Key forwards Brad Mangan and Tom Holman dominated as Kyabram’s mid season surge of sparkling form continued on Saturday at Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve.
Mangan booted six goals and Holman four as the Bombers ran out winners by 98 points against a young and undermanned Shepparton United side.
Fresh from ending Seymour’s unbeaten start to the season the previous week the Bombers and Mangan were up and about early with a six-goal-to-one opening term to set the mood for the game.
Mangan simply outmuscled his opponents to kick three of these goals before Holman took over the airwaves with another breathtaking exhibition.
They were two of six Kyabram players who were multiple goalkickers for the Bombers on the day.
The smooth-moving Essendon VFL-listed Will Golds was again destructive wherever he played and displayed his silky goals with four goals, three of which were scored in a dominant third term.
Young guns in Anthony Depasquale and Reuben Rode and also Toby Wooller also added scoreboard pressure with two goals each.
At the other end of the ground Lachie Smith also dominated the airwaves again with another marking masterpiece. He well supported by Jake Parkinson and Riley Ironside in particular.
Another key playmaker in the win was ever-reliable ruckman ace Zac Norris who continued his big year.
Liam Ogden and Nick Denahy Parkinson also got their share of possessions.
The Bombers’ bench was busy swinging players around and generally confused their rivals with wholesale moves.
SCOREBOARD
SHEPP UNITED v KYABRAM
(at Deakin Reserve, Saturday)
Shepp United 1.4, 3.7, 4.9, 6.11 (47)
Kyabram 6.5, 12.6, 18.9, 22.13 (145)
GOALS, Shepp United: L. Serra 4, M. Trevaskis 1, R. Calogero 1, Kyabram: B. Mangan 6, T. Holman 4, W. Golds 4, A. Depasquale 2, R. Rode 2, T. Wooller 2, H. Gemmill 1, K. Herbert 1.
BEST, Shepp United: M. Roche, H. Smith, L. Serra, M. Wattie, F. Pinnuck, Kyabram: T. Holman, W. Golds, L. Smith, Z. Norris, T. Wooller.
Cooper Vick even found himself in the ruck when Norris was resting and star forward Kyle Mueller had stints on the midfield and in defence in the second half.
Tough on-baller Zac Keogh made his welcome return for his first game for the season and will benefit from the hit-out.
The Bombers were missing regulars in Kayne Pettifer, Rhys Clarke and Aidan Robinson and when they are available selectors will have to make some hard decisions.
Kyabram hosts Shepparton Swans this Saturday and, with a 2013 premiership reunion of players, officials and supporters to cheer them on, will be looking for another big win.
My best for Kyabram were Tom Holman, Lachie Smith, Will Golds, Zac Norris, Anthony Depasquale, Liam Ogden.
– Kyabram’s Reserves bounced back from consecutive defeats to blow second-placed United away in an impressive display.
Skipper Will Wild with a six-goal haul showed the way, while Reuben Stranger also was active in Kyabram’s forward zone with four goals.
Key playmakers in the win were ruckman Brendan Brasier on-ballers Liam Dillon and Kaleb Williams, and Adam Pulsoni and Billy McLay.
Josh Wild also led the defence strongly while Jayden Fitzgerald and Tom Gallivan also played well in a good team effort.
– Kyabram thirds also turned in a top display to dismantle United by 58 points.
The Bombers won the snap with seven successive goals immediately after United had kicked the first goal of the game.
From then on the young Bombers were able to keep United well at bay in arguably their best game for the year.
Quality players and onballers in skipper Bohden Learmonth and Nic Jephson set the example to their teammates with dominant displays.
But they got plenty of support from Angus Scoble. Jay Gentle, Oscar Dixon and Tyler Norman in particular while Ben Railton, Danny Miller and Declan Hallett also did a lot of telling work.
The young Bombers have a tough assignment this Saturday against the Shepparton Swans in a battle for second place.
