Sport
19 June, 2026
Ex-Pie no match for Boort
IT’S BEEN a tough year for Boort on the football field, and when the league’s bottom side has three star imports including a Brownlow medallist when you meet them, it seems like the footy gods have forsaken you.
IT’S BEEN a tough year for Boort on the football field, and when the league’s bottom side has three star imports including a Brownlow medallist when you meet them, it seems like the footy gods have forsaken you.
Ex-Collingwood champion Dane Swan, former Melbourne player James Magner, and 2019 Bendigo league best and fairest Adam Baird all lined for winless Charlton on Saturday when the Magpies came to town.
For Boort coach Andrew Rutley it was a huge challenge and for his players it was an exciting moment in their football careers.
In the end, the Magpies got home by 20 points and the club heaved a collective sigh of relief.
“The three guys were no doubt Charlton’s three best players,” Rutley said.
“Swan basically played as an extra defender off half-back, and he stopped a lot of ball coming in.”
The 2011 Brownlow winner had 34 disposals and floated forward to kick a goal in the last quarter.
“He’s just smart – he knows how to find the ball,” Rutley said.
Boort planned to use its fittest player, Liam Bianco, against Swan if he played in the midfield, but when he stayed in defence all day the tactic was simple – kick it where he isn’t.
Magner, whose friendship with both Swan and Charlton coach Carl Thiesz helped to bring the 2010 premiership player to the Navies, kicked six goals and was best afield in a role that mixed midfield and forward roles.
Baird booted two goals, as a team that had lost all six of its games by more than 100 points suddenly was more than competitive.
“We have got a very young and inexperienced backline, and they struggled a bit with Charlton’s size and footy smarts,” Rutley said. Charlton led at quarter-time by 10 points after a five-goal first term.
“We have had a focus all year of getting off to a good start, but they hit the ground running and playing good footy,” Rutley said.
Fortunately for Boort, the Magpies took control when the rain came in the second quarter, when six goals to one proved match winning.
Boort (2-5) plays the much-improved Donald this week as North Central starts its repeat fixtures for the season, looking to reverse the opening round defeat.