GSFL 2025: Albany take care of North Albany, Royals give Railways a big scare, and Mt Barker win big on road

Albany have kept their hopes of a top two finish alive with a comfortable 53-point win in round 12 of the Great Southern Football League competition. The Sharks remain one game and percentage adrift of second-placed Mt Barker heading into the final three rounds of the regular season, after recording their ninth win of the season. At Collingwood Park on Sunday, the reigning premiers kicked seven goals to two in the second half to skip clear of the home side. Both teams put up a competitive first quarter in the wet conditions, with scores only separated by one goal at the first break. The Sharks found their stride in the second, adding five majors to their haul despite determined work from the Kangas, with Ned Shepherd kicking three goals before half-time and Ashley Ayles chipping in with two to leave the Kangas 19 points down at the long break. Ayles booted the opening goal in the third term, setting the tone as the Sharks took control and ran away with it, putting up a crushing third quarter to stretch the margin to 43 points with only one quarter left to play. Just as the Sharks seemed to find another gear, the home side’s momentum slowed, and they only managed to add one major and three minors in the third term. Rain and hail returned at the beginning of the final quarter, slowing both teams down as the slippery ground made for a few fumbled marks. But the Sharks kept their edge, adding another two majors while the Kangas only managed to kick one to end the game, with the Sharks emerging victorious 15.12 (102) to 7.7 (49). Ayles, Brett Peake and Shepherd all finished with three majors for the visitors. The Sharks had strong contributions from Shepherd, Kane Pinney, Bailey Taylor and Taj Williams. Nick Barrow, Kobi Keen, Drew Willcocks and Jyrin Woods served the Kangas best, in a losing affair while Travis Conn was their only multiple goal kicker. Railways survived a scare against arch rivals Royals, with the ladder leaders finishing as six-point winners at Retravision Stadium on Saturday. The Lions were thumped by 166 points last week but responded in strong fashion to challenge the premiership contenders for the full four quarters. Scores were level at three-quarter-time but the Tigers kicked three goals to two in the final term to escape with a tense 9.9 (63) to 9.3 (57) result. Hayden Parker kicked three crucial goals for the visitors while Hayden Leo, player-coach Bodhi Stubber, Brock Lathbury, Bailin Curtis and Milan Jaggi all had strong influence on the game. The Tigers led at every change but it was far from a comfortable result, as the Lions dominated the third term and were rewarded with four majors to set up an exciting fourth term. Declan McNamara was prolific in the middle and Hamish McMorran gave a strong target in attack to boot two majors. Fraser Allison and Cameron Lazar also finished with two, while Seb Stanton, Mitch Lenegan and Corey Ward were vital contributors. Lions’ Corey Linthorne received a yellow card in the low-scoring and physical contest. The Bulls recorded their second three-figure margin of victory in a row with a 102-point walloping of Denmark-Walpole at a slippery McLean Park on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Magpies they looked nothing like the side which ran the Sharks so close a week earlier, while the Bulls looked exactly like the team who walloped the Lions by 166 in round 11. There was just nothing the home side could do to stop the stampede as the visitors took the contest by the scruff of the neck to win 19.15 (129) to 4.3 (27). The Bulls were all business, and it did not help the Magpies’ cause that they lost two key players in one go in the first quarter. Tyler Stone and Simon Barker were both poleaxed in an incident of friendly fire. Neither could carry on, and their absence robbed the Magpies of experience and drive. The Bulls had scored four majors by then, however, as they controlled the midfield with their relentless pressing and struck through Alex Skinner, Tyreice Brown, Darcy Clarke and Mitch Jackson. The afternoon only got worse for the home side, whose skills went missing in the rain, while the Bulls seemed to have hands of velcro, every mark sticking as they went on a second-half rampage. They scored regularly but it was in the final quarter they really let rip with seven goals, the Magpies salvaging a modicum of pride with two of their own after a blank third stanza. The Bulls’ key men were Brown, who ended with a personal haul of four and played splendidly, as well as Clarke, Brent Parsons and Darcy Wallinger. Camball McMahon also booted four goals, while Keane Griffiths and Skinner finished with two apiece. The only downside was a yellow card to Seth Jones for a late bump on Ryan Hick. The Magpies’ best passage of play came late in the game, with Jake Stewart finishing off a coast-to-coast move which briefly lifted the gloom before the final siren. Those who did best in a losing cause were Hick, Banjo Watkins, Stewart (two goals) and Toby LeFort.