The Rams senior side look to hit form and hold it as they approach the pointy end of the season, winning at the weekend to make it back-to-back wins heading into the bye.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The Rams accounted for a plucky Barooga side by six goals, on the Hawks’ home deck.
Light rain fell from start to finish, making for a scrappy and hard-fought contest.
It was the Rams’ on-ball brigade that stood tall in the conditions to lead the side to victory with three goals from seven attempts in a dominant last quarter.
The first quarter was an arm wrestle as both sides adjusted to the conditions.
Jake Hobbs kicked a nice goal on the run and Sam Lloyd nailed a set shot to give the Rams the ascendency, but the Hawks hit back thanks to a strong one-handed grab from towering full forward Lachlan Symes who kicked truly from about 40m on the angle.
The Rams held a seven point lead at the break, but it was the second term that set up victory for the visitors.
Hulking big man Hamish Shepheard asserted his dominance in the ruck and gave the Rams first use of the ball.
Lloyd, Charlie Hillier, Ricky Gittens and Hobbs took full advantage.
The Rams kicked three goals for the term while the likes of Brayden Hall, brothers Ryan and Lachie MacDonald, and Cable Fitzpatrick were resolute in defence, to keep the home side to just one goal in the first half.
With a four-goal lead, the Rams had the match well in hand, but the Hawks played their best footy in the third term, with the club’s 1994 premiership reunion players cheering from the sidelines.
Barooga got on top in the midfield for the majority of the quarter with strong runners Lachlan Harris, Angus Cameron and Kris Bextream leading the mini fightback.
The Hawks managed two goals, but a goal to Hobbs steadied the ship and kept the Rams 20 points clear at the last change.
The Rams made some minor positional changes in the last term, with Lachie MacDonald and Brayden Hall pushing further up the field, with Todd Gallagher setting up at full forward alongside Gus Durnan, who gave the Rams a strong target up forward all afternoon.
The Rams stormed home with another three goals, popular team man Matt MacDonald pushing forward to mark and goal to put the icing on a good team performance.
Hobbs was best on ground, showing clean hands in the wet through the midfield and slotting three of the side’s nine goals.
Fellow onballers Gallagher and Lloyd were equally as important – both kicking two majors, Gallagher dominant at ground level and Lloyd showing class with his field kicking.
A key positive for the Rams was the return of skipper John Anstee, who was very clean in the last line of defence despite giving away body size to his full forward opponent Sykes.
Rams coach Gary Parsons also highlighted the side’s teenagers after the game, pointing to emerging young ruckman Doug Billings who took a couple of strong grabs up forward and Jai Park who came on as the sub after half-time and showed speed and clean hands on the forward flank.
Saturday’s victory takes the Rams to seven wins and has them just two premiership points outside the Murray League’s top six in what’s proving a very even season.
Final score: Deniliquin Rams 09.13 (67) to Barooga 04.07 (31).
Best players: Jake Hobbs, Todd Gallagher, Hamish Shepheard, Ricky Gittens, Doug Billings, Gus Durnan.
Goals: Jake Hobbs 3, Sam Lloyd 2, Todd Galagher 2, Charlie Hillier, Matt MacDonald.
Reserves:
In what were pretty miserable conditions, the reserves group were able to put on a really strong team effort from the whole group to get the win over in Barooga against a valiant home side.
Kicking four goals in the first quarter allowed the Rams to try a few things tactically.
The defensive six have been excellent and are part of reason why there is that freedom. They often set up a lot of what the rest of the team is able to do.
The side’s young onballers were strong again, giving plenty of run, carry and link up play, either by foot or by hand.
The forwards executed well on the opportunities they were given, eventually helping the Rams kick away from their Barooga opponents, and going on to secure another dominant win.
Final scores: Deniliquin Rams 16.16 (112) to Barooga 01.03 (9).
Awards: Brock Redden (Fawkner Property), Billy Michael (Ritchies IGA), Jake Cavallaro (Deni RSL), Ben East (Barber & Threadz), Reece Hussey (Surdex Steel).
Goals: Ben Nisbet 4, Zac Free 3, Luke Todd 2, Monte Barnes, Brock Redden, Reece Hussey, Miller Fitzpatrick, Brett Macdonald, Jayden Pitts, Aiden Free.
• Reports from other grades will be included in Friday’s edition.
Contributed content