Mooroopna's Rhys Osborne has stepped up to Murray Bushranger duties.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Murray Bushrangers defied a slow start to its Coates Talent League clash against the Northern Territory to claim a long-awaited first win.
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And in a positive display of its depth, six debutants lined up for the Bushies to help deliver that result.
Two of those came from Mooroopna Reserve in the form of Rhys Osborne and Mackenzie Calleja, translating their senior Goulburn Valley League and under-16 Bushies representation into an opportunity to showcase their skills in the top-age bracket.
Mackenzie Calleja joined Rhys Osborne in playing his first Murray Bushrangers game.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Calleja was named at half-back while Osborne was listed to start from the bench, but they weren’t alone in making the leap; three Murray Football League representatives also donned the Bushies jumper for the first time.
Cobram would have delighted in Alex Krause and Paulie Degei hitting the scoreboard in their first hitout, while Nathalia product Baz McDonald also made an impact.
That impact was sorely needed, especially after the Bushies mustered only one point to quarter-time.
The sluggish start was swiftly forgotten, however, as they slammed home six second-quarter goals to carry a 15-point lead into the main break at La Trobe University’s Tony Sheehan Oval.
From there, only one goal snuck through the back six for the entire second half as the Bushrangers ran away with a convincing 12.10 (82) to 4.10 (34) victory, a strong result given the talent missing from Mark Brown’s side.
Numurkah product Harry Moon suited up for Victoria Country in its clash against the AFL Young Guns, while Shepparton United duo Riley Onley and Tanner Armstrong were involved in Scotch College’s APS Footy victory at the weekend.
The Bushies now have back-to-back byes before facing Tasmania on Sunday, May 25, while the girls team return from a week off and will aim to add to their two wins when they face the Northern Knights at Preston City Oval on Sunday.
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