General News
8 August, 2024
Boundary calls: Redbacks sweat on neighbour’s close encounter
WEDDERBURN had just lost a crucial game to Birchip-Watchem, but from the Redbacks bench and a man with a phone came a glimmer of hope – Boort might just knock off Nullawil. Wedderburn was on top of the North Central league leaders at half-time but...
WEDDERBURN had just lost a crucial game to Birchip-Watchem, but from the Redbacks bench and a man with a phone came a glimmer of hope – Boort might just knock off Nullawil.
Wedderburn was on top of the North Central league leaders at half-time but were overwhelmed in the second half, eight goals to one. Boort, their Loddon neighbours, might be about to do them a massive favour.
The Magpies led at the last change against their more favoured opponents, and victory would have prevented the Maroons from leapfrogging Wedderburn into fourth spot with just two rounds left.
But a dramatic late goal to Nullawil – with the news sadly passed on to Wedderburn coach Tom Metherell from the man with the phone – put the Redbacks finals hopes in jeopardy.
“It’s do or die,” Metherell said of this Saturday’s clash with Nullawil. “If we can’t get the chocolates this week, we can’t make it.”
Boort led by eight points at the last change, but a goal after just eight seconds to Mitch Farmer trimmed the margin. Seven minutes in, James Keeble goaled for the Magpies, pushing the lead out to eight points again.
The Maroons kept chipping away at Boort’s lead – a behind followed by a goal five minutes later saw Nullawil close within a point midway through the quarter.
Boort then managed a behind, but Nullawil hit back with two of their own to tie the scores with the clock counting down.
And then came the killer blow, with Andrew Casey kicking a goal almost 22 minutes into the quarter to drag the Maroons across the line, breaking Magpie hearts, and sorely testing the relationship with Wedderburn in the process.
For Metherell, that’s in the past. He said if the Redbacks could reproduce the form they showed against Birchip in the second term, when they scored four goals to one, they could challenge anyone.
“We played to our game style, and moved the ball really well,” Metherell said. “We showed that in the second quarter when Birchip really struggled to go with us.”
Boort coach Dale Cameron said his team’s loss boiled down to a lack of experience, with more than half a dozen players aged under 20 against Nullawil.
“We are coming. It’s just about being consistent,” he said. “And we are building in the right way.”
In good news for Wedderburn, Cameron said Nullawil players would be “very sore” after the thrilling clash.
Redbacks’ goalkickers from last Saturday - Noah Furlong, Tom Campbell, Oscar Holt and Darcy Jackson will be hoping to run the Demons ragged again and keep the Loddon banner aloft.