Football
30 May, 2025
Thunder bring fight to Saints
Southern Mallee Thunder couldn’t maintain their early momentum on Saturday, eventually going down to Horsham Saints 14.6 (90) to 8.5 (53) in a wind-affected clash.
Thunder started strongly with the breeze at their backs, holding a narrow lead at quarter time and
applying early pressure around the contest.
But the second term proved costly, as the Saints capitalised with a seven-goal haul while limiting the Thunder to just 1.1, flipping the match on its head and handing the visitors a 27-point lead at the half.
To their credit, Thunder rallied in the third quarter to reduce the deficit to 20 points, showing resilience and grit.
However, a final-term fade-out allowed the Saints to again pull away, with the margin stretching
to 37 points by the final siren.
Billy Lloyd and Zachary Robins were among the best for the Thunder, working hard through the middle and around the ground.
Brayden Ison provided a solid target up forward, finishing with three goals for the
match.
Final score: Saints - 14.6 (90) def. Thunder - 8.5 (53).
Best players: Saints - Cody Bryan, Zac Van Buuren, Gage Wright, Keegan Mellington, Levi Munyard, Mitch Martin.
Thunder - Zac Robins, Billy Lloyd, Sam White, Angus McSweyn, Brayden Ison, Coleman Schache.
A depleted Southern Mallee Thunder reserves side put in a brave showing against the Horsham Saints on Saturday, but couldn’t overcome the challenges of a short bench and a polished opposition, going down by 61 points at home.
With a string of unavailabilities at senior level forcing significant reshuffling, the Thunder Reserves entered the match undermanned and slow out of the blocks.
The Saints controlled the opening term, keeping the home side scoreless and setting the tone early.
Thunder managed to hit the scoreboard in the second quarter, but clear scoring opportunities remained hard to come by as the Saints’ structure and use of the ball continued to dominate.
A 30-point margin at the main break ballooned across the second half, with the Saints finishing strong to notch up a comfortable victory.
Despite the scoreboard, there were plenty of positives for the Thunder.
Phoenix Oakley was outstanding and named best afield for his work across the ground, while Jaiden Cook impressed with a strong showing in the ruck.
Jonty Bellinger celebrated his 50th game in style with a gritty performance down back, and Liam Preston gave everything in a determined four-quarter effort.
With the finals race heating up, the Thunder Reserves now turn their attention to a crucial clash with Nhill at Davis Park this weekend — a must-win match that could see them break into the top five.
Final score: Saints - 13.4 (82) def. Thunder - 2.9 (21).
Best: Saints - Phoenix Oakley, Jaiden Cook, Jonty Bellinger, Liam Preston, Declan Brown, Jason Box.
Thunder - Nathan Byrne, Angus Vincent, Gavin Kelm, Hugh Dougherty, Jordan Grace, Bowen Friend.
The Southern Mallee Thunder Under 17s battled hard on home turf over the weekend, but ultimately couldn’t match the polish of a well-drilled Horsham Saints outfit, going down by 46 points in a wind-affected contest.
With a stiff breeze dictating much of the play, it was the Saints who made the most of their early
opportunities, keeping Thunder scoreless in the first quarter while registering 2.6 of their own.
The home side responded well in the second term, taking advantage of the wind to win the quarter and reduce the margin to just 10 points at the main break.
But any hopes of a Thunder surge were dashed after half-time, as the Saints regained control in the third quarter, piling on scoreboard pressure to stretch the lead to 31 points.
The final term followed a similar script to the first, with Thunder unable to find a goal while Horsham’s inaccuracy in front of goal saved the home side from a bigger deficit.
Despite the result, there were positives for the Thunder faithful.
Spencer Williams was outstanding all game and delivered his best performance of the season to earn best-on-ground honours.
Parker Gould maintained his consistent run of form, while Oliver Credlin and Caleb Tregenza worked tirelessly throughout the day.
Goals for the Thunder came courtesy of Parker Gould, Ryder Gould and Parker Hallam.
The young Thunder squad will now regroup ahead of next week, continuing to build their resilience and form as the season progresses.
Final score: Saints - 9.12 (66) def. Thunder - 3.2 (20).
Best: Saints - Jake Brennan, Bodey Wilde, Josh Pitts, LJ Kafegellis, Levi Clarke, Frazer Shurdington.
Thunder - Spencer Williams, Parker Gould, Oliver Credlin, Caleb Tregenza, Dustin Eckermann, Fletcher Keller.
The Southern Mallee Thunder Under 14s showed plenty of fight and character in their clash with
Horsham Saints at Hopetoun on the weekend, eventually going down by 24 points in blustery conditions.
With a strong wind blowing to the southern end of the ground, the Saints made the most of it in the opening quarter, dominating territory and piling on four goals and six behinds from ten scoring shots.
The Thunder struggled to gain any momentum early and came into the first break on the back foot.
The second quarter saw a complete shift in energy and intent from the home side.
Making use of the wind themselves, the Thunder lifted across the board and responded with two goals and two behinds, while holding the Saints to a single point.
The spark was lit, and from there, the Thunder’s enthusiasm, confidence and determination continued to build.
With the margin still within reach at the final change, and the wind again at their backs, the Thunder surged forward repeatedly in the last quarter, however, the Saints dropped numbers behind the ball and clogged up the forward 50, making scoring difficult.
Despite the Thunder’s best efforts, they couldn’t bridge the gap, with the final score reading Thunder 4.5 (29) to Horsham Saints 7.11 (53).
While the result didn’t go their way, the Thunder outscored the Saints after quarter time and took plenty of positives from a spirited performance.
Hugo Gould was again a standout, using his pace and agility across half forward to hit the scoreboard with two goals and create opportunities for teammates.
Ned Jones was also lively in the front half, keeping the Saints' defence under constant pressure.
Charlie Williams impressed in a new on-ball role, driving the ball forward with intent and linking well with teammates.
In defence, Bella Spokes, Lawrenz McIntosh and Louis Webster were resolute, cutting off numerous forward attacks and winning crucial one-on-one contests throughout the game.
It was a gritty team effort that showed the Thunder are continuing to grow and gel as a side - a promising sign as they look ahead to the rest of the season.
Final score, Saints - 7.11 (53) def. Thunder - 4.5 (29).
Best: Saints - Hugh Miller, Hylton Penfold, Zander Johnston, Nate Bacon, Austin Hicks, Vinny McKinnon.
Thunder - Hugo Gould, Ned Jones, Lawrenz McIntosh, Bella Spokes, Charlie Williams, Louie Webster.
