Match of the Round Report: Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels vs Dubbo Demons

AFL Central West Men’s Tier 2, Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels 9.12-66 defeat Dubbo Demons 5.8-38

 

The Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels have defeated an undermanned Dubbo Demons by 28-points at George Park.

Dubbo travelled to Bathurst without a full squad, so the Rebels helped the Demons by giving them two players for the match in a great show of sportsmanship.

The visitors came out strong in the opening quarter, kicking the the first goal and putting the pressure on the hosts. The Rebels picked things up in the second quarter however and led the game through till the final siren.

Jai Bellamy was outstanding for the hosts, kicking three goals. Daniel Crofts, and Dylan Patching both kicked two for the Rebels. Joseph Hedger came out big for the Demons, kicking three goals himself despite the loss. Andrew Pearson also kicked two.

The win keeps the Rebels in third on the Men’s Tier 2 ladder, whilst the Demons fall to sixth.

 

Goal Kickers

Rebels: J. Bellamy 3, D. Patching 2, D. Crofts 2, R. Belmonte, J. Leven

Demons: J. Hedger 3, A. Pearson 2

 

Match Summary

Quarter 1 – Dubbo Demons 1.4-10 lead Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels 0.4-4

In the opening quarter, Dubbo started the match with good pace, having the first opportunity at goal through a great sequence of footy. The kick missed, resulting in a behind for the visitors.

The hosts soon had their opportunities, and Tom Regan enjoyed the first chance for his side. His kick however, also resulted in a behind.

The Rebels were enjoying the bulk of possession midway through the quarter, pressuring the Demons back line immensely. The visitor’s were up to the task though, preventing the hosts from getting the shots they wanted.

It was looking like it would finish as a goalless quarter for both teams. The Demons had other plans though and kicked a goal just as the siren sounded. The goal gave the visitors a six-point lead through the first break.

 

Quarter 2 – Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels 4.6-30 lead Dubbo Demons 2.5-17

The second quarter couldn’t have started any better for the hosts, as Dylan Patching kicked his side’s first goal. Jai Bellamy soon followed that effort kicking their second with a booming kick from distance.

The Rebels had come out of the break with something to prove, having the bulk of the possession and creating intense pressure on the Demons back line. But the visitors were not prepared to give up, and a sequence of passes from the visitors led to an opportunity for Joseph Hedger. He was able to turn to his side and snap the ball through to put his side ahead by two-points.

The hosts soon got back to what was working for them, and an outstanding 40-metre run by Daniel Crofts along the boundary line allowed him to kick his side’s third.

Not long after, the Rebels kicked their fourth goal,  extending their lead over the Demons into halftime. The visitors looked out on their feet by the end of the quarter, and the siren couldn’t have come at a better time.

 

Read: AFL Central West Round 6 Recap

 

Quarter 3 – Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels 7.9-51 lead Dubbo Demons 2.7-19

The halftime break seemed to have helped both sides, as they both looked to move the footy around freely. The hosts were connecting with their passes however, which led to an early opportunity for Grady Tapping. The kicked missed however, only resulting in a behind.

The Rebels were once again getting most of the possession, but they were unable to convert that into points. This soon changed though when the Rebels got their fifth goal of the day through an excellent display of football, which led to Jai Bellamy kicking his second.

Dylan Patching soon kicked his second of the day with a pinpoint kick from in front of goal. The hosts were looking in control, but Dubbo were fighting back, determined to make it a game.

The Rebels looked too strong, and soon kicked their seventh, as Reece Belmonte opened his account.

A fantastic quarter from the hosts gave them a 32-point lead into the final break.

 

Quarter 4 – Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels 9.12-66 defeat Dubbo Demons 5.8-38

The Rebels looked in control early on, as Daniel Crofts broke multiple tackles to kick his second from about 25-metres out.

Dubbo were still determined despite the score, and they soon got their chances as Joseph Hedger snapped a no look pass from the boundary line straight into the arms of Andrew Pearson. Pearson took the mark and converted the shot, giving a boost to the Demons’ side.

The visitors soon got another chance and a tremendously lucky bounce ensured the footy found the goals, giving Dubbo their fourth goal of the day.

Reece Belmonte was huge for the Rebels, using his speed and agility to break past the Demons as the opponents’ tired. This allowed the hosts multiple chances inside their forward line.

The hosts kicked their ninth goal soon after, going back to what was working for them in the second and third quarters.

The Demons weren’t done though, as Joseph Hedger kicked his third for the day to close the buffer between the sides.

The final siren sounded soon after, giving the Rebels their second win over the Demons this year.

 

Coaches Comments:

On the Game:

Rebels (Damian De Montemas) – “It was much improved from last week. It was a really good effort. I thought our midfield is really coming together now and the boys played some beautiful footy.”

Demons (Joseph Hedger) – “We came over undermanned, so it was a really gallant effort. Much credit to the Bushrangers because they gave us two players every quarter. That’s the best thing about reserve grade so I told them when they come to Dubbo we will do the same thing. The boys really rallied.

 

On what was said at halftime:

Rebels – “Just to lift the intensity. Keep the talk up and try and put a few more points on the board. In a game where two of our players are playing for Dubbo, it can be hard to keep the intensity up. But I think we did that and just to keep the talk and work harder for each other.”

Demons – “Just to man up a little bit, and just kick it forward, instead we were trying to chip it around a little bit. We just wanted to get it forward and kick some quick goals.”

 

Thoughts on the opposition:

Rebels – “Great, they are a really great bunch of guys. We played them in Dubbo a couple of weeks ago and we got a good win over them there. But obviously they were very undermanned, and some of their players are backing up and playing for their first-grade side. They tried very hard.”

Demons – “The Bushrangers have been the benchmark for a decade now. I’ve played six years of footy and they have always been at the top no matter whether its Men’s, Women’s, or Reserve Grade. Credit to them, they are a good club.”

 

On improvements for next game:

Rebels – “Just the usual. Kicking, and all the basics.”

Demons – “Just the skills, we fumbled the footy a bit. So just trying to get on the paddock, and work on the their skills.”

 

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