Above: Kooweerup’s Gavin Marusic was in the thick of the action against Lang Lang on Saturday.By Ken Moore
IT would be a brave person who bet against Nyora.
That is the message after the Saints dispensed with round one’s boom side Cora Lynn by 30 points.
The margin flattered the Cobras and perhaps the 35 scoring shots to 20 in the Saints’ favour were more revealing of Nyora’s dominance.
The Saints set up victory in the first term when they outscored the Cobras by 14 points kicking against the breeze and were never headed all game.
For Nyora, the Hislop brothers, Brendan, Dean and Glen, provided drive through the middle and out of defence with solid support by Andrew Collis, Brad Langley and Wonthaggi recruit Rory Gilliatte.
Nathan Osler with four goals and Matt Hutchinson with three applied the finishing touches to good work upfield.
Springheeled small ruckman Matt Hendry had an absorbing battle with Cobra counterpart Ty Esler and the honours were split.
Cora Lynn was far from disgraced, kept coming but never looked to be a threat.
Ben Collins, Chad Ingram and Abe Roder often cut swathes through the midfield and Shannon Toner shored up the defence with his long, penetrating kicking, providing a highlight.
Youngsters Ben Spencer and Jake O’Sullivan made telling contributions and looked fine prospects.
Cora Lynn has much room for improvement and will be a challenge for all rivals this season.
Kooweerup had a comfortable 49point victory over Lang Lang.
After quartertime the Demons held the upper hand but the Tigers fought to the very end.
The Demons forged a threegoal lead by halftime and wrapped up the game with six unanswered goals in the third quarter.
Chris and John Stanley, Scott Morrison, Rod Hoober and Gavin Marusic all played strong hands in the victory.
For the Tigers Kurt Batt was exceptional, popped through five goals and could have had more if not for some wayward kicking and young midfielder Daniel Barwick burrowed in all game.
The Tigers will need to string together four quarters of football if it wishes to match it with the finals aspirants.
Longwarry defeated Ellinbank by 54 points, but it was not as easy as the scoreline suggested.
It took four thirdquarter goals by Longwarry’s Glen Browney to help the Crows pull away from a plucky Ellinbank.
After the main break the Crows’ midfield of Tye Holland, Matt Campbell and Tim Zeigler seized control and Stawell recruit Dean Dallinger showed his versatility to bag three goals after starting the game in defence.
Ellinbank trailed by only two points at halftime and was eyeing an upset but could only post a solitary goal after the main break.
Bill Harvey with three goals was the pick of its forwards and midfielders Mark Johnston, Toby Wallace and David Quirk won plenty of possessions.
Three consecutive goals approaching timeon in the third quarter by Warragul Industrials snatched a fivepoint lead over Poowong and the Dusties had momentum at the last change.
Then they narrowly outscored the Magpies in the last quarter to record a hardfought 13point victory.
Wingman Jason Kennedy, ruck Gerard Bongiorno and defender Dave Bracken were standouts for the Dusties.
Poowong was well served by full back Clint Attenborough, onballers Luke and Matt James and Jeremy Alblas and young ruckman Bronson Interlandi.
Catani thrashed NilmaDarnum by 267 points.
The Blues kicked more than 10 goals in each quarter and had 14 individual goalscorers.
Owen Fitzpatrick with 12 goals and John Entwisle with eight led the onslaught.
Luke McFarlane, Paul Wiffin and Ben Nobelius racked up possessions at will as the Blues dominated the midfield.
For the Bombers Mick Santo cut a lone figure up forward with three goals, Trafalgar recruit Shane Paynter, captaincoach Adrian Carr and Shane Youngman tried hard.
After losing by 120 points to Kooweerup last week the Bombers appear to be in for a long season.
Bunyip put in a workmanlike performance to topple Nar Nar Goon by 52 points.
The Bulldogs jumped the Goon early and were always in control.
Strongbodied forwards Aaron Jones with five goals and Ryan Ablett with four provided good targets all match.
Drouin recruits Clint Meyer and Troy Holmes were instrumental in providing drive through the midfield.
The Goon never threw in the towel.
Blair Lidstone, Matthew Wade, Paul Hicks all came under notice, forward Ben Keane was prominent and ruckman Patrick Delosa was competitive all match.
On Sunday Buln Buln defeated NeerimNeerim South by 38 points.
On several occasions the Lyrebirds appeared as though they would open up a big lead, only for the Cats to bounce back.
The scores were level midway through the second quarter before the Buln Buln midfield of Brent Eastwell, Brent Lewein, Jeremy Jagoe and Paul Hasan all lifted and built a buffer on the scoreboard of 27 points at the final break.
Consecutive goals by Heath Strating early in the last term put the Cats back within 20 points but the Lyrebirds steadied with multiple goals by Luke Nobelius and three goals by Brad Taylor to chalk up a handsome victory.
For the Cats, ruckman Keane Bannister toiled hard, Danny Sheehan did well across the halfback line, Chris Urie, Heath Strating and Paul Perry offered plenty through midfield.
Damian Rhind did well at both ends of the field and Paul Whelan with three goals looked dangerous.
Andrew Herd finished the game well with three lastterm goals.
