Injuries hamper Bats in tough Milawa clash

Goalkickers: R Staff, A Cooke, R Burns

The seniors started well early and stuck with Milawa in the first quarter.

Several injuries early in the game began to cause grief on the Bats bench limiting rotations into the second quarter.

Dylan Beavis went down with a suspected broken nose and his presence was missed up forward.

The boys battled hard into the second half of the game. In his 100th game for the club Simon Briggs crashed a big pack allowing Aaron Cooke to snap a great goal getting the boys up and about.

However, in the end Milawa was too strong and Goorambat was "outskilled by a very good team" as per coach Sam Gladstone.Notable mentions to Robert Staff who had plenty of the sherrin and pushed the Bats into attack all day.

James Webb had a solid game at full-back continuing his good form.

Both Cooke brothers battled hard all day to provide that extra spark.

Tom Ryan was in and under the packs as usual and Joel Docker had a positive impact in his first game back from a knee injury.Key players Ben Reaburn, Sam Gladstone and Brock McCabe are all getting close to returning from injury to boost the side in the coming rounds.The boys are looking to bounce back against King Valley next week and hope to get back on the winners’ list keeping finals hopes alive.

Best Players:

BOG Robert Staff - Peter Davis Rural

James Webb - Goorambat Railway Hotel

Joel Docker - Royal Hotel Benalla

Aaron Cooke - Gladstone’s Fuel Voucher

Tom Ryan - Sportspower

Ethan Cooke - Benalla Races Gold Cup Pass

Reserves

Goorambat 3.3 (21) def by Milawa 21.16 (142)

Goalkickers: K Wilcox, J Trevena, R Kego

Milawa won the toss and chose to kick with a strong breeze allowing them to get the early jump on the young Goorambat side.

Goorambat rallied in the second quarter booting two quick goals, getting the boys up and about and back in the game.

In the second half the Bats applied plenty of pressure in and around the stoppages, but Milawa was just too good.

Milawa's clean skills and outside run were a step above, and hard to match.Notable mentions to Riley Kego who battled hard all day in the ruck and arguably had his best game to date for the Bats.

The veteran quartet of Andy Ellis, Trav Nolan, Clinton Relf and coach Brenton Doig worked hard all day.

Good-looking signs from Jack Trevena and Kaine Wilcox, who worked well in the forward line and both hit the scoreboard.

Matty Dunstan and William Rheese never gave up in the last line of defence.

Best Players -

BOG Riley Kego - Bouwmeester’s Bakery

Clinton Relf - The Good Guys Shepparton

Andy Ellis - Royal Hotel Benalla

Matt Dunstan - Sportspower

Kaine Wilcox - Benalla Myotherapy

Trav Nolan - Hollywood’s Pizza

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