UGSFL 2024: Kukerin-Dumbleyung land their first win of the season, Wagin and Boddington remain unbeaten

Kukerin-Dumbleyung notched their first win of the season after producing a commanding display against Wickepin in round two of the Upper Great Southern Football League on Sunday. The Cougars travelled to Wickepin and went into the main break leading by a point but broke away in the second half to land a 27-point win over the Warriors, 11.6 (72) to 7.3 (45). Coen Marwick (four goals) was huge for the Cougars as teammate Stockton Cruz Shotter kept up the pressure around the middle. The return of State midfielder Justin Joyce is a huge boost for the Cougars in their bid to play finals in 2024. The visitors started strongly with four goals in wet conditions before the Warriors rallied in the second to kick four goals of their own and get right back into the contest by half-time. A reversal in flow in the third had the Cougars booting 4.3 to take a 21-point buffer into the last term. A Cougar major was the only score in a physical last stanza and the Cougars sailed to their first win of the year. Justin Joyce (three goals), Peter Joyce, Ryan Taylor, Byron Blevin and Jye Depane led the Cougars to victory, while Marwick was the dominant forward in the game. The Warriors were best served by the hardworking Ryan Melvin (one goal), while Sam Fortini, Kyle Medcalf, Jack O’Sullivan, Ryan Duffy, Carter Wilson and Jaxon Ramsay (two goals) were also solid. In the other UGSFL games at the weekend, an impressive Wagin powered to a massive 88-point win over last year’s premiers Katanning at Matera Oval on Sunday. Neither side kicked a goal in the first term but an eight-goal onslaught from the Bulldogs in the second stunned the Wanderers. The home side kicked another eight goals in the last to cruise to victory, 17.10 (112) to 3.6 (24), with Benjamin Wardle (four goals) and Bronson Harry (three) doing the damage up forward. On Saturday, Williams were too strong for Brookton-Pingelly at Pingelly. A four-goal to nil second term set up the Cats’ 11.16 (82) to 8.9 (57) victory. Boddington kicked nine goals in the opening half to start the new campaign with successive wins, downing Narrogin by 27 points in Narrogin on Saturday night. Star duo Max Della Franca and Lloyd Padwick combined for seven goals in the 13.8 (86) to 8.11 (59) result.