FOOTBALL: The Eaton Boomers have picked up from where they left off last year by thumping Collie by 69 points in a grand final rematch.
Collie fought hard but found it too hard to move the ball with fluency as the Boomers put on a run-and-carry clinic finishing the game 14.10.94 to 3.7.25 victors.
There were encouraging signs for the Boomers whose young players stepped right into league level football without a worry.
Brent Piercey, Rannon Salmon, Denhalm King and Greg Parry were all good enough to keep themselves in contention for selection in the coming weeks despite the expected return of key players such as Leigh Kelly, Rohan Lily, Brendan Page and Jace Cormack.
The work rate of more seasoned players was also a big boost for Eaton with Jye Cormack, Chris Atthowe, Josh Bowe and Blake Piggot all generating a spread of disposals and creating goals.
Collie held their own for a majority of the game but could not put pressure on the scoreboard while Eaton found goals easy to come by.
In the first quarter Eaton found themselves kicking with the aide of the breeze as Matt Buchanan opened the scoring with two consecutive goals.
The Boomers capitalised on the conditions to go into the huddle leading seven goals to one.
In the second quarter Collie found their feet to turn the game into a 50-50 contest.
Tony Mirabella was a star in his first game for the Eagles while Matt Blackford, Will Cleggett, Matt Michael and Corey Griggs all worked hard to even out the game in the second term.
Both teams kicked just the one goal in the second quarter.
Coming out of the half time break Eaton maintained a six goal lead and with the breeze they were able to blow it out to 10 goals at the final change.
The Eagles scrapped to salvage whatever they could from the game but Eaton managed to stretch the margin by another goal in the final term.
The only thing that may have outdone the efforts of the Boomers’ playing group was the performance of their debutant coach Richard Barnard.
Barnard fine-tuned his player positions to give his team the upper hand in every matchup around the ground which allowed his Boomers to carry out the game plan perfectly.
Next week Collie will look to bounce back with a game at home against Busselton while Eaton will look for a big win over the lowly Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault.
In the first regular season game played under lights at Hands Oval South Bunbury was able to snatch a win from Carey Park.
South Bunbury ran out the game 9.13.67 to 7.11.53 victors.
Busselton opened the game with a bang against Harvey outscoring the Bulls 50 to seven in the first term.
Harvey couldn't catch up as Busselton finished the game 14.14.98 to 6.6.42 victors.
The Bunbury Bulldogs new look side took to Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault's young side with malice in a 112 point victory.
Marc Re (nine goals) and Aidan Parker (six) both outscored the Lions on their own as Bunbury topped HBL 21.17.143 to 4.7.31
Donnybrook got off to a dream start to season 2014 after dousing Augusta-Margaret River in a 47 point defeat.
Curtis Guglielmana kicked five majors for the Dons as they finished the game 12.11.83 to 5.6.36 victors.
