Giant killer Buchan kicked the final two goals of a close encounter at the Buchan Recreation Reserve to defeat Bruthen in round eight of the Omeo and District Football Netball League last Saturday.
Cavemen coach Chris Mathers again pulled a rabbit out of the hat with Marcus Twomey, Dwayne Cooper, Cameron Dalrymple and Tim Dowe playing due to their Mid Gippsland Football Netball League Club, Boolarra, having the bye. Twomey has impressed in a Buchan jumper before.
It was a game played in patches with varying degrees of momentum switches, but at the end of the day it was the Cavemen who played the more consistent football for the longest and that was what got it over the line.
They kicked eight goals to three in a dominant first half performance where they had 14 shots at goal to just three.
Cohen Manning, Justin Hunt and Dowe all finished with two each for the day.
An inspiring half time rev up from Bulldogs coach Michael Boothey got Bruthen up and about in third term as they kicked seven unanswered premiership quarter goals to remarkably be in front at three quarter time by five points.
Jamie Barton (four goals), Nigel Pearce (three) and hard-running midfielder Harley Kenner (two) were all prominent and difficult to man in that outstanding term of football.
With the momentum and the form they’ve shown in 2025, you would expect the Bulldogs to get the job done but it wasn’t to be. An early goal extended the lead to 10 points, but the Cavemen dug deep, kicking the final two goals, including a long bomb from the talented Jai Nichols from outside 50, to get home in a thrilling finish by two points.
There were some anxious moments late and some heroics from Hamish Hancock stopping an almost certain goal.
Best players for Buchan were James Woodgate, Twomey, Manning, Hancock, Nicholls and Mathers.
Bruthen was disappointed with its performance, with the Bulldogs’ better players being Pearce, Barton, Caleb Marsh, Richard Harrison, Raymond Giddings and tough defender Rhys Kennedy.
The win keeps Buchan a game ahead of Swifts Creek in fourth on the ladder with a trip to Lindenow South likely to see them bank another vital four points.
The Bulldogs’ predicament is a little more interesting. They are still in second place, but now on the same points as third placed Omeo Benambra who make the trek down the hill to visit this week.
It’s a simple equation – the winner will be four points clear in second spot. Both teams are more than capable on their day, but maybe the Alpine Ranges are going marginally better at present.
