Hay Lions all class to stay undefeated, after a win against Murrabit Blues

By Hay Lions Club.

Lions took to the road at the weekend to take on the Murrabit Blues for the second time this season.

First verses fifth but the round one encounter in Hay showed they couldn’t be underestimated, particularly on their home turf.

In perfect conditions for football, Murrabit hit the scoreboard first but the Lions, with a full side, didn’t take long to respond.

A chain of hands to Angus Gardner, front and centre mid of the fifty zone and the Lions were away, never relinquishing control of the narrative for the rest of the match.

Kicking a blistering eight goals in the opening quarter, the Lions were all class controlling the contested and uncontested ball.

They were moving the ball with fluidity down the ground with a precision that presented forwards with plenty of opportunity.

With a 37-point lead at quarter time, Murrabit were already in deep trouble and needed to lift their game to an unprecedented level if they were to present any challenge.

Hay 8:2 50 Murrabit 2:1 13.

Lions began the second quarter with a bang opening their account through a superb top of the fifty-set shot from Declan Watson and adding another two quick goals before a run of points slowed the scoreboard assault.

With Murrabit defenders under the pump through unrelenting tackle pressure from the Hay attack, forced kick outs with no time to consider best options granted possession straight back to Hay.

In reward for tackle pressure effort inside the 50, Liam Whitbourne broke the seven straight behind run with a nicely weighted set shot on a slight angle to kickstart the Lions goal tally again.

While a few goals went begging, Murrabit in return failed to add a single point to their quarter time score line with the Lions fortress like defence rejecting any of their forward fifty entries.

An eighty-point lead and the game on their terms at half-time, Lions’ coaches praised the team effort and recognised the contribution all players made in some way to this domination.

Lions 14:9 93 2:1 13.

Unable to slice through Hay’s defensive line to give themselves any genuine chances at goal, the third was another unproductive quarter for the Blues with a single point the only change to their half-time score.

While this was the leanest quarter for the Lions, for goals added with four, it was their quality from passages of elite ball movement finished with individual brilliance that stood out.

Lions 18:10 118 Murrabit 2:2 14.

The Lions were clinical in the last with another six-goal haul and for the Blues their first opportunity to slot a major since midway through the first.

From the onset, the Lions midfield had obliterated the opposition with their ball usage, made to look second rate against the might of Collis, Watson and Cattanach whose damaging impact bely the fact this is their first season as a unit.

In a flawless display, Will Collis was a star, kicking seven goals after transitioning from the midfield for a stint in the forwards, guiding the Lions to their 6th straight win for the season.

His damaging positional play and exceptional decision making in every contest was the standout performance of the day.

His class was simply too much for the Murrabit defence to handle.

Jacob Watson was unstoppable.

Declan Watson was dangerous, working hard for his six-goal haul and finding air late in the last to grab some hang time taking contested mark of the day metres out in front of the big posts.

Jack Cattanach, though quiet by his standards in the first, went about his usual business.

He fulfilled multiple roles, hard in contested ball work and elite decision making in the heat of the contest, calculated and purposeful never wasting a possession.

Jensen Hargreaves was electric, using his speed and elite kick when in space to hit up targets.

Jock Crighton was super composed and impactful, linking up in chains of ball movement with controlled and accurate disposal, consistently displayed across the four quarters.

The backline, lead by Brad Pocock and Jayden Kinces, who did what they needed to do, repelled most forward 50 entries and in doing so keeping Murrabit to their lowest score of the 2024 season.

Moving up the ground ensured the ball stayed in prime position in the Lions’ attacking half, with the Blues constantly on the defensive with no room to breathe.

With many moments of pure class, Lions handed Murrabit their biggest loss of the season so far.

It was a comprehensive team performance with all players fulfilling their role and contributing to the final result.

Coaches’ top six: Will Collis, Jacob Watson, Jack Cattanach, Jensen Hargreaves, Brad Pocock, Jayden Kinces.

Goals: Will Collis 7, Declan Watson 6, Angus Gardner 3, Jacob Watson 2, Patrick Jubb 2, Jack Cattanach 1, Liam Whitbourne 1, Jenson Hargreaves 1, Jock Crighton 1.

On the road again for the second week for Lions’ closest away game when the Lions put the challenge up to Moulamein in round seven of the Golden Rivers Football League.

With Hay flying high at the top of the ladder, Swans will need to have all cylinders firing to present a genuine challenge.

Hay Lions have enjoyed a superlative 2024 season to date, smashing the opposition at every turn. Image: The Riverine Grazier/Margie McClelland.