GNFL round 12: Railways back in the four after victory over Brigades, Valley and Northampton take massive wins

A hard-fought win has Railways back in the finals race after they took down Brigades 7.5 (47) to 5.6 (36) on Saturday, while Chapman Valley and Northampton both enjoyed 100-point blowouts.

Saturday’s clash at GBSC Sports Park was close early, with each side kicking one goal in the opening term before Brigades put past a late major to take a four-point lead.

Railways took an aggressive play style coming out in the second, and it paid off with early inside 50s but the Hawks were able to keep the ball from going past the middle of their defending 50.

On the other end, Hassan Ahmat-Watkins had a shot for Brigades that was touched on the line. Railways responded with a clean chain of possessions down the opposite sideline, finding captain Jesse Adamini up forward who rewarded their effort with a goal.

As the Blues took the lead, a favourable bounce inside that went the way of Jesse Moore, found Mitchell Boyle inside a pack of hands. The goal from Boyle put Railways in the lead 4.2 (26) to 2.2 (14) at the half-time break.

Both sides came out firing in the second half, with both Ahmat-Watkins and Railways’ Shaedan Edwards kicking early goals before the game saw a scoring drought.

The Blues kicked a late one to take a 17-point lead in the final term. Riaz Mohammed for Brigades did it himself on the sideline in the fourth, taking a few bounces to blow past Railways defenders before booting a long goal to give the Hawks a spark.

However, Railways were able to hang on at the very end to claim an 11-point victory.

Boyle finished with three goals in the win while Kurt Tunbridge booted two for Railways, and Brigades had five different players notch a goal in the loss.

With the win, Railways jump back into the top four and leap over Brigades, pushing out Towns who had the bye this week.

Over at Greenough Oval, Chapman Valley dominated Rovers in a 21.14 (140) to 4.2 (26) blowout as the Royals put up their biggest score for a game since round two last season.

The Royals ran up the score, putting past five goals in the second quarter and seven in the closing period to put away the Demons.

The Rovers had little response for the scoring onslaught. They were kept goalless in the second and fourth quarters, while managing just two in the opening and third terms.

Tyrone Papertalk Jr bagged a five-goal haul in the win, and the combination of Lee Hutchins, Jay O’Brien, Brett Robinson and Kane Simpson all kicked three. Shannon Cox kicked three for the Rovers in the loss.

Northampton also had a giant day out, with the reigning premiers enjoying a 20.16 (136) to 4.3 (27) belting over Mullewa.

The pair of Trent Simpson and Harry Taylor won the game off their boots, with both kicking a bag of six goals.

Following round 12, the top four has been shaken up with Railways flying into third as Brigades move to fourth and Towns fall outside to fifth.

Across the rest of the GNFL, the Royals women got up over the Demons 11.9 (75) to 3.0 (18) and Mullewa forfeited against Northampton.

The Northampton reserves had a day out over Mullewa, getting up 18.12 (120) to 0.4 (4), Chapman Valley dominated Rovers 16.11 (107) to 0.1 (1) and Brigades beat Railways 9.7 (61) to 2.2 (14).

In a rematch of last year’s decider, the Rams colts got up over the Saints 8.7 (55) to 7.9 (51), the Royals nabbed their second win with a 10.10 (70) to 4.5 (29) victory against Rovers, and Blues beat Hawks 5.6 (36) to 3.11 (29).