James Murphy
MILLICENT 19.17 (131) d EAST GAMBIER 8.5 (53)
UNDER lights at McDonald Park the Millicent Saints marched their way to a Round 1 victory to open the Western Border football season.
Played as the Indigenous Round between the two clubs, East Gambier was unable to utilise the home-ground advantage and was dealt a 78-point defeat.
Both teams took time to settle in the first quarter which kept the Bulldogs within three goals at the change.
However, a huge second term from the Saints decided the match with six unanswered goals pushing the margin out to 59 point by half time.
Jacob Carger and Jaxon Cushion were finding plenty of the ball inside 50 and the pair finished the game with six and five goals respectively.
Delivery from the likes of youngsters Hamish McRae and Kade Varcoe gave the forwards countless chances, while down back Kade Bradley was named Millicent’s best for his attacking efforts out of defence.
The Saints took the foot of somewhat in the second half, but still added eight more goals for the game to East’s six.
Millicent coach Clint Gallio was pleased with his team’s first hitout, especially after the second quarter.
“First game of the season, the first quarter is always going to be a bit patchy and hotly contested,” he said.
“I think we then just knuckled down and played the way we wanted to in that second quarter and it paid off.
“We got our game going and controlled the footy a lot.
“We had a lot of passages where we went end to end, with a kick and a mark all the way down.”
From there he felt his Saints maintained control and kept the Bulldogs at arm’s length.
Both teams relied heavily on their youth, which was reflected in the best players on the night.
“I think there were five of us which were 28 and over and then the rest were 22 and under,” Gallio said.
“The young guys are what keep us going and they have the confidence now and we have confidence in them.
“I can’t really fault any of them.”
Bradley was named best-on-ground for his defensive efforts and pace out of the back line.
“He is a good kid and has had a really good preseason again,” Gallio said.
“It shows in games why he plays so well because he is probably one of our best trainers.”
Zac McGuinness was second best, also for a defensive role.
He matched up on East’s Mark Rumbelow and kept the forward goalless for four quarters.
“Hamish McRae and Kade Varcoe were pretty good for us through the midfield and forward and Kade played a little bit back also,” Gallio said.
“Ty Lang – we changed it up before the game and he played back.
“He is just out of 18’s last year and he is really good.
“I think he almost impressed himself, he won some really good one-on-one contests down there.
“Those three stood out and had really good games.”
The Bulldogs looked to their own young star in Shaun Lock, who led the way with three goals and a best-on-ground performance.
Carl Slape was also solid and snagged three of his own along with strong work in the ruck.
Jack Lawrence, Riley Janeway, Noah Gollan and Austin Jones rounded out the best, in what was the first learning experience of the season for the young and inexperienced side.
The Bulldogs will head across the border next round for a clash with Casterton Sandford, while Millicent hosts South Gambier in the grand final rematch.
