Boort on track for finals after unbeaten start to the season

A team in the state’s north west, despite a recent setback, is on track to break a finals drought stretching back to last decade. We go inside how the club’s rise.

Boort runs out on to the field earlier this season. Picture: Kate Perryman - Finding Focus Photography.

Inspired by falling short of finals last year Boort is intent on ending its North Central league drought.

And despite a setback last weekend the Magpies are on track to do it.

It has been eight years since Boort made the top-four with St Arnaud the only other side in the competition to suffer the same fate since 2017.

This year, they’re on track to end the run, starting the season with four straight wins including a win against the reigning premiers Sea Lake Nandaly two weeks ago.

Last Saturday, they were smashed by Calder United by 125 points but Boort is currently two games and significant percentage ahead of fifth.

Will Perryman tries to get a handpass away before he is tackled. Picture: Kate Perryman - Finding Focus Photography.

Boort president Craig Scott said the rise had been through coach Dale Cameron.

“He has brought the list up over the last couple of years and slowly chipped away,” he said.

“We’ve had a big influx of recruits this year. They’ve certainly had an impact.”

Boort’s recruiting focus was about adding midfielders and forwards.

Brothers Kayne and Tyson Rutley have joined with Carlos Egan and Peter Barbopoulos also signing on.

The four players join former VFL player Jhye Baddeley-Kelly with the forward kicking 28 goals in five matches in his second year at the Magpies.

Scott said after missing finals last year by two games the team knew it was close.

“It was a matter of thinking we’ve got a reasonable core of players,” he said.

“So the goal was to keep them together and add a little bit. They’ve (our recruits) bought a bit of extra polish to the forward midfield set up.”

Scott said the rise in their youth, headlined by players from the under-17 premiership winning side in 2023, have also helped.

But he’s not getting excited just yet, there is still a long way to go.

“We’ve been favoured a bit by a draw that’s seen us, with all due respect to the other teams, probably play the three lowers sides,” he said.

“But it seems to be going well so far.

“We’ve got a few more tough games coming up, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Boort takes on unbeaten Birchip Watchem this Saturday at home at 2.30pm in what will be another test of its finals aspirations.