North Central, Central Murray: Wedderburn storms home to force draw against Birchip-Watchem

Big improver Wedderburn has come from more than seven goals down to almost cause the upset of the season in the North Central league. See what happened.

Birchip-Watchem’s undefeated start to the North Central league season has ended with the ladder leader playing out a thrilling draw with big improver Wedderburn.

An Oscar Holt behind for Wedderburn levelled the scores with four minutes remaining in the match before the two teams finished locked together at 12.10 (82).

Wedderburn was 43 points down early in the third term and seemingly gone.

But momentum shifted when Birchip-Watchem ruckman Hamish Hosking left the ground due to injury and his direct opponent Jordan Hargreaves helped kickstart the Wedderburn revival.

Wedderburn had also been one player down with Danny Benaim yellow-carded.

But with a full complement of players on the ground, the comeback was on.

Wedderburn still trailed by three goals early in the final term before Holt finished with four goals and key forward Anthony Zelencich booted three.

Wedderburn missed finals last year, but sits fourth on the ladder with a crunch clash against fifth-placed Nullawil on Saturday.

Nullawil beat Boort by less than two goals to be two points behind Wedderburn.

Former Cohuna Kangas assistant coach Tom Metherelll has taken over as coach of Wedderburn, which was playing its first match at home due to unexpected delays with a changerooms upgrade at Donaldson Park.

CENTRAL MURRAY

Reigning premiers Kerang has brought Nyah Nyah West United’s unbeaten start to the season to an end with a thrilling 11-point win.

Kerang began the final quarter seven points down, but booted three goals to nil in the last term to remain very much in the mix for yet another premiership after being the dominant club of the competition since the late 2000s.

Captain Josh Nitschke’s leg speed came to the fore with ruckman Nick Lang, Martin Kelly and Josh Hann also making important contributions.

Kerang captain Josh Nitschke. Picture: Tracy Roberts

Pyramid Hill recruit Tom Hetherington moved from defence to the forward line and booted three goals as did Jordan McNeil.

NNWU star recruit Brandyn Grenfell kicked three goals with Rylee Gitsham shifted onto him midway through the second quarter.

Former Kyneton player Jordan Iudica was also prominent for NNWU.

Mallee Eagles won a five-point thriller over last year’s runner-up Balranald with three recruits, Darcy Hourigan, Jai Middleton and Andrew Mead-Harding, combining to kick 10 of the team’s 13 goals for the match.

OVENS & MURRAY

Wodonga Raiders young gun Tom Bracher put paid to any chance of Corowa-Rutherglen recording its first win in its comeback season on Saturday.

Bracher booted three opening term goals to provide his team with crucial early breathing space and made certain of the result by kicking four more in the last quarter as the Raiders pulled away for a 44-point win.

Corowa-Rutherglen coach Steve Owen. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Raiders sensed Corowa-Rutherglen was a danger by bringing in former AFL player Mitch Robinson for a one-off match.

But the move almost backfired when he twinged his hamstring in the first quarter.

Robinson left the ground for treatment before playing out the match as a permanent forward.

Corowa-Rutherglen was thrashed by Albury in the opening round, but the team that has been resurrected with a high number of new players who don’t live locally, has shown signs of competitiveness.

Cameron Ellis-Yolmen starred for Wodonga Raiders against Corowa-Rutherglen. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos)

Homegrown young guns Ryan Eyers and Jedd Longmire were shining lights against Raiders with Longmire backing up for his second game in two days after playing for Collingwood VFL team on Friday night.

Debutant Caile Duryea also kicked two goals on debut.

POLL: Which team will definitely play @omfnl finals season? @theweeklytimes@ctryfootyscores@oandmlive

— David Johnston (@david_johnston5) June 2, 2024

Corowa-Rutherglen kicked the first goal of the final term to make the margin only 15 points before Bracher went to work with his final term heroics, helped by some dominance out of the centre led by former AFL player Cam Ellis-Yolmen.

Raiders won their opening round match against Lavington, but hit a rough patch with two 130-point plus defeats in the space of three rounds and another heavy defeat to arch rival Wodonga.

Originally published as North Central, Central Murray: Wedderburn storms home to force draw against Birchip-Watchem