Impressive start to new season continues as Katanning Wanderers leap to top of the ladder

Katanning Wanderers have soared to the top of the Upper Great Southern Football League table for the first time in three years with a comfortable 41-point win over Wagin on Sunday. The game was hard fought in the midfield as the Wanderers piled on the pressure at Matera Oval, and despite their poor accuracy in front of goal, ran out comfortable 9.15 (69) to 4.4 (28). In an all-round team performance, Reece Nicholson epitomised the Wanderers’ pressure in the midfield by consistently putting his body on the line with hard tackles and off-ball shepherds, restricting the time and space for the Bulldogs to play their style of football. The Bulldogs attempted to stifle Wanderers’ running game, with short passing and switching of play but with poor skill execution, they struggled to maintain possession. Wanderers went into half-time with a comfortable 24-point lead, thanks to midfield trio Kade Stewart, James Laurino and Tyrone Roe, who were dominant with the ball in hand for a third straight week. Stewart showed his class with many hard-won possessions and then pinpointed raking left-foot kicks to leading forwards but the Wanderers never managed to convert that into scoreboard dominance. In the third quarter, the Wanderers managed only three goals and two behinds in what was their highest scoring quarter, highlighting their woes in front of goals. Only full forward Hayden Yarran and ruckman Caleb Keley managed to come out of the game as multiple goal scorers, kicking two each. To the Bulldogs’ credit, they fought hard in the final quarter with two goals and they were well led by Alex Michelon in defence, Bryn Hamersley up forward as well as Thomas Fleay and Reece Andrew. Kyle Hamersley continued his terrific form this season for the Bulldogs and was one of the few stand-out performers. In the reserves, the Wanderers prevailed over the Bulldogs by seven points in a tight contest to take them to fourth on the ladder. The Bulldogs were left to rue their inaccuracies in front of goal, as they fell short, 5.11 (41) to 7.6 (48). The in-form Wanderers will face Boddington at Quartermaine Oval this Sunday while the Bulldogs travel north to take on third-placed Williams in round four.