GSFL 2024: Mole kicks seven and Royals midfield run rampant in comfortable victory over Denmark-Walpole

Royals coach Darrell Panizza was pleased with a “workman-like” performance in slippery conditions on Saturday as the Lions consolidated in the top two with a 96-point demolition of Denmark-Walpole. In round nine of the Great Southern Football League season, the Lions kicked five unanswered goals in the first term and added 12 more in a rampant second half, on their way to a seventh win of the season. Jaiden Mole, who had three majors to his name by quarter-time, kicked seven of the home side’s 20 majors while the work of midfield pair Zak Mola and Declan McNamara was instrumental. Mola and McNamara were clinical around the stoppages, ruck Stephen Beal (two goals) was again terrific and Jaiden Alison added four majors as the Lions coasted to a big win, 20.8 (128) to 4.8 (32) at Retravision Stadium. “We kicked 12 goals in the second half, played little bit better and had a lot of re-entries which we weren’t getting in first half,” Panizza said. “We had six changes from last week and to be able to bring six players in and still play the brand of footy that we played it sort of says that we have a bit of depth at the club. “We are sitting in a comfortable position with the players and also where we are at on the ladder and it was important today that we didn’t let them score easy goals in the second half and fall away.” The Lions led by 29 points at the first change and extended that to 43 by the long break despite Josh Morris-Parmer breaking the visitors goal drought in the second. Mole took his tally to six by the last change as the Lions went up another gear, dominating the midfield battle and scoring efficiently in their front half. The Lions kicked 12 goals to three in the second half but the only concern was midfielder David Parker who copped an accidental boot to the head in the second term and didn’t play any further part in the game. Marlon Mastalerz was superb in a losing affair for the Magpies and was well supported by Isaac Pomery, Banjo Watkins, Jackson Ross and Gus Brampton (two goals). Magpies’ Jesse Court and Brad Keast both received yellow cards in the first half. Keast never returned after his 15-minute penalty while Morris-Parmer didn’t finish the game and the Magpies lost star Reagan Hutchinson to a possible medial ligament injury to leave them with one rotation in the final term. “We never got going all game,” Magpies coach Brad Nisbett said. “We had a slow start which has been a trend, they played really well and we were poor.”