GSFL 2023: Denmark-Walpole and Railways agree to play shortened quarters as visitors run out big winners

Railways quickly bounced back to the winners’ circle taking care of a depleted Denmark-Walpole in a shortened match at McLean Park in round five of the Great Southern Football League on Saturday. The two clubs agreed to play 20 minutes and no time-on across the four quarters as the Tigers ran out 110-point winners to bounce back from their defeat at the hands of the Sharks last week. Under the guidance of assistant Dan Cale, who took on game day coaching duties, the Tigers kicked the first 13 goals of the contest to win a fourth game in their premiership defence, 18.16 (124) to 2.2 (14). With head coach Mark Bayliss stepping aside for the afternoon, Cale said getting the four points and no injuries from the away trip was important. “We started well which we set out to do and attacked the footy really well but we could have kicked a bit straighter,” Cale said. “No injuries and we got to play some youngsters and they got some time on the field which is good. Half-forward Angus Spencer kicked two goals in the opening term as the Tigers opened up a 32-point buffer and it should have been more by half-time but for the visitors’ inaccuracy. With Jayden Scott and Ryan Davies dominating in the midfield and Leighton Smith mopping up well at half-back, the Tigers continued to assert their authority on the game but were wasteful and had 8.8 on the board at the long break. The Magpies trailed by 55 points heading into the second half and despite the best efforts of ruckman Luke Galantino and grunt midfielder Tyler Stone, they couldn’t stop the Tigers’ momentum in the third. Clay Michael was pushed forward and kicked two goals while majors from Toby Hall, Zak Hortin and Smith gave the Tigers a 90-point buffer. The Magpies finally broke the run of 13 consecutive Tigers goals when Stone converted from close range to plenty of cheers from the home supporters. Hortin added two more and Michael bagged a third, however as the Tigers cruised to victory. Davies won plenty of possessions to be awarded the match day ball by the umpires along with the Belt-Up jumper for the Tigers while Bailey Bennett was the Magpies’ recipient of the jumper. Scott was outstanding in the middle, winning a stack of clearances and disposals to set his side up for their fourth win of the season. Smith was strong in the back half, Kobi Doust-Pamplin was effective in the ruck, Hortin kicked four goals after being yellow carded for umpire abuse in the first term and Logan Stubber also was influential at key times. The Tigers’ Bailey Bennett didn’t play a minute on the field despite being fully kitted up and sitting on the bench for the entire game, the club saying he was injured in the warm-up. Stone was terrific again in a losing affair, the Pies’ Bennett battled hard around the ball while Galantino, Baden Clarke and Cody Kerr were also among the better players. “It was the same old stuff really, we got the ball to our front half but couldn’t finish off,” Magpies coach Brad Nisbett said. “I thought our skills weren’t up to scratch, they are usually better than that. “The effort was there but we lacked any polish really.”