BALLARAT 17.11 (113) d BENDIGO 4.12 (36)
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
BALLARAT Football League is back with a vengeance on the interleague stage.
The BFL crushed arch rivals Bendigo by a whopping 77 points at Eastern Oval, running out 17.11 (113) to 4.12 (36) winners in the 5 v 6 AFL Victoria Country Championships match.
After a tight first term in which Ballarat was arguably lucky to only be two points down at quarter time, the home side simply dominated for the remainder of the match.
A run of 12 consecutive goals to the Blues throughout the second and third quarters saw them take an unassailable 58-point lead into the last break.
In reality, however, Bendigo was never in the match after the quarter time.
Redan's Nathan Horbury was adjudged best on ground by the umpires, seemingly performing without an opponent in the first half.
His Lions teammates in Grant Bell and Callum Currie were also extremely influential and could easily have staked a claim for best on ground.
North Ballarat City's Derick Micallef kicked four goals and Lake Wendouree's Lucas Anderson contributed three, all of which came in the second term for the latter.
Sebastopol ruckman Rowan Marshall also had a day out, contributing brilliantly all around the ground.
There might be some injury concerns for North City and Bacchus Marsh coming out of the game, in what was the only sour note for the day.
Cobras coach Cam Richardson played no further part after suffering minor concussion in the first quarter, while North's Sam Hooper copped a knee to his back but was walking around after the match.
BFL coach Shane Skontra was thrilled with his side's execution on the big stage.
"It was terrific for the boys to actually play the way we tried to coach them," he said.
"We were just sloppy early which was understandable because its a new arena where everyone is trying to gel together.
"When you've got quality players and you identify how you want to play and it marries together then it makes a good outcome."
Ballarat will meet Goulburn Valley once again next year, which went down to Geelong Football League in the top-ranked match.
BALLARAT
Goal Kickers: D. Micallef 4, L. Anderson 3, D. Tung 2, S. Mc Cartin 2, M. Phelps 2, J. Bacon , G. Bell , M. Powell , R. Marshall
Best Players: N. Horbury , G. Bell , C. Currie , D. Kennedy , R. Hobbs , L. Anderson
BENDIGO
Goal Kickers: N. Stagg , M. Thornton , S. Mildren , M. Dole
Best Players: M. Thornton , B. Dorrington , J. Dorward , T. Waters , J. Hall , L. Coghlan