Purples pair make it a ‘bad’ Friday for Blues

Hicks and Evans both kicked seven goals in the 83-point win, despite Hicks spending the entire last quarter on the field with a foot injury.

Nathalia won the match 20.10 (130) to Tongala’s 6.11 (47), the Blues rotating a number of players through its attacking end as it was without a key forward target.

Tongala recruits Nick Woods and Angus Scoble had responsibility for the Purple goalkickers for much of the first half, Woods returning after an impressive season with Girgarre in the Kyabram district league and Scoble playing only his third game of senior football.

Scoble, who is on the Bendigo Pioneers roster, was assigned the big task of standing Evans by new Blues coach Billy Barnes.

Barnes, on the sidelines with his knee heavily bandaged, would have probably accepted responsibility for Evans if he was fit to play in the season opener.

Evans kicked 94 goals from 17 games last season, but in the first three quarters played second fiddle to Hicks. Evans kicked three of his seven goals in the final term to start the year where he finished off in 2023.

Last year Evans kicked 29 goals in two matches against Rumbalara and added another 12 goals to his tally in one match against Tocumwal. Against Tongala he kicked eight goals in two outings.

Hicks kicked just one goal against Tongala last season in their round 11 meeting and 10 of his 26 goals for the season came against the winless Rumbalara team.

Nathalia had built a 48-point lead by half-time, expanding that to 68 by three-quarter time with a five-goal-to-one third term.

In the final quarter the determined Tongala kicked three of its six majors for the game to add respectability to the scoreline.

Charlie Angley was the pick of the Blues’ many recruits, his dash out of defence creating temporary respite from the domination of the Nathalia forwards.

Of the other Blues newcomers, decorated amatuer footballer Matt Caaia started in the centre of the ground. He did his best work, however, in attack and could have finished with four goals if not for a couple of near-misses.

As it was he was the Blues’ only multiple goalkicker (with two goals) and offered a target during his rotation with Jordan Souter, Mitch Gugliotti, Mackenzie Cowley and another recruit, Bordie Easton, through the centre of the ground.

Tongala captain Kyle Fitzgerald, in typical fashion, probably broke even against a much bigger opponent in Nathalia star Brodie Ross.

He and Dominic Watt were the most aggressive of the Blues’ mid-fielders, but lacked the polish of their opposition and regularly their hard work was undone by a lack of connection with the Blues attack.

Sam Cirpriani, Souter and returning star Braden Nevett were key targets in attack. They were often forced further afield, however, to provide an outlet kick for the likes of desperate defenders Alex Williams and Bryce Denham.

At the opposite end of the ground it was Evans who kicked two goals in the first five minutes of the match before Caaia put the Blues on the board.

The Nathalia star kicked his third in the first minute of the second term and despite regularly going into attack the Blues’ efforts were thwarted by intercept marking from Ryan Butler.

Playing in his 200th game for the Tongala club, Jayden Tucker was among several Blues players who were punching above their weight.

Tongala was undersized and forced to work much harder for its reward than the Purples appeared to do when going into attack.

Cipriani offered some physical resistance to the Nathalia onslaught, but strong mid-field work from Bailey Bell, Jared Laffy and Nathan Oakes had the Purples on top in the clearance department.

Nathalia’s 10th goal in the second term, and Hicks’ third, made it an eight-goal game at the long break.

Tom Cooper, who spent time at both ends of the ground, was switched onto Evans in the third term, but it was four goals from Hicks that blew the game apart.

Another recruit, Billy Mclay, showed positive signs on a wing and Tristan Watson floated in and out of the game after an impressive 2023 season.

Another teenager, first-gamer Jesse Johnstone, came onto the ground after half-time and despite having played a full under-17 game was very impressive with his output.

A 55-metre bomb from Cirpriani to start the third term was one of few highlights for the Blues in a period where they were outscored five goals to one.

Left-footed livewire Mitch Gugliotti improved the further the match progressed and could have been rewarded with two goals if not for his inaccurate kicking.

Riley Clarke, who started in the mid-field, was moved into defence for the last quarter and influenced Tongala’s improved performance in the final term.

Purples’ ruckman Brodie Ross moved into the goal square when Hicks left the field and kicked a goal to start the final term.

It was, however, a flat finish to the game as the Blues battled hard to ensure the result did not blow out to triple figures.

It was a far cry from the thrilling finish to last year’s Good Friday match when Nathalia scraped home by one goal.

The Blues have Echuca United next weekend, the Eagles managing only two goals in their 111-point loss to traditional rival Moama.