Jack Donnell has rewarded the faith shown in him by his new club by producing a best-on-ground display against 2023 finalist Dookie United in Stanhope’s round three Kyabram District League match on Saturday.
Donnell, who kicked 17 goals in a three-week stint with premiership team Lancaster last season and finished as a member of the Wombats’ senior premiership side, was a star as the Lions kicked five first-quarter goals and led by 24 points at the first break.
His team built steadily on that lead to eventually win by 61 points and secure an early place inside the top six — winning 16.13 (109) to 5.8 (38), despite leading goal-kicker from last season Tomas Rennie finishing goalless.
Playing at half-back, Donnell worked in tandem with coach Adam Lovison, young key defender Brady Wileman and the exprienced Stuart Trevena to keep Dookie United to only two goals after half-time.
With Layne Baker, Daniel Maher (who played almost the entire game in the ruck) and Nathan O’Reilly providing the link from defence to attack, Stanhope will go into the May 11 match — the Lions have a bye this weekend — with unbeaten Avenel brimming with confidence.
Three teams remain unbeaten after the first three rounds of the season — Avenel, Murchison-Toolamba and back-to-back title-holder Lancaster.
Avenel has beaten Violet Town, Undera and, at the weekend, the previously unbeaten Tallygaroopna — the latter by one point.
The Lions’ draw opens up considerably in the next month when they face the Swans, expected by most to be a mid-table team, Undera (currently 12th and winless), fifth-ranked Tallygaroopna (which has wins against bottom team Girgarre and Dookie) and 10th-placed Violet Town.
While the Lions’ back end was impressive, it was in attack that the highlight reel was in overdrive.
Ruckman Daniel Flynn, who has kicked only eight goals in 29 games during the past two seasons, started at centre half-forward and later moved to the goalsquare where he kicked six goals.
Flynn did kick 20 goals in 10 appearances in 2021, but has never been a noted goal-kicker.
He and Rhys Smith, who finished with five goals and is on track to match his 32-goal 2023 season, were the key targets in attack.
Smith has kicked 64 goals for the Lions in 32 games during the past two seasons.
Stanhope’s other five goals were from individual goal-kickers.
Rennie had a stint in the ruck, supported by key defender Brady Wileman.
· Girgarre managed one goal against a rampaging Shepparton East on Saturday in the Kangaroos’ only poor performance of the season.
In round one the Kangaroos kicked 11 goals and lost by 36 points, then kicked eight goals in a 63-point loss to Stanhope in round two.
On Saturday, however, they managed only one goal and failed to score in the first and third quarters against the Eagles.
Shepparton East won the match 25.12 (162) to Girgarre 1.2 (8).
With six changes to their line-up, losing the experienced Charles Lowe and Steve Phillips from the midfield, the Kangaroos had 15 goals kicked against them in the second half after trailing by 61 points at half-time.
Ruckman Byron Dryden and captain Harry Browning-Briese continued to battle against the odds, while athletic midfielder Joshua Marina was another to impress at different stages.
Girgarre has its chance to turn the season around this week when it faces Rushworth, which lost to Lancaster at the weekend by 164 points.
· Merrigum is licking its wounds after suffering a 144-point loss to Murchison-Toolamba on Sunday in front of a bumper crowd at Merrigum Recreation Reserve.
The Bulldogs didn’t kick a goal until the second term, faced a 43-point quarter-time deficit and were outscored 11 goals to two after half-time.
They eventually lost the game 25.19 (169) to 4.1 (25), Kyabram recruit Jake Gascoyne kicking two of those goals to be the most productive forward.
Murchison-Toolamba full-forward James Lloyd, who kicked 74 goals in 14 games last season, became the talking point of the game when he kicked four first-quarter goals.
He finished the game with nine goals and now has 30 from three weeks of competition.
The Bulldogs have the chance to improve on their 11th ranking when they face ninth-placed Violet Town next week and then 13th-ranked Longwood on May 18.
Darcy Collins had the big job on Lloyd and considering the amount of opportunities he was presented with did a good job to keep the goal-kicking sensation to single figures.
Zak Parkinson played almost the entire game in defence, while Jacob Prout battled in the ruck with support from Jesse Anderson.