Nyora proved itself the team to beat by recording a dominant 85point victory over Bunyip on the weekend despite the absence of top midfielder Ben Hallas due to injury.By Ken Moore
IF NYORA is not the best team going around at the moment then it is awfully close to it.
That is the clear message after it powered its way to an 85point victory over Bunyip.
Both teams entered the match down on personnel, Nyora without captaincoach Dean Alger and midfielder Ben Hallas, Bunyip without key defenders Daniel Hagen and Mark Hoult and runners Troy Holmes and Brad Walker.
After Nyora rover Luke Watson kicked the first goal of the game with a good snap, Bunyip had the better of the early stages and opened a twogoal break with unanswered majors by Ben Proctor, Robbie Dierickx and Ryan Ablett.
Nyora worked its way back into the game with spearhead Nathan Osler notching three goals in the second half of the quarter to tie the scores at 38 points apiece at the first change.
The Bulldogs’ impressive opening was due to fine ruckwork by Shane Mumford, strong marking by forward Aaron Jones and hard running by midfielders John Perry, Jake Ablett and Dean Forsyth, who scored two goals in timeon.
A feature of the first quarter was the freeflowing football and fierce attack on the ball by both sides.
Bunyip started the second quarter brightly when Ben Procter took a welljudged mark and popped through a great snap goal.
Bulldog assistant coach Ryan Ablett then spurned two golden opportunities to grab a minibreak but thereafter the match took a dramatic turn and the Saints piled on seven consecutive goals to take a stranglehold.
It was Nyora’s midfield that wrested control of the game and Osler and Brad Langley were on fire up forward, scoring seven goals between them.
The home side established a 45point lead at the main break. Nyora did not have a passenger in the second term.
With the exception of defenders Andrew Hobday and Marc Jolley, Ryan Ablett and Jones, the Bulldogs had few players to come under notice during the quarter.
Both teams traded goals in an even third quarter, however Bunyip failed to peg back any significant ground and went into the last quarter 44 points in arrears.
The quarter was notable for the performance of recent Nyora midfield recruits Corrie Wilson and Rory Gilliatte, who both showed their class with many clean possessions and Matt Hutchinson, who moved to defence and restricted the influence of Jones.
Any thoughts Bunyip had of a lastquarter revival were snuffed out when Osler dobbed the first goal of the last term.
Bunyip replied quickly with a major by Jones but it was to be its last hurrah as the Saints turned the rest of the quarter into a procession of goals, blowing the margin out to 85 points at the final siren.
Nyora played outstanding football.
The Saints’ midfielders Corey and Corrie Wilson, Luke Watson, Gilliatte and halfbacks Dean and Brendan Hislop provided plenty of drive and often set up attack with quality disposals.
Osler and Brad Langley provided a dualpronged attack that tormented the Bulldog defence all game.
Osler scored 12 goals and posed matchup difficulties for several inexperienced Bulldog defenders.
The agile forward had too many footy smarts and excelled both on the lead and at ground level. Devon Meadows recruit Chris Langley, a solidly built 19yearold on the rise, stood tall with six goals from centre halfforward and was a major thorn in the side of the Bunyip defence.
Youngster Brenton Hackett warrants recognition for a disciplined job in negating Bunyip star Clint Meyer in a good team effort.
Over the first month, last season’s runnersup appear to be a far superior team to last year.
“(We’re) pretty happy with the win. They missed Hagen but importantly we responded well to their early challenge,” said sidelined Nyora captaincoach Alger after the match.
Bunyip had crack early and led by two goals until late in timeon in the first quarter.
Bulldog talls Ryan Ablett, with six goals, Jones and powerhouse ruckman Mumford troubled their undersized opponents all game but Bunyip did not have the midfield talent to compete beyond quartertime.
Jolley, Hobday, Kane Hollister and Sam Proctor were steady in defence and Jake Ablett, Rob Dierickx, Dean Bassed and Michael Whyte flashed in and out of the game.
Doveton recruit Aaron Henwood showed promise, winning plenty of hard balls in and around the midfield.
But Bunyip badly missed Hagen and Hoult in defence.
“We need to work on our defensive side and we need to use the ball better. We should have fought it out harder and stopped their run. We need to get a bit more composure,” said Bunyip playing coach Ben Proctor.
With 47 goals scored, the match was a victory for country football and a rebuff to all those who thought the game was dying as a spectacle due to defensive tactics.
