EFL 2022: Donvale’s Ethan Duncan kicks 13 goals in 67-point win

A big bag from a Donvale star on Saturday had coach Kevin Collins comparing the performance to a club great of yesteryear.

It’s a haul that had senior coach Kevin Collins reminiscing.

Donvale’s Ethan Duncan blasted off with 13 goals on Saturday in his side’s 19.7 (121) to 7.12 (54) win over the Whitehorse Pioneers in the Eastern league’s Division 3.

And the big bag had the dual Magpies premiership coach drawing on the exploits of one of his star spearheads of yesteryear, such was the dominance of Duncan in attack.

“It was a complete performance,” Collins said.

“I was lucky enough to be there when Simon Byrne kicked 20 against Croydon back in the day and it was as good.

“He (Duncan) just monstered the ball … he’s won our best and fairest as a centre half-back, and with Nick Murphy going down for a couple of weeks we’ve thrown him forward and he’s given us something – it was just a great game to watch.”

Duncan’s big bag drew comparisons to a club great. Picture: Field of View Sports Photography

It’s some comparison – Byrne won the top division goalkicking in 1997 (91 goals) and 1998 (104) and was named at full forward of the club’s team of the decade for the 1990s.

Murphy has missed the past three matches with a hamstring injury and could return this week against Scoresby.

The Magpies raced to a 28-point quarter-time lead before extending the margin to 45 at the half.

Collins said while the opening term had been tighter than the scoreboard suggested owing to the Pioneers’ inaccurate 2.4 in front of goal, the work of his charges up the field also made it tough going for the visitors.

Midfielder Kyle Wignell finished one of the Magpies best.

“A lot of it comes from what’s going in up the ground, so our defenders provided a lot of run and spread which was good,” he said.

“Kyle was really clean below his knees, and he gave us a lot of momentum from stoppages.”

Wignell was among the Magpies’ best. Picture: Field of View Sports Photography

Collins also heaped praise on debutant Ben Currie, whose connection to the club stretches back to Auskick and the juniors.

There was plenty to like about the tall prospect.

“His parents have been actively involved, his dad ran Auskick and Ben was there since he was knee-high to a grasshopper,” Collins said.

“He’s a Mullauna College boy and he’s come through, hasn’t played for a couple of years and he;s grown – he had a really good debut, kicked a goal and the whole group got around him.

“It’s ignited a lot of celebration for the boys … he’s very coachable.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Horvat kicked three majors for the Pioneers as young gun Luke Morando finished the visitors’ best.

The 67-point win consolidates the Magpies a game clear in fourth position on the ladder, with their past month yielding three wins from five starts.