UGSFL 2024: Narrogin thump reigning premiers, Boddington and Williams with crushing wins in Belt-Up Round

Narrogin jumped to third spot on the Upper Great Southern Football League ladder after a dominant win over Katanning Wanderers in Belt-Up Round on Sunday. The Hawks hosted the Tigers in round four but an 11-goal second half from the home side guided them to a 99-point victory at Clayton Road Oval. It was the Hawks’ second win of the season under player-coach Jordan Heil and they leapt to third as a result, joining three other teams with a 2-2 win-loss record to start 2024. The Tigers were up for the contest in the opening half, as they defended strongly and held the home side to six goals. The Hawks led by 22 points at the first change, and extended that margin to 45 points by the long break as key forward Noah Criddle-White began to get on top. James Laurino and Abdul Pickett were winning plenty of the ball and defensive pair Josh Pinney and Ryan Pontillo were doing their best under plenty of pressure but the game broke open after half-time. The Hawks kicked five majors in the third term and then booted six in the last, to secure the emphatic 17.16 (118) to 2.7 (19) victory. Criddle-White was superb up front for the winners, booting eight goals in his fourth appearance for the Hawks. Tom Kilpatrick (two goals) was electric through the middle while the Hawks were also well served by Kacey Beard, Henry Gould, Damon Penny, Haki Harcourt, and Noah Bowen-Zoccoli. For the Tigers, Caleb Gill and Pickett kicked their two majors while Laurino, Lachlan Saunders, Josh Pinney and Pontillo were all valuable contributors, but their side fell to a fourth straight defeat. Williams stamped their credentials with a crushing 66-point win over Kukerin-Dumbleyung in Williams on Sunday. The Cats stormed to a third win of the season on the back of six goals in the second and third quarters. Noah Logie finished with five majors and Nathan Pearce kicked three in the 17.15 (117) to 8.3 (51) result. Kyle Shanahan, Simon Panizza, Cam Stedman, and Addison Dew were all vital for the winners. The Cougars, who went goalless in the second term, were best served by Byron Blevin, Austin Shotter, Stockton Cruz Shotter and Jordan Ryan (three goals). Boddington remain undefeated after thrashing Wagin by 151 points in Boddington on Saturday. Lloyd Padwick continued his superb start to the season with nine goals while Maxx Della Franca kicked six in the 26.16 (172) to 2.9 (21) rout. The Bulldogs were left stunned after conceding 10 goals in the opening term and slipped to sixth spot on the ladder as a result of their second loss. In the closest game of the weekend, Wickepin kicked the only goal of the final term to beat Brookton-Pingelly by nine points in Brookton on Saturday. The Warriors trailed at half-time but three goals in the third quarter had them up at the last change. Matt Jukes (four goals) was key for the visitors securing a second win of the year while the Warriors’ defence held the Panthers to one goal after half-time.