Football
1 May, 2025
Thunder bounce back after defeat
Southern Mallee Thunder has bounced back from their opening round defeat, overcoming a spirited Warrack Eagles outfit to post a 22-point win at Anzac Park on Saturday.
In a match that ebbed and flowed, the Thunder made the early running to lead by seven points at quarter time, only to see the home side hit back and edge ahead by a goal at half time.
With both sides trading blows in a tight third quarter, Thunder clawed their way back to a slender two point advantage heading into the final term, before putting the foot down when it mattered most.
The visitors saved their best for last, kicking four goals to one in a dominant final quarter to seal a hard-earned 13.10 (88) to 10.6 (66) victory.
Tommy Clarke was a constant threat up forward, finishing with three goals for Thunder, while coach and ruckman Kieran Delahunty, Brayden Ison and Xavier Oakley all chipped in with two apiece.
Delahunty was pivotal both in the ruck and around the ground, leading from the front alongside the ever-reliable Bailey Morrish and Jake Garvey.
New recruit Jarrod Stokes impressed in his first outing in Thunder colours, while Kai Sheers continued his relentless, hard-nosed approach to the contest.
Brayden Ison also found his groove up forward in a promising sign for Thunder's attacking stocks.
For Warrack, Kyle Cheney’s three-goal haul kept his side in touch for much of the day, while Sam Hanna slotted two majors and was among the Eagles' best.
Fellow recruit Ned Grieve and locals Riley Morrow and Declan Brown also battled bravely in a hard-fought contest.
The win levels Thunder’s season at 1-1 and gives them important momentum heading into a string of key fixtures, while the Eagles showed they will be no easy beats in 2025 despite falling short.
Coach of the Thunder, Kieran Delahunty, said the contest was great.
"We knew Warrack was going to come out strong in front of their crowd at home with new recruits and it was a good arm wrestle for three quarters," he said.
"But we were pleased to get the result, get the win, and I thought we finished off the game much better this week and having that game under our belt helped us improve."
The Thunder went into the game not knowing 100 percent what their competitors would bring, given they had welcomed so many new faces to the side this season..
"It was a little tricky going into the game with a lot of unknowns, especially when they had announced they had 10 new recruits - almost half the side," Delahunty said.
"It's hard to do some homework on where they are going to line up and that presented a challenge in itself but I think all in all our boys were up for the challenge and we played a solid game of football."
Delahunty said in the first game his side played, they had a few too many costly turnovers, and the team had wanted to address that this week.
"We had made some blunders by foot but I thought on Saturday we were a lot better and a lot cleaner with the ball," he said.
"Guys are still getting to know each other, but I thought on Saturday they were starting to gel a lot better."
Delahunty's side now faces a bye - which doesn't come at the best timing, but the coach said it is what it is.
"It's one of those things - where you take what is infront of you," he said.
"Anytime you get a week to freshen up or improve on your fitness is good, but in saying that, it would have been nice to keep on playing but it's the way the draw has fallen and we will make the most of it."
In other football results:
The Eagles proved too slick for the Thunder in reserves running out 39-point winners in a commanding performance.
The Eagles controlled the contest from the outset, building scoreboard pressure early and maintaining it across four quarters.
In contrast, Thunder struggled to make an impact on the scoreboard until late in the game, eventually going down 10.7 (67) to 4.4 (28).
Patrick Grace-Long was a standout for Thunder, working tirelessly to drive his side forward, while Jake Parry and Ben McGee were also prominent in trying conditions.
Cooper Stasinowsky showed plenty of promise in his first outing at reserves level, while Jaiden Cook was competitive in the ruck all afternoon.
Jason Box rounded out the Thunder’s best players with a solid contribution.
Phil Huebner dominated proceedings for the Eagles to be named best on ground, with Charlie Penny providing strong support across the ground.
Senior coach Matt Walder made a cameo appearance, adding experience and class in a polished display.
Veteran Steven Murphy proved a handful in attack, finishing with four goals to be the leading scorer, while Fletcher Bright chipped in with two majors as the only other multiple goalkicker for the home side.
For Thunder, Parker Gould, Ben McGee, Jake Parry and Jourdain Thomas each hit the scoreboard, but opportunities were few and far between against a well-drilled Warrack outfit.
After an impressive 84-point win in Round One, Thunder’s reserves will look to bounce back quickly and recapture their early-season form in the coming weeks.
Thunder’s Under 17s made it two from two to start their 2025 campaign, outlasting a determined Eagles outfit to record an 11-point win.
In a game played with real intensity, Thunder showed poise in the big moments to secure the 6.9 (45) to 4.10 (34) victory, continuing their exciting early-season form.
Thunder started strongly to lead by 10 points at quarter time and maintained a narrow eight point buffer at half time.
A strong third term saw them extend their lead to 20 points heading into the final quarter, and despite a late Eagles surge, they held firm to close out the win.
Jackson Moore was outstanding for the visitors, playing composed, consistent football across four quarters to be named best on ground.
Lenny Weir was as reliable as ever, providing crucial run and drive, while Max Spokes was a key contributor up forward, slotting a couple of important majors.
Spencer Williams, Dustin Eckermann and Fletcher Keller also featured prominently in the best players, each making valuable contributions in the tight contest.
Up forward, Parker Gould continued his impressive start to the year with another great performance, finishing with four goals.
For the Eagles, Dane George was influential through the midfield, constantly propelling his side forward, while Hayden Polack and Cooper Preston impressed with their work around the ground.
Bryson Cawley, Thomas Penny and Lasisenia Tuinayau also caught the eye, earning praise from those watching on.
UNDER 14s
The Thunder’s Under 14s battled hard but were outclassed by a sharp-shooting Eagles' outfit, falling by 56 points.
Thunder were left to rue inaccuracy in front of goal, squandering several opportunities while the home side steadily built their lead across the day.
The Eagles led by 13 points at quarter time, extended the margin to 32 points by half time, and held a 42-point advantage at the final change before running out 11.11 (77) to 2.9 (21) winners.
Hunter Kelly produced one of his best performances in Thunder colours to be named best on ground, working tirelessly across the four quarters.
Edison Stasinowsky, Denzel Hallam and Isaac Credlin also impressed with their efforts, while Charlie Williams and Savarnna Loft were acknowledged for their contributions in a challenging contest.
For Warrack, Tobias Arnel (three goals), Henry Lomax (four goals), and Tyler Templeton led the way, combining scoreboard pressure with consistent impact around the ground.
Despite the loss, there were plenty of encouraging signs for the young Thunder side, who will look to sharpen their conversion in front of goal ahead following the bye.
