INVERELL Saints bounced back to register a crucial win over Narrabri Eagles and re-ignite their Tamworth AFL premiership hopes at Varley Oval on Saturday.
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The Saints beat the Eagles by 53 points, kicking 18.15 123 to the visitors’ 10.10 70.
Ryan Woolley kicked five majors, with Chris Whitton (4) and Bailey Cosgrove (3) also kicking multiple goals.
Eagles captain-coach Todd Dunn, Tom Denyer and Mark Barrow all kicked two goals for a side that started well and led early, Saints club captain Nick Baird said.
“It was a crucial win for us,” Baird said.
“We were tied for third with them and Gunnedah and they had beaten us soundly at Narrabri in Round 4.
“They led by two goals at quarter- time too.
“We struggled to get into the game after a couple of weeks off.
“But the second quarter and first half of the third quarter was the best we’ve played all year.
“We had good ball movement, slowed down and played the way we wanted to play.”
Luke Selig and captain-coach Hayden Chappel were outstanding for the Saints and, along with 16-year-old Damon Harrison, gave the Saints plenty of run out of midfield.
Tom Denyer, Mark Barrow, Jesse Dixon, Zach Lauritsen, Mitch Leven and Michael Miskle were best for the Eagles.
The Saints and Gunnedah Bulldogs remain equal third after the Bulldogs kicked 13.14 92 to the Moree Suns’ 7.7 49 at Wolseley Park, Gunnedah.
Andy Mack (3), Matthew Pengilly (2) Andrew George (2) and Andrew Swain (2) all kicked multiples for a home side best served by Mack, Daniel Griffith, Luke Curgenven, Peter Chapman, Tom Witts and Andrew Pratt.
Best for the Suns were Max Beinke, Alec McCall, Dominic Brown, Stephen Lott, Matt Lather and Daniel West.
In Armidale, the New England Nomads went on another 200-point rampage.
They had hammered the Bulldogs by scoring a 237-7 victory in the previous round and went within three goals of that mark again on Saturday when they kicked 34.28 232 to the Swans’ 0.4 4.
The 22-point win saw Weston Whitby (8), Dave Richards (7) and captain-coach Zac Economou (6) kick big tallies.
Paddy Tobias, Andrew Garraud, Jed Ellis-Cluff, Matt Foley, Alastair Mitchelson and David Richards were best for the Nomads against a Swans side best served by Maddison Smith, James Dunston, Josh McKenzie, Jacob McArthur, Thomas Kelly and Trumaine Rankmore.