Aaron Degreef

SOUTH Gawler reinforced its number-two spot on the ladder with a tough 35-point win over Barossa District in Barossa Light & Gawler A-grade competition on Saturday.
The result sets up a showdown with Gawler Central next week in which both teams will enter with unbeaten records.
On a great day with the sun shining, both teams made their way onto the field – and it was Barossa that started strong with Michael Baraglia receiving the ball and opening his side’s account.
The Lions then struck back with Bailey Zobel snapping one through while on the run, before Henry Bennison doubled down on this effort with a quick goal of his own.
The scores remained almost stagnant for the rest of the quarter as both teams carefully looked for openings.
Within the final minutes of the quarter, Jake Willemsen snapped the ball between the big sticks, and Nathan Bartsch dribbled through a fourth major to put the Lions in front by three goals.
To commence the second term, Declan Kennedy ended the Bulldog drought with a long-range kick from an angle that proved to be deadly accurate.
This ignited a fuse within the Dogs as Daniel Kickel stepped up to nail a goal from fifty out.
In a similar fashion, Dylan Coleman continued the scoring spree with a penetrating shot from medium range.
However, the Lions were still the kings of the jungle as Bartsch fumbled, quickly composed himself, and then bounced it through for his second major score.
Daniel Goulding then banged through a set-shot after receiving a pass from Brodie Hudson, and Bennison snagged his second after taking a high-flying mark in the goal square after a shot for goal dropped short – heading into halftime with a margin of just eight points.
After the main break, Barossa entered with a newfound determination that had South Gawler really under the pump.
Darren Shillabeer began the scoring after hanging back behind his defender and booting the ball through an open goal.
Coleman then won a free-kick which he converted into a goal after a costly 25-metre penalty when South Gawler argued with the umpire.
Enraged, Goulding temporarily turned back the tide by securing the ball and accelerating into the goal square – but on the other end, Barossa’s Leigh Ryswyk immediately did the same – holding his position and running into an open goal, sending the crowd wild.
Ryswyk used this momentum to find a chink in the defense and to kick his second after being put through by Shillabeer.
During the final stanza, Shillabeer snagged his second goal after punting the football through early on.
But the Lions had activated the afterburners as Bartsch quickly converted his set-shot, and the ever-consistent Domenico Costanzo further extended the lead after running his 15 metres, supported by the voices of his teammates, and kicking the goal.
Ryswyk bombed through Barossa’s final goal of the game, but this did not deter the Lions from widening the margin with Costanzo, young gun Jordan Tippins and new recruit Dean Cutting kicking a goal apiece to secure the win.