dunsborough will be at home to Harvey Brunswick Leschenault, also on Saturday.
SCOREBOARD
South Bunbury 2.3.15 4.11.35 6.17.53 14.20.104
Dunsborough 3.1.19 4.2.26 5.3.33 5.4.34
Goals: South Bunbury – Shaun Crane 3, Jace Cormack 2, Nathan Murray 2, Ethan Nordahl 2, Thomas Gallaway 1, Blaine Johnson 1, Bodhi Nordahl 1, Kade Wallrodt 1, Jay Wright 1. Dunsborough – Jake South 2, Cameron Dean 1, Ryder Phillips 1, Jonty Searle 1.
Best: South Bunbury – Jace Cormack, Shaun Crane, Cooper Mattaboni, Ethan Nordahl, Jay Crossman, Rocco Versace. Dunsborough – Caleb Stephens, Jake South, Bailey Jenkin, Che Mahood, Lachlan Baron, Cameron Dean.
Ground: Hands Memorial Oval
Umpires: Michael Hearne, Aaron Andrews
Crowd: 741
