Sunraysia football: Merbein’s Josh Carmichael, Robinvale Euston’s Justin Marriott shine
Night footy and interstate “home” games made for unusual circumstances, but some of the usual suspects came to the fore in an action-packed weekend.
Mildura
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Teams in the Sunraysia league were hitting the road across the weekend, playing an all-NSW round to get fixtures away without crowd caps.
Just one of the league’s nine clubs, Wentworth, is based permanently in NSW, while Robinvale Euston each year plays some games at its second base in Euston.
But this week, even Millewa league venue Gol Gol was part of the action – hosting a 5.30pm match under lights – as local footy resumed from the Covid lockdown break.
Here are the players who lit it up on the field.
Dan Coghlan (Irymple)
Star midfielder Dan Coghlan was once again a standout in an Irymple victory.
The co-coach, who won the 2019 McLeod Medal for league best and fairest, showed plenty of smarts as he ran into the right spots at the right times.
He gained several handy touches around the 50m arc that helped keep the scoreboard ticking, either by kicking for goal off a step or finding a teammate in a better position.
Coghlan booted five for himself and had his fingerprints all over many others, as well as having an impact around the ground.
The Swallows looked to be on track for a dominant win early against home team Wentworth, who were bereft of recent match play given their bye and the interleague break fell before the Covid layover.
Irymple were out to a 43 point lead early in the second quarter before the Roos sprung to life, making it a genuine contest.
The reigning premiers ultimately steadied the ship to run out 33-point winners, with Coghlan supported by a host of emerging talent.
Paddy Power patrolled the wings, while Mitch Roads, Brodie Jackson, Mitch Christensen and Connor Mensch each enhanced their standings as players to watch.
Experienced big man Jason Eagle joined Coghlan in kicking five for the afternoon.
Harry Nolen (Imperials)
Imperials had plenty of contributors in their 98-point thumping of South Mildura – a side that went into the weekend sitting inside the top two.
Among them was rising star Harry Nolen, a 19-year-old who impressed playing on the wing, pressing forward and using the ball well.
The Imps junior broke through for 15 senior appearances in 2019 and has stepped up again this season.
Co-coach Brad Hards said Saturday was probably the best he’d seen Nolen play.
“He’s put in a lot of work in the pre-season and I suppose having that break with Covid last year, he worked pretty hard on his fitness,” Hards said.
A lot went right under the Gol Gol lights for Imps, who were playing their “home” game on the road.
Hards said the team pressed well, limited turnovers and generally executed on what they’d been focusing on since the loss to Ouyen United before the Covid break.
“It was just one of those games everything we set out to do we were able to do it,” Hards said.
Justin Marriott (Robinvale Euston)
Robinvale Euston made the most of their Euston surroundings, earning a 50-point win over Ouyen United.
Both sides went into the fixture with just one win next to their name – surprising given the records in recent years.
Before the Covid interruption, there was a sense the Kangas had started to build momentum, owing to their defeat of Imperials.
Yet it was the Eagles who asserted themselves after the break, leading at each change and kicking away during the second half.
Recruit Justin Marriott, playing just his second Eagles game, may prove to be a difference maker as far as the Eagles’ prospects are concerned.
Marriott, who was cleared to join the club from the West Gippsland league, was named the team’s best in the victory.
Josh Carmichael (Merbein)
Merbein’s 21-year-old star Josh Carmichael had the ball on a string during his side’s six-goal win over Red Cliffs.
Playing at Dareton in a rare Sunday fixture, Carmichael was busy during the Pies’ dominant first half, after which they led by 58 points.
He had three goals by the main break, including a booming kick from the edge of the cricket wicket that sailed through, showing the power he has.
Beyond that, Carmichael was having an impact all over the ground, taking marks and winning clearances in the middle.
Red Cliffs brought the margin back with some fourth quarter goals, but it was otherwise Merbein’s afternoon.
The Pies are now the sole team on 22 points atop the ladder, with Imperials and Irymple narrowly behind on 20.
Nick Cottrell (Wentworth)
It wasn’t to be Wentworth’s day, but there were positive signs to be found after the Roos cut a 43-point deficit – against reigning premiers Irymple – down to just seven points.
The match was a genuine contest until, cruelly, two injuries in the space of a minute cut the home side down to just one available player on the bench in the third quarter.
Nick Cottrell was the clear standout for his side.
During that second quarter rally, Cottrell twice rose from goalsquare packs to take spectacular marks that were converted into goals.
He ended up with four majors for the day and was active all over, including when he showed off his speed for a run-down tackle in the fourth quarter.
Jordan McKinnon, who kicked three goals, was also a key part of the Roos’ second quarter rally.
David Hankin (Imperials)
Imps booted 20 majors in their big win against South, and small forward David Hankin was responsible for seven of them.
Only one came from a set shot, with Hankin showing his craft to pounce on crumbs and even managing to kick a goal over his head.
Co-coach Hards said his side’s small forwards applied forward pressure throughout the match, with Jayden Fox and Peter-John Petrucci also prominent.
Ethan Gill (Robinvale Euston)
Aside from the four points, the most pleasing aspect of Saturday’s match for Robinvale Euston was the return of crowd favourite Ethan Gill.
The big ruckman ran out for the first time in more than two years, finally recovered from an ACL injury in early 2019 and a more recent setback.
Gill was the best ruck in the league when at full fitness and didn’t seem to waste any time regaining form, named among his side’s best in the win over the Kangas.
Coach Andrew Richardson, Tim Kimberley, Justin Neyland and Braidyn Turner also impressed.
Ash Rowe (Merbein)
Along with Carmichael, Ash Rowe also had three goals to his name by half time.
He, too, did this while attending a majority of the centre bounces.
The pairing are proving to be a key weapon as the Pies mount their case for finals football.
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