UGSFL 2023: Wickepin and Boddington remain unbeaten after round four wins, Williams dig deep to win away

Wickepin and Boddington remain the only unbeaten teams in the Upper Great Southern Football League, both recording victories in round five at the weekend. On Sunday the Warriors travelled to Matera Oval to take on Wagin where they crushed the home side to record a fourth win of the season. Five goals in the first term set the tone before the visitors piled on nine goals in a final-quarter blitz to run out 109-point winners. The Warriors were strengthened by the return of ruckman Brayden Fairhead and classy ball winner Matt Jukes who were both influential. Billy Clay was superb through the middle and kicked a game-high six goals in the 21.21 (147) to 5.8 (38) rout. Things didn’t get off on a great note for the home side with player-coach George Hampson going down with a leg injury in the opening term while star recruit Nick Kommer didn’t play. For the Warriors the work of Kynan Collard, Callan Sims, Fraser Wittwer and Kieran Pirie stood out while Jethro Duffy (four goals) and the elusive Jaxon Ramsay (three) were their other avenues to goal. Bulldogs captain Josh Kirk led from the front in a tough afternoon and kicked two majors while Shawn Garlett was strong in the air and on the ground. Zack Johnston, Liam Seale, Mark Allington, Joshua Hubbard and Kade Prowse (two goals) were also solid contributors but the home side slumped to their third loss of the year. The Eagles continued their strong start to 2023 as they downed Narrogin by 27 points on Saturday. It wasn’t a convincing performance from the reigning premiers at Narrogin, but four unanswered goals in the third term was the catalyst for their fourth win of the season. Nicholas Miller booted three majors for the Eagles while Jimi Gillespie, Zakery Pretty, Lewis Gillespie, Kiattisak Deechaiyaphum and Jordan Hughes were influential. The Hawks kicked four goals to two in the last term but their winless start to the season continued, going down 7.10 (52) to 11.13 (79). Jack Walsh, Jordan Heil, Kyle Kickett, Max Chivell, Jydan Lanciano and William Graham were the Hawks’ best players while Brady Lee kicked two goals. Williams came from behind to hold off a gallant Kukerin-Dumbleyung at Nenke Oval on Sunday. The Cougars hit the front in the third term but the Cats fought back to finish 14-point winners in the end. A five-goal opening term proved the difference for the Cats as Kyle Shanahan, Quinn Donaldson, Simon Panizza, Gerard Medlen, Addison Dew and Jason Roney all played well. The home side’s better players were Peter Joyce, Blake White, Zane Sutherland, Josh Harrison, Sheldon Taylor and Ryan Smith.