The Deni Rovers hosted the Mathoura Timbercutters for their season opening Picola League match on Saturday.
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With a consistent breeze to the show pavilion end of the ground, the Rovers aimed to make the most of kicking with the wind in the first quarter.
The team got off to a hot start, with Tyson Willis and Logan Ives leading the way from the middle.
Both took on the tacklers despite a few holding the ball calls.
Willis and Hayden Barker both got in dangerous areas taking marks in the forward 50 finishing the work, up the ground, kicking truly early.
The Rovers’ defence held up strongly early before a defensive free kick allowed Jake Rawe to kick Mathoura’s first goal and keep themselves in the match with one straight goal to Deni’s 4.3 (27).
Going against the breeze in the second quarter, the challenge for the Rovers was to sustain good play leading into half-time.
Regardless, the second term was the quarter that marked the arrival of Dannon Leetham to the senior football stage.
Leetham provided another contested marking presence in the Rovers’ forward line, taking a strong mark and set shot, with the team getting around him to celebrate his first goal.
That goal was part of another four goal term for the home team, with Mathoura kicking one goal through Max Elder, as well as two behinds.
With the score 8.5 (53) to 2.2 (14) at halftime, the Rovers were looking to blow away the visitors with the wind in the third quarter.
The quarter started the way of the Cutters, with Ryan Mann kicking a goal early after a Rovers’ defensive lapse.
From there, the Rovers’ switched back into gear, kicking five unanswered goals into three-quarter time.
Jayden Pitts added two including a quality snap with Isaac Behsman also slotting one on the run.
Heading into the last quarter, the Rovers had a 67 point lead.
Both teams still looked to get something out of the final quarter.
Mathoura got another goal thanks to their midfield strength, with Clint Atkinson on the receiving end near the goal square of some counter attacking transition.
The Rovers added five more goals which saw Hayden Barker cap his day with five goals, Tyson Willis with three, Brody Wills with two and Brad Taylor got on the end of a slick handball chain for one.
Defensively, the Rovers’ finished strongly, with Jai Ezard getting plenty of footy behind the play and Brendan Hope stopping several Cutters attacks.
Alex Hay was also immense, demonstrating an example of consistent effort until the final siren with his attacking run from half-back.
The 92 point win opened the Rovers’ account with a solid win while also unearthing several key players for the future.
Overall, it was Dannon’s day out, finishing with a dream debut, kicking four goals.
It is an ominous sign of what’s possible for the young forward at senior level.
In his first senior match for the Rovers’ Kyle Magro competed strongly all day against his former club and Mathoura ruckman Beau Ogden.
Thomas Ives also brought a great showing in defence, coming on as a substitute in the second half for his senior debut for the Rovers.
Final score: Deni Rovers 18.12 (120) def Mathoura 4.4 (28).
Goals: Hayden Barker 5, Dannon Leetham 4, Tyson Willis 3, Jayden Pitts 2, Brody Wills 2, Brad Taylor, Isaac Behsman.
Best players: Alex Hay, Hayden Barker, Tyson Willis, Jai Ezard, Brendan Hope, Dannon Leetham.
Reserves
The Rovers won the toss and went with the slight breeze in the first quarter.
With many of the boys not having completed a huge preseason, the group was a little bit scrappy early.
But they worked into a rhythm in the second half and they were able to kick away from Mathoura.
Dylan Mills had a ripping first game, leading hard from centre half forward, while Dyl May provided strong leads out of the square kicking two for the day.
Veterans Allan Bond, Andrew May and Damien Hope linked up well through the middle while Sam Richardson and Nick Stubbings did the damage at the defensive end.
Bailey Caruso was as dangerous up forward as ever kicking two together with Damien Hope also kicking two and Andy May with one.
Harry Turner just keeps getting better kicking three from the middle and being named best on, with Dylan Mills, Damien Hope, Andy May and the ever reliable Ben McCalman also named in the best.
Final score: Deni Rovers 11.15 (81) def Mathoura 0.4 (4).
Goals: Harry Turner 3, Bailey Caruso 2, Dylan May 2, Damien Hope 2, Andy May.
Best players: Harry Turner, Dylan Mills, Damien Hope, Andy May, Ben McCalman.
• Reports for other football grades will appear in Friday’s edition.