SFL season catch-up

By BEN HARRISON
A THREE-WAY tussle is being battled out at the top of the SFL ladder with New Norfolk, Claremont and Lindisfarne all locked on six wins after the first seven rounds. The competition had a full round bye at weekend when the SFL’s best took on the NWFL in a representative match at North Hobart Oval on Saturday, resulting in a win to the visitors.

Round 7 Results:

New Norfolk 25.20 (170) d Brighton 8.4 (52)
New Norfolk’s 118-point demolition of fourth-placed Brighton at Boyer maintained the reigning premiers’ position as the top team in 2015, albeit by only on percentage over Claremont. New Norfolk has made a fortress out of Boyer in recent years and last Saturday was no different. Eagles rover Roger Belcher had a field day against Brighton, kicking six goals to steer his side to another cricket score victory margin. Zeke Gardam kicked four goals and reigning William Leitch Medallist and coach Caden Wilson kicked three goals from six shots, whilst Dylan Cassidy was Brighton’s best on the scoreboard with three majors.

In the reserves it was a tense draw in the end with New Norfolk 4.8 (32) and Brighton 3.14 (32).

New Norfolk 3.3 (21) 11.12 (78) 17.16 (118) 25.20 (170)
Brighton        2.0 (12)     2.0 (12)     5.2 (32)       8.4 (52)
Goals - New Norfolk: R. Belcher 6, Z. Gardam 4, C. Wilson 3, N. Clayton 2, B. Wardlaw 2, B. Booth 2, S. Bonnitcha 2, J. Wigg , J. Clifford , B. Chaplin , B. Lovell; Brighton: D. Cassidy 3, T. Millhouse 2, H. Williams, C. Daly, F. Churchill.
Best - New Norfolk: R. Belcher, M. Horne, C. Wilson, J. Daley, B. Chaplin, J. Wigg; Brighton: D. Cassidy, C. Daly, R. Bailey, A. Collis, T. Millhouse, T. Arnold.

RESERVES
New Norfolk 1.3 (9)    1.3 (9)    4.7 (31)   4.8 (32)
Brighton        0.3 (3) 1.12 (18) 2.12 (24) 3.14 (32)
Goals - New Norfolk: J. Gunther 2, D. Triffett, J. Murray; Brighton: A. Whitford, B. Howlett, D. Cragg.
Best - New Norfolk: J. Gunther, N. Lester, J. Papera, D. Triffett, S. Rogers, J. Duggan; Brighton: T. Boucher, S. Bennett, G. Wakefield, J. Smith, A. McCarthy, B. Steele,

COLTS
New Norfolk 4.2 (26) 5.5 (35) 8.8 (56) 10.8 (68)
Lauderdale    2.1 (13) 5.2 (32) 6.3 (39) 9.5 (59)
Goals - New Norfolk: A. Long 3, N. Wakefield 2, Z. Triffett 2, N. Wakefield, J. Whitford-Marriott, K. Tomkinson; Lauderdale: R. Hooker 3, J. Williams 2, K. Tatnell, T. Cooper, C. Laoumtzis, S. Clayton.
Best - New Norfolk: Z. Triffett, J. Whitford-Marriott, N. Wakefield, T. Eiszele, Z. Crosswell, T. Oates; Lauderdale: C. Laoumtzis, R. Hooker, S. Clayton, D. Knott, K. Byfield, K. Tatnell.

Claremont 10.15 (75) defeated the East Coast Bombers 4.5 (29)
The Magpies racked up their sixth win of the season with their 46-point victory over the East Coast Bombers at Abbotsfield Park. Goals were hard to come by at Abbotsfield Park, with only one player able to kick more than one for either side. Claremont had 10 individual goal kickers. Ruckman-forward Josh Grant kicked a wayward 1.5 in difficult conditions, while East Coast’s Mitchell Bond with two goals was the only player to kick multiple majors.

Claremont defeated the East Coast Bombers in the Reserves by 88 points and also won the SFL Colts in the variation game against Brighton by 51 points

Lindisfarne 9.13 (67) defeated Cygnet 8.15 (63)
Lindisfarne stayed in the race for top spot in a cliffhanger against bottom-placed Cygnet, winning by four points at Anzac Park. Lindisfarne was lucky to escape with a win over the Port, which stormed home with a 4.6 to 2.3 final term to fall just short. Cygnet’s Brayden Hayes booted a game-high our goals and teammate Joe Direen slotted two goals, while midfielder Kase Miller was outstanding for the home team with a best afield performance finishing with 1.1.

In the reserves Lindisfarne won by 24 points.

Huonville 12.14 (86) defeated Dodges Ferry 11.7 (73)
Huonville stayed in touch with the top five with 13-point win over Dodges Ferry at Huonville. The Lions are now only one game out of the five after a well-earned win over the Dodges Ferry Sharks which included a match winning haul by the Paul brothers – Micky kicking 4.5 and Justin 3.3 while their teammate Cameron Johns was best afield.

Huonville won the reserves match by 67 points and in the SFL Colts Huonville made it three wins for the day and again took the points with a 46-point margin.

Hobart 9.17 (71) defeated Sorell 8.10 (58)
Hobart scored its second win with a gutsy 13-point victory over Sorell at Pembroke Park. Sorell midfielder Josh Monks was best on ground while Tiger Sam Reeves got four goals for Hobart.

Hobart won the reserves game by 14 points and in the SFL Colts in the variation game against Lindisfarne, Sorell ran out victors convincingly by 109 points.