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West Australian
03-08-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Four-goal last term ices Tigers' victory against Mines Rovers
Boulder remain within a half-game of first place in the Goldfields Football League standings after tasting success on Saturday against Mines Rovers for the first time this season in a 28-point victory, 9.11 (65) to 5.7 (37), at Digger Daws Oval. The Tigers' previous-best result in three clashes against their traditional rivals was a draw in round six, alongside two defeats. They led the round 16 clash at every change, but doubts surrounded their ability to run-out the game after they squandered use of a strong breeze after half-time. Wind gusts of up to 40km/h played havoc with skills on both sides, with Boulder looking to build on a half-time lead of eight points when they had use in the pivotal third quarter. A war-of-attrition ensued in the difficult conditions as both teams battled for ascendency, when Mines Rovers defended grimly for the opening 11 minutes. Boulder mounted repeat entries inside their 50m arc but they misfired for three behinds. That trend looked certain to be broken later in the term when Dustin Walters was awarded a free kick from close range, but his set shot went astray, before also hitting the post moments later. By three-quarter-time, the Tigers had only six behinds to show for their toil. It was a mixed bag for Mines Rovers to that point — marred by a scoreless opening term. The Diorites produced their best football in the second quarter that yielded 4.2, but their struggles to clear the ball from the 50m defensive zone after the long break was reflected by a solitary behind, although the deficit was a manageable 13 points. It made the opening goal of the run home crucial for either team and Mines Rovers appeared to achieve that when Sam Burge's kick sailed through. Mines Rovers celebrated, but it was deemed to be touched off the boot and Boulder immediately countered with Walters' strong contested mark and goal at the scoreboard end. Mines Rovers' Declan Laws, aided by a 50m penalty, quickly pulled back the margin to 12 points but Boulder finished the game fully of running with goals to Jake George, Walters and Koopah Todd. Following Todd's brilliant solo effort, Boulder led by 30 points with 10 minutes left on the clock. But the Diorites couldn't make inroads and a generally frustrating afternoon included two posters in the final 30 seconds. Walters was the game's leading forward with three goals, with George and Callum Johnson each booting two for the winners. Sam Stubbs and Ethan Sambo kicked two apiece for Mines Rovers. Boulder coach Kye Bradley said it was nice to win, but with plenty still to work on. 'We're still fine-tuning,' Bradley said. 'The first two (clashes) against them, we were around the mark, the third wasn't what we wanted and on Saturday, we got things right. 'We knew what we wanted to do (on Saturday in the third quarter) but didn't execute. 'With the breeze, you want to make sure you take advantage of it and we certainly didn't do that. 'We spoke about trying to keep our structures and playing our style of footy, regardless of the breeze. 'It was a worry going into the fourth (quarter), but you have to back your boys and they came through. 'All-in-all, you take the win — especially at this time of the year and over a team we hadn't (previously beaten).' Diorites coach Marc Johnstone said the result was a dent in group's bid for a top-two finish. 'I thought we were really good for three quarters and in a great tactical battle, for the side who was defending the breeze,' Johnstone said. 'At the three-quarter-time huddle, I really believed that we would run over the top of them. 'And 30 seconds in (to the last term), Burge kicks that goal and then it gets overturned. 'We lost momentum and they (Boulder) went coast-to-coast on us and kicked the next goal on the back of that. 'It was a tough one — if that touched behind had been ruled a goal, maybe we would have had our tails, up and been hard to run down.' The Diorites were held to 1.5 in the second half. 'We just haven't had a lot of luck with a couple of 50/50 things and once momentum turns, it's a hard thing to wrestle back,' Johnstone said. 'While it's still mathematically possible, we'll still shoot for second spot but if it's third place we have to settle for, then so be it. 'We just have to make sure that we win our next three games and head into the finals with momentum.'
West Australian
20-07-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Tigers fire early in win against Kalgoorlie
Boulder struck hard and fast early and conceded just one second-half goal in a 34-point win, 11.9 (75) to 6.5 (41), on Saturday against Kalgoorlie to launch round 14 in the Goldfields Football League. After Kalgoorlie posted the opening goal, the Tigers piled on the next five unanswered — among an efficient 6.3 to quarter-time. Kalgoorlie stuck to their guns with three first-quarter goals and shaded the Tigers in the second term, two goals to one, to make the deficit a manageable 15 points at half-time. Amid the defensive slog that played out after quarter-time, the Roos' work rate and effort remained high. But they lacked the polish and connection of Boulder going forward, with the Tigers' duo of Dustin Walters and Guy Laughlin each booting three goals. And defensively, Boulder had their measure, with the Roos' second half yielding just 1.2. Boulder coach Kye Bradley said it had been a solid all-round performance in the absence of key defenders. 'We knew it was a game we'd really have to push through,' Bradley said. 'But once we found our composure and moved the footy better, it was what we wanted. 'It was a grind all day and we had some big names out of our backline, too — like Tate Ralph and Bronson Bishop, and then to have Alec Johnson play his best game of the season at centre-half-back and kicking goals was fantastic.' The hauls of Walters and Laughlin for the Tigers were complemented by 2023 premiership player Connor Maris' two goals in his return to the seniors. Boulder also have Mitchell medallist Scott Worthington waiting patiently in the wings after he was a late withdrawal with a calf strain. With the Tigers drawing a round 15 bye this Saturday, Worthington is expected to make his anticipated return on August 2 against Mines Rovers. Saturday's result allowed Boulder to reclaim first place on percentage over the Diorites. However, Mines Rovers have a game in hand — ahead of their clash this weekend against Railways. Kalgoorlie coach Rick Butterfield conceded that a hard-working first half sapped their energy reserves. 'We just couldn't work it out of our back half in the second half, when I felt we just ran out of legs,' he said. 'We probably lacked a couple of big targets up forward and basically didn't have our spine, with Ricky Whitehead, (Luke) Rockley and Patto (Ryan Paterson) all out — as well as (Corey) Yeo, our centreman, and (Rhys) Palmer as our centre-half-back. 'When you don't have that structure, it makes it quite difficult, but give credit to Boulder because they really pressured our ball carriers so our kicks weren't effective.' The Roos' brand was physical, but Butterfield said there was nothing outside the spirit of the game. 'We give players a role to put a tag on and I don't think they went outside the rules,' he said. 'They did the jobs they were asked to do, to nullify players — and they (Boulder) had a hard tag on Bailey Norris. 'We were a bit frustrated by some of the holding off the ball.'
West Australian
11-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Steel flies high as premiers hold off Mines Rovers
Railways coach Rhett Pettit's use of Jack Steel as a valuable swingman this year in the Goldfields Football League is set to continue, after his five goals on Saturday led a 14-point win against Mines Rovers, 12.8 (80) to 10.6 (66). In a result at Digger Daws Oval that put a dampener on Mines Rovers captain Jordan Delbridge's 200th game, Steel was the game's leading forward who could easily have finished with eight or nine goals. Steel, who three years ago tied with Delbridge for the Mitchell Medal, put on a clinic of high-marking and athletic prowess that turned the game in the Panthers' favour after they conceded the opening four goals. But Pettit said he would resist overtures to limit his trump card to permanent forward duties — based on a skill set that enables him to impact games in key roles at both ends of the ground and through the midfield. 'He is an athletic freak and actually reminds me a lot of (Boulder's) Scott Worthington, when he first came back from Subiaco and was easily the best player in the competition,' Pettit said of Steel's importance to the group. 'When those players extend for the footy, no-one can go with them (and) they can take a game away from you, in a quarter really. 'We're blessed to have him and in terms of where he plays, we get (full-forward) Chris (Yarran) back this weekend, and we still want him (Steel) to play through the midfield at times. 'That was the aim at the start of the year and we know he can play down back, and there will be opportunities for him at times to do that. 'But up forward is obviously where he plays his best footy, so a lot of those decisions will be based on game situations. 'Moving him around keeps him fresh, instead of having opponents hanging off him 16 games in a row.' Mines Rovers' dynamic start was underpinned by goals to Ethan Redcliffe, Nick Reghenzani, Charlie Scafidi, and Darcy Stevens, but Railways counter-punched with 4.2 to carry a one-point lead into quarter-time. Steel's influence included two second-quarter goals, when the reigning premiers outscored the Diorites four goals to one. Railways' opening three forward entries after half-time each sailed out on the full while the Diorites stifled their efforts with some shoddy disposal. But they maintained the fight and goals to Redcliffe and Reghenzani cut the margin by the final change to nine points. The Diorites pressed early in the last quarter, but a turnover at half-back gifted a six-pointer to Gerald Ugle and Steel produced an outside-of-the-boot snap that bounced through a vacant goal square. With the blue-and-whites' bench already compromised following an ankle injury to Delbridge, Kodee Lowe was yellow-carded as Railways' lead blew out to a game-high 35 points — the result of another defensive turnover. They added three late goals, but had left their run too late and coach Marc Johnstone lamented the skill errors that were punished by opposition goals at crucial times. 'Exiting our backline, there were three times when we came through the middle and kicked it directly to a Railways player who put it right back over our heads for a goal,' Johnstone said. 'In a close game, it's those errors that are costly, and it was all over the ground. 'It was hard to watch, but we still competed hard until the final siren, so it was pleasing in that way.' Johnstone said Delbridge would miss games, although the full extent wasn't known on Sunday. 'Jordy did his ankle right in front of me in that third quarter,' Johnstone said. 'We got him off and went to get it strapped up and hopefully get him back on. 'But it had blown-up so much we couldn't even get his boot back on.' Sam Turner was another injury in the Diorites' camp and young winger Hayden Dowson was a late withdrawal because of illness. Saturday's result left Boulder, Mines Rovers and Railways each with 3-1 win-loss records.
