Rick Drewer

THE Willaston Donnybrooks opened its 2020 BL&G season hosting the Barossa District Bulldogs at Elliot Goodger Memorial Park, immediately introducing its exciting new ruck recruit, the big, strong and physical Ray Smith, from Eastern Park.
His on-ground strength and presence is just what the Donny's were missing last season and will enable the smaller on-ballers first look at the ball throughout this season's shortened campaign.
But for the sanctions that have hung over the Donny's heads, it was a finals side last season, and judging on this performance, it will be right up there at the pointy end this year.
Early goals to the ever-reliable and consistent Sam Walton and Brodie Cormack within the first eight minutes saw Willaston take the initiative, playing with confidence and cooperation with speedy ball movement.
Despite leading by only four points at the first break, the Donny's looked by far the better side, with the Dogs’ Jaydn Goodfellow required in the ruck in an attempt to nullify the influence of Smith. This robbed the visitors of his much-needed presence up forward, particularly as Donny Shaun Childs, was proving to be very effective in cutting out any real influence from key cog Darren Shillabeer.
Willaston added a further five goals within the first 18 minutes of the second term, including three of Brayden Coombs’ eight for the day, with Tyson Irlam, Walton, Michael Howson and  Harrison Elbrow bobbing up everywhere, and great rebound from Michael Clinch and Matt Brooks.
The seven-goals-to-one second term in favour of the Donnybrooks stretched its lead to 38 points at the long break and it was essentially game-over.
Despite an early Darren Shillabeer goal for Barossa after the long break, and valiant efforts from Leigh Ryswyk and Jaydn Goodfellow to stem the flow, Willaston, again, outplayed the Dogs to extend the lead to 50 points at the final change-over.
To their credit, the Bulldog players kept fighting on late, registering the opening three goals of the final stanza courtesy of Ethan Gant, Owen Watson and Adam Spencer, momentarily providing Donny supporter's with the horrendous  thought of  'surely not the greatest comeback of all time?'
It was not so, as Willaston put the icing on the cake by feeding key forward Coombs for his last three goals and becoming the only side to hit the 100-point mark in round one.