GSFL 2024: Sam Lehmann’s career-high nine-goal haul steers Mt Barker to strong win over clumsy North Albany

When life gives you Lehmann’s, you kick it to them streaming out of the goal square, and let them do the rest. Mt Barker full forward Sam Lehmann insisted he was the beneficiary of his teammates’ work up the field after booting a career-high nine goals in his side’s 33-point win over a clumsy North Albany at Collingwood Park on Sunday. After missing a week with a back injury, Lehmann spearheaded his side’s victory, registering his name on the score sheet in each quarter to claim the match ball in the final game of the Great Southern Football League’s Belt-Up Round. The Bulls burst out of the blocks in the first term, pounding on six goals to two, with four first-quarter majors coming from Lehmann’s boot to help set up their 19.8 (122) to 13.11 (89) victory. Daniel Patching (two goals) was prolific through the engine room for the Bulls, while Zach Jackson (two) and Camball McMahon (three) were dominant in the forward half, setting up a lot of their dangerous attacks and punishing the Kangas’ frequent turnovers. A humble Lehmann attributed his big haul to his teammates up the field who fed him the ball. “When the ball was in those guys’ hands, they were kicking it to me lace-out, so it made my life a lot easier,” he said. “The ball use up the ground was really good and the midfielders gave me a lot of looks at it — I was just in the right spot, really. “I’m happy with it and the boys looked for me a fair bit today, which was good.” Lehmann said the win unearthed encouraging signs for his side after dubbing them “notoriously slow” starters. “We’re going alright and there’s still a lot of areas to work on but I feel like (Sunday) was a step forward in the right direction,” he said “We are notoriously slow starters to the year but we are slowly building. “(We’re) really happy with the good start because we’ve been slow starters which has hurt us a few times already this year, so it was good to get out of the blocks and then still run out the game.” The Kangas fired back in the second through Graham Ross with two, and Travis Conn, trading goals with the Bulls as Lehmann added three more. When Lehmann converted another two goals in the third quarter alongside singles from Seth Jones and McMahon, the Bulls extended their three-quarter-time margin to 30 points. Kangas’ Brock Tiede fired a punch early in the last quarter with his first to try to ignite the home side, but Lehmann slotted his ninth as the Bulls piled on the next three to ice the game. Jyrin Woods (two goals) was superb for the home side, while Ross (four) and Conn competed hard forward of centre. Kangas coach Brad Bootmsa said his side’s consistency and frequent turnovers in crucial areas had been his their Achilles heel in their 1-3 start to the season. “Our consistency kills us — we were in the game in patches but then gave the ball back too easy and they would score. We just have to stop giving the ball back,” Bootsma said. “We were never able to bridge the gap because we helped them a little bit in that space by giving them the ball back. “I think mindset also . . . when you’re behind a fair bit. It’s hard to come back but we’re working on it.” Unfortunately for Kangas, star defender Regan Lloyd left the field in the first quarter with a knee injury, Owen Smith could not return after having breathing troubles, and forward Conn was in the hands of trainers in the fourth with a lower leg injury and failed to return. Kangas’ Barry Roberts received a yellow card in the second quarter for swearing.