Game of two halves goes Nyora’s way
Spectators might have been forgiven for thinking the Nyora and Nilma-Darnum players had changed jumpers during the half time break. It certainly was a game of two halves. Nyora jumped into the “five” courtesy of its 10-12 to 7-4 win that denied Nilma-Darnum its first victory of the year.
Nyora jumped from the blocks, strong full forward Ian Osman proving a giant headache to the Bombers and his sidekick Ben Schulz also proved a handful in attack.
At half time it was 9-7 to 1-3 with NilmaDarnum staring a heavy defeat in the face.
But the whole momentum of the game changed when the teams ran onto the ground for the third quarter. They looked totally different sides. Nyora kicked only one goal in the second half; Nilma-Darnum six.
The move of Casey Thompson onto Osman after half time did a lot to stem NilmaDarnum’s bleeding.
Thompson, in his first game for the year after only recently returning from overseas, started at centre-half back replacing injured captain Nick Murray who received a broken jaw in the previous week’s clash with Buln Buln.
Murray’s was another loss the Bombers could ill afford following its number one ruckman leaving after the first game.
Luke Bartlett filled in well in that position mainly in the centre of the ground on Saturday while coach Matt Shorey did much of the big man duties around the ground.
Nyora had plenty of good players as it built its first half lead but most faded after half time.
Ryan Spooner was its best on the day with the contributions by Kallon Rigby, Lachlan Fievez, Rhys Bancroft and Taylar Gard, as well as Osman, also significant to the outcome.
Osman kicked four goals for the game, Schultz three and single goals came from Gard, Brad Arnold and Ashley Gunaratnam.
Gus Engley, starved of opportunities in the first half, finished with four goals for NilmaDarnum and was among the best alongside the ever-reliable Chris Larosa, Bartlett, Sean Viotto and Jim Bourke.
Its other goal kickers were Patty Chin, with two, and Larosa.
Better news for the Bombers was that this week it appeared to escape injury free and its second half will add some confidence that it may break through at home next Saturday when it meets the other still winless team, Lang Lang, at Darnum.