Photo: Solstice Digital
The Tasmania Devils claimed their second straight win in impressive fashion on Saturday, beating the Murray Bushrangers by 23 points at the Highgate Recreation Reserve. The Bushrangers came into the game with the chance to leapfrog Tasmania on the NAB League Boys ladder, but a strong second half saw the Devils run away with the contest and cement their place in the top four.
TASMANIA DEVILS: 1.4 3.4 7.7 10.8 (67)
MURRAY BUSHRANGERS: 1.2 4.6 4.8 6.9 (45)
Goals: Brandon Leary 3, Will Splann 3, Jack Callinan, Geordie Payne, Sam Banks-Smith, Colby McKercher
Best players: Will Splann, Mitch Nicholas, Braidy Simpson, Heath Ollington, Sam Banks-Smith, Lachie Cowan
Will Splann was the pick of the forward for the Devils, crashing packs all day and booting three goals in an impressive performance. He was well supported by Brandon Leary, who kicked three majors of his own to move clear as the NAB League’s top goalkicker this season. That success was set up by the playmaking of Tasmania’s half-backs, with Mitch Nicholas (17 disposals, four marks), Braidy Simpson (11 disposals, three rebound 50s) and Lachie Cowan (29 disposals, ten rebound 50s) combining to give the Devils plenty of drive out of defence.
DEVILS PLAY OF THE WEEK 🔥
Tom McCallum has taken the most intercept marks in the @NABLeague so far this season, and with efforts like this one on Saturday, it’s no surprise why.#NABLeagueBoys #TheDevilYouKnow pic.twitter.com/NCeeoLvR43
— Tasmania Devils (@TasmaniaDevils_) June 6, 2022
It was the Bushrangers that started the game on the front foot, as they won the ball out of the middle and surged forward. They could only manage one goal in the quarter, though, thanks in large part to the efforts of Tom McCallum. Lining up at centre half back, McCallum reeled in three intercept marks in the first quarter to snuff out the early danger. At the other end, a strong contested mark and goal from Splann gave the Devils a narrow two-point lead at quarter time.
It was largely more of the same in the second, as both teams traded goals through much of the quarter. Tasmania’s midfield started to kick into gear, led by the dynamic Seth Campbell who racked up nine disposals at 100% efficiency in the second term and Colby McKercher with eight. McKercher also added a goal before half-time, as did Leary, but the Bushrangers found their feet in attack and added three majors of their own to take an eight-point lead into the main break.
The game was flipped on its head after half-time, as Tasmania blew the Bushrangers away with a huge third-quarter burst. They held Murray goalless while adding four goals of their own, with Jack Callinan, Sam Banks-Smith, Geordie Payne and Leary all kicking truly to help the Devils to surge ahead. Co-captain Banks-Smith was swung forward after spending the bulk of the season in the midfield, and his goal capped off a strong performance further afield. The Devils are the highest-scoring team in third quarters this NAB League season, and their latest effort gave them a 17-point lead at the last change.
The Bushrangers still well and truly in the contest, as they kicked with a strong breeze at their backs in the last quarter. That wasn’t enough to overcome the Devils, though, as they won the quarter despite the conditions. Splann kicked his second and third goals to cap a standout performance, and Tasmania kicked away further to record a 23-point win that moved them into third on the NAB League Boys ladder.
The NAB League will now take a competition-wide bye week, with the Devils returning to action on Saturday June 18 when they host the Dandenong Stingrays at Kingborough’s Twin Ovals.