Ten goals from St Augustine’s Yellow forward Archie Sheppard in the opening two rounds of the Goulburn Murray Junior League’s under-14 competition has set a high standard for opposition clubs.
Sheppard kicked six goals in the Saints’ 129-point win at Northern Oval, against a hapless Shepparton United team — which failed to register a score.
In the opening round, St Augustine’s Yellow beat sister side Blue by 50 points. Sheppard kicked four in that game.
Sheppard was by no means a lone hand in the win. Captain Charlie Pekin was outstanding with three goals and Diesel Emini produced some brilliance at half forward (kicking two goals).
Billy Isaac set up several scoring opportunities for the team and Ashton Nurse was another to feature prominently.
• After a disappointing result against its sister side in the season opener, St Augustine’s Blue made a return to form by winning its Under-14 game with Tatura by 68 points.
Three players — Jonty Sefton, Sam Bruhn and Sam Chapman — kicked four goals and Regan Scoble chimed in with three of his own.
Ethan Greiner was named the team’s best player in the win, while Cooper Wilson and Jack Miller were others to rate a mention.
• In the Under-12s competition, St Augustine’s Blue beat Lockington-Bamawm United Cats by 56 points, kicking seven goals after half-time.
Hamish Fitzgerald and Harley Staudt were listed as the team’s best two contributors, while Alby Halstead was the most productive forward with three goals.
Clayton Wilson and Max Gould both kicked two goals.
• Kyabram’s big opening round win in the Under-16s competition was put into context when it confronted another round one victor, Shepparton Notre Dame Bears Gold.
The Bombers lost to Notre Dame by 44 points, but finished the game strongly with four goals in the final term.
They trailed by 42 points at the final change, but with James Priest active in attack they finished well.
James Hargreaves, Mitch Wilson and Nathan Kuiper were the Bombers best, while captain Oliver Barnett and Cooper O’Neill (one of the five single goalkickers) were also good players.
The Bombers face Shepparton United at Deakin Reserve on Sunday, April 28.
The Demons have won by 76 points and 41 points in the opening two rounds.
In the final round of the grading series Kyabram has an appointment with Echuca, which kicked a massive 29 goals in the opening round of the season.