Knights rule the day

NEW CHAMPIONS: Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League celebrated after its South East Zone football carnival victory on Saturday at Robe.

KOWREE Naracoorte Tatiara Football League staged a 15-point grand final victory Saturday in the South East Zone football carnival at Robe.

The Knights completed the day undefeated, although were pushed by the Western Border (WBFL) and Mid South East (MSE) leagues during the day.

However, in the grand final they stood up to the pressure, with the final result worthy of a quality day of football from the northern league.

They began the day with a 31-point win over MSE in the opening senior match of the carnival, before coming home by a meagre two points over WBFL in the final round match.

In the grand final the MSE lifted a level and took the game up to its more fancied rival.

The MSE has never won a zone title and attacked the game with that in mind, eventually finding the first major score of the game after all was tied up for several minutes in the opening half.

The Knights began to find some run along the wing through Tate Michael and Rory Tink, with Luke Harder on the end of yet another shot on goal for the day.

He pulled the shot narrow and after 12 minutes of play the MSE was still up by five points.

MSE pushed back forward, with Kane Cuthbertson sliding in for a strong mark on the forward flank.

He chipped a high ball into the forward line but the Knights were up to the task and repelled the attack.

Ray Jaensch chipped heigh to Ben Warner on the wing, then play transferred across to Jake McGrice and on to Michael, with the Knights threatening to break the shackles.

However, Brad Auld stood tall for the home side on the 50-metre line and returned fire back down the ground.

A long kick from Lacey Jones was again repelled by the Knights through Tink and on to Warner, with a 50-metre penalty taking him to the centre of the ground.

Warner switched play across the ground to Blake Dodson, who found Harder within range, with a goal and a two-point lead the result.

As the clock wound down the Knights pushed forward again, with McGrice marking in the goal square as the siren sounded, with a goal the result and a handy eight-point margin at the break.

The host side headed out after the break with some renewed enthusiasm, pushing straight down the ground, with Jase Bateman showing plenty of pace along the wing.

Eventually Henry Crauford found a mark on a tight angle but banged home a major to keep the MSE in touch, with just two points in the contest.

Simon Berkefeld was finding plenty of the ball for the Knights, kicked in to Harder, who needed no assistance, but was given a 50-metre penalty just the same, taken to the goal line for an easy major and an eight-point lead once more.

The Knights threatened to break the game open just a minute later with another forward foray, but Ben Mules set off a chain of passes, which involved Tyler Stanley, Crauford and Chris Mules and the MSE was out of danger again.

However, the Knights continued to apply forward pressure, which eventually paid off when Josh Searle banged home another major and the job became a bit tougher for the hosts.

Tempers continued to fray and when Jordan Galpin was given the 50-metre penalty, the Knights looked to be in control, but his shot hit the post and the MSE remained with some hope.

However, time was now the enemy and the result was settled just minutes later, with the Knights running out comfortable victors in such a time-limited contest.

Harder finished with two for the game, taking his total to four for the day in a solid display of hard leading and strong marking up forward.

Harder was joined by McGrice, Searle and Cam Sandercock on the scoreboard, while for the MSE, Lacey Jones, Matt Kasparian and Crauford found a major each.

For the Knights, Tim McIntyre was voted best, along with Harder and Berkefeld, while for the MSE, Jake Wehl, Zacc Cocks and Sam Hanniford were given the nod.

For coach Nick Murphy it was a welcome result in his rookie year, after last year’s loss to the WBFL.

“The players were very hungry for the win and they were just terrific all day,” he said.

“They have all been coming to the three trainings leading up to this and I think that was replicated on the ground, in terms of their discipline, their structure and their want to win.

“I think that was the real difference for us.”

Despite one big victory for the day, the Knights were pushed by the WBFL and the MSE in the grand final, but he said the hard work leading up to the carnival paid dividends.

“It is a big day playing three games and we started on fire early,” he said.

“We consider ourselves a pretty strong outside team and feel we have a lot of good runners.

“We were a bit smaller so the in-tight stuff did not suit us as much.

“The games were tight early, but as they went on we were able to open them up.”

While Murphy said the side had a solid contribution across the board, he accepted Harder brought a good focus up forward.

“He brings us some real direct footy when he plays full forward and that was our idea,” he said.

“Another player who was named player of the carnival for us was Tim McIntyre.

“He is one who you would not expect to win that, considering the amount of talent we have.

“He is a very good player in his own right and his inside work was absolutely terrific.

“A credit also to Rory Tink – he rucked all day and without him we would not have been able to do it.”

Murphy said he was simply a caretaker on the day, with the players taking the major role.

“The players were absolutely terrific,” he said.

“Whether they were hurting from last year or if it just what they have done every year, I was very impressed with the way they went about it.”

At the end of the day McIntyre was named best and fairest for KNT overall, while the Under 21 honours went to Cody Woolford.

For the MSE Jake Wehl claimed both player of the carnival and best Under 21.

For the WBFL Tom Sullivan was given the overall honours, while the Under 21 award went to Jonah Grimes after an impressive day in the ruck.

The player of the carnival, as voted by the umpires in minor round games went to WBFL’s Brett O’Neil, who showed plenty of class through the mid-field.