PORT MACDONNELL 18.18 (126) d TANTANOOLA 5.8 (38)
NEW Demons coach Beau Harris made his first trip to Tigerland and came away with the premiership points.
Brandon Pitts had posted the first goal of the game for the home side, but his teammates only added one more in the opening term while conceding 6.5.
Tantanoola responded well in the second term to cut the deficit to 25 points at the long break.
The Tigers managed only one goal in the second half while the Demons slammed on 11.
It was a “dirty day” for Tantanoola Football Club’s 150-gamer Matt Pilmore.
He dislocated a shoulder in the opening term and was taken to Mount Gambier Hospital for treatment.
Due to captain Zack Williams and vice-captain Daron McElroy still being on the sidelines with injury, the honour of leading out the visiting side and tossing the coin was given to leadership group member Blake Lynch.
For the second week in a row, Brandon Newton was the most potent Demon forward and he bagged nine goals.
Last season, he played every game, but was not used in attack as he only booted three goals in all.
A “new face” for Tantanoola was Nathan Chapple who last played in A Grade with his home club of Hatherleigh 14 seasons ago.
The match provided new MSEFL interleague coach Ben McGregor to have a
close look at the form of Tantanoola’s Cameron Saint.
Saint is a good chance of selection as he is capable of filling many positions.
Team mate Sam Haniford already has many representative honours in his career dating back to his teenage years, but has a leg injury.
They are the only Tigers named in the 54-man training squad which will prepare for next month’s interleague carnival at Naracoorte.
McGregor is already well acquainted with the seven southern seasiders in the squad as he has been their club coach in 2017 and again last year.
He will supervise the first of its four training runs at Hatherleigh tomorrow night.
Port MacDonnell hosts fellow seaside club Robe on Saturday, while Tantanoola leaves home in search of an unlikely breakthrough win at the home of its arch cross-town rivals Hatherleigh.
MOUNT BURR 36.24 (240) d NANGWARRY 8.4 (52)
A YOUTHFUL Mount Burr returned to the winner’s list with an impressive 188 point win over Nangwarry at home at “Mick” and Jean Walker Oval
After managing a meagre three goals in the upset loss at Hatherleigh the previous week, the Mozzies passed this tally of majors in the opening term.
The MSEFL’s most successful club held a decisive 37 point lead at quarter time and increased it at every change.
On the other hand, the Saints were slow off the mark as they had the bye in round five.
Despite conceding a huge score, Nangwarry’s score of 8.4 was one of its best returns in recent seasons.
No losing team kicked more goals than Nangwarry and this has not occurred for several seasons.
At 50 years of age, the evergreen Trevor Fenn played both A and B Grade for his beloved Saints.
Due to the imbalance in the scores the percentage of Mount Burr rocketed from 47.98 to 57.18.
The win was a tonic for coach Tom Renzi as a shoulder injury had kept out of the play for much of the game against the Eagles.
The home ground turf suited skipper Jack Gregory who booted a game high tally of nine goals.
Gregory has won numerous MSEFL goal kicking trophies but he remains 16 goals adrift of star Glencoe recruit Brodie Foster who had the bye.
In all, the club had 17 goal kickers and this may be a club and even a MSEFL record.
The victors fielded 15 players who have played in at least one premiership side.
Along with Gregory, other stand-out Mount Burr players were the in-form trio of Dylan Ridley, Josh Fiebig and ex-captain Nathan Muhovics.
Due to injuries, the Mozzies were not able to rotate their best six colts and so all of them were listed in the 21 in A Grade.
They are former Hatherleigh colt Bailey Poulish along with Jack Muhovics, Rhys Gamble, Taylor Allen, Bradley Scott and Jack Wilson.
Nangwarry ruckman George McWaters again featured in the best players list and he is one of the best recruits at the club for several seasons,
McWaters did not play anywhere in 2018 and the fresh approach he brings to the ruckman’s craft is admirable.
His chances of playing in the MSEFL team at Naracoorte next month are strong.
Another factor in his favour is this venue was his home ground when played for the Naracoorte Football Club.
Mount Burr comes into the bye with a 50:50 win/loss ratio for the 2019 and with a springboard to make the finals.
The Saints return home in round seven to host near neighbours Kalangadoo.
It is hoped the Magpie players and supporters follow the early season example of the Kongorong and Hatherleigh clubs and attend the game and do brisk business with the raffle ticket sellers and at the bar, barbecue and canteen.
The day will also be a 20-year reunion of the 1999 Nangwarry premiership which defeated Kalangadoo to win its fourth and most recent flag.
ROBE 20.23 (143) d KONGORONG 8.9 (57)
THE battle of the birds at the seaside resulted in an 86 point triumph for Robe over Kongorong.
The reigning premiers have turned their Guichen Bay base into a fortress in recent times and they play it well.
The large Robe oval remains in good shape after heavy winter rains in 2018 made it resemble a rice paddy field.
After a stinging loss at Glencoe in round five and an even opening term, the Roosters made their intentions known in the second quarter.
The Hawkes held the slenderest of leads at the first change but added only 1.2 while conceding a massive 8.6.
They took a 45-point lead into the long break and guarded it well in the remaining two terms.
As with their success in the 2018 season, Robe’s latest win can be attributed to fine contributions from a mixture of imports and home-ground talent.
Tom Wachtel, Jed Jarrett and co-captain Jake Wehl fall into the first category and Riley Dickinson and Terrence Wilfred who had three goals into the second.
Despite the final scoreline, Kongorong coach Will Whitty could take some positives out of the game.
Stalwarts like Aaron Lightbody and Shaun Phillips were in good touch while Harry Evans and Matt Cordy also made the list of best players.
For the second week in a row, Whitty was able to play alongside his elder son Liam.
The dominating forwards in the good playing conditions were Robe’s Troy Lockwood and Kongorong’s Brad Cordy who booted four and three respectively.
Robe Football Club vice-president Roger Sweetman said it was pleasing to see an improved effort from all over the ground by the Rooster players after their disappointing performance the previous week.
He said there did not appear to be any passengers within the team.
“A special mention goes to a senior colt Patrick Matthews who showed that he has the skills and temperament for senior football,” he said.
Looking to round seven, Robe makes the 310km round trip to the other seaside club in Port MacDonnell.
Kongorong takes on neighbours Glencoe who will be fresh from the bye.
HATHERLEIGH 21.14 (14) d KALANGADOO 4.9 (33)
HATHERLEIGH went on the road to Kalangadoo and its team was hell-bent on maintaining its unbeaten record and top position on the ladder.
Given it was top playing third, it was not surprising that the game was expected to be played with great intensity.
By quarter time, these expectations looked to be in doubt as Hatherleigh led by 19 points.
Kalangadoo booted only two goals in the remaining three terms while their opponents managed a massive 16.11.
On the strength of that performance, the bookmakers are probably writing much shorter odds of the first Hatherleigh flag since 2013.
Brad Wight had a day out with 11 goals and could do little wrong.
The Eagles had seven goal kickers while the Magpies only had two.
They were coach Chris Mules and his elder brother Ben who kicked two majors each.
The blue-and-golds are still below full strength and have two club champions waiting in the wings.
Neither Jack Sullivan nor Caolan Buckley have played a game in 2019.
Sullivan is a multiple winner of the T.R. Skeer Memorial Medal as best and fairest while Buckley received this award last season.
The better performing Magpies were Matt Fatchen and Sam Casey while the Eagles listed returning player Matt Fabris and recruit Mitch Leek and Wight as their best.
After a seven-goal haul in Hatherleigh’s B Grade in round five, Jake Wight was recalled to A Grade.
Wight was a ready-made replacement for former Glenelg ruckman Lachy Button who made a guest appearance in that win over Mount Burr.
Button’s clearance back to Sacred Heart Old Collegians was lodged two days after that victory over the Mozzies and club insiders expect that he won’t be seen in a blue-and-gold jumper again.
The game had been the 100th game for Eagles forward Sam Telfer and he contributed two goals.
He is Hatherleigh’s leading goalscorer so far in 2019 with 23.
Telfer is back in senior company this season after a lengthy overseas working holiday.
In its next outing, Kalangadoo travels 11km east to Nangwarry while Hatherleigh hosts winless Tantanoola.
