Nullawil prove a point with powerful win over Birchip

Nullawil surprised even itself with their first round performance in a new competition. Here’s how they pulled off the stunning victory.

If there was a point to prove about belonging in the North Central league, new club Nullawil made it on Saturday in its first hitout.

The Maroons stunned Birchip, last year’s premiers, by 41 points.

The club joined last year after winning three straight Golden Rivers league premierships.

In wet conditions the newest side controlled the contest from the opening bounce, keeping the Bulls goalless in the first term while kicking four goals themselves.

They extended the margin at each change to win comfortably, wrapping up the contest by three-quarter-time with a 39-point margin after keeping the Bulls to just two goals.

Nullawil belt out the team song after their first win in the North Central Football League. Picture: Wendy Watts.

Nullawil ended the Bulls 15-match unbeaten run and also became the first side in more than 12 months to keep Birchip goalless in the first quarter.

“We handled the ball very well in the wet weather, it was quite wet, quite slippery conditions,” Nullawil president Grant Kelly said.

“I think we might have taken them a bit by surprise and probably the competition a bit by surprise by how good we were going to be.

“Don’t worry, Birchip will be much better the next time we play.”

Former Port Adelaide and Richmond player Mitch Farmer kicked three goals with new recruit Adam Thomson also kicking three.

He’s joined from Gol Gol in the Millewa league after kicking 135 goals last year.

His brother, Mark, kicked two goals after making the move to the Maroons from Werrimull.

“Both of them played exceptionally well,” Kelly said.

“He’s (Mark) playing in the centre and running forward. A small forward having a run on the ball.

“There’s four of them playing that role and in the weather they kicked straight, so we couldn’t ask for more.”

Nullawil's Dean Putt and Birchip-Watchem’s Lochlan Sirett leap to tap out the ball during the contest. Picture: Wendy Watts.

Kelly said captain Jordan Humphreys was sensational and kept his opponent in Birchip’s forward line quiet.

Others to impress the president were Farmer and new recruit David Isbister.

The focus now for the club is making sure this performance isn’t a once off.

“I wasn’t expecting us to be so dominant, I was just hoping to be competitive and improve as the year came out,” Kelly said.

“They come out and proved me wrong.

“If we could keep this up, it’s a big if, and play the same game the rest of the season we’d be in the top two.

“But if we can be in the top four we’d be happy with that.”

In a weekend of upsets, last year’s grand finalists Donald also lost, falling to Wycheproof-Narraport by 13 points.

In other results, Sea Lake Nandaly defeated Boort by 25 points with Wedderburn on top of the ladder after their 71 point win over Charlton.

Tom Campbell kicked five goals for the Redbacks in the win.