Jerilderie secured a hard-fought victory over Tocumwal at the Jerilderie Recreation Reserve on Saturday, which was round 10 of the Picola & District Football Netball League.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The game started with both teams displaying strong defensive structures.
Tocumwal set the tone early with physical pressure around the contest, led by the tireless efforts of David Farrell, who was laying tackles, winning clearances, and setting a high standard of accountability.
The Bloods matched Jerilderie for intensity in the opening term, with both teams finding ways to score while still keeping the game tightly contested.
Jerilderie managed to edge ahead with three goals, while Tocumwal responded with two.
The first quarter ended with Jerilderie leading by four points.
The second and third quarters continued in the same vein - brutal, unrelenting football.
The midfield battle was ferocious, with Toc’s Harvey White delivering one of his most complete performances of the year. His balance between clean ball use and hard-nosed defence gave Tocumwal a consistent spark through the centre corridor.
Dan Keenan was reliable in the backline, taking intercept marks and turning defence into attack under constant pressure.
Tocumwal’s forward line looked dangerous every time they went inside 50.
Logan White made his presence felt with two strong goals, while Jack Tyndall capitalised on his opportunities with two of his own.
Xavier Walker, another standout for Toc, was lively and created constant headaches for Jerilderie’s defenders, also finishing with two majors.
Dane Maxwell added a classy goal, and Achoung Agog provided a brilliant highlight early with a burst of pace and finish.
Tocumwal had renewed energy, adding two goals, but Jerilderie maintained their composure and also kicked two goals and led by seven points at half-time.
The third quarter saw both teams intensifying their efforts.
Jerilderie added three goals, while Tocumwal managed only one, which allowed the Demons to increase their lead to 20 points heading into the final term.
As the final quarter began, the game remained in the balance.
Tocumwal fought valiantly in the final quarter, kicking three goals, however Jerilderie’s earlier lead proved insurmountable, and they held on to win by 14 points.
Blair Eddy was once again among Tocumwal’s best, providing poise and skill under pressure, while Lachie McDonald worked like a machine around the ground, refusing to give in and continuing to drive the Bloods forward in search of that match-turning moment.
It was one of the most gripping and hard-fought contests of the 2025, with both teams fighting for a finals berth.
Final score: Tocumwal 8.7 (55) def by Jerilderie 10.9 (69).
Reserves:
The Demons had a great hit out against Tocumwal.
The visitors kicked the first two goals, but Jerilderie came out firing in the second quarter and were back in control of the game.
They continued to keep driving the ball forward, opening the margin up to win comfortably.
The backline worked hard all day to minimise Tocumwal’s scoring opportunities while the forwards had no trouble getting goals on the board.
Toc’s players never really got out of second gear - probably because their toes were frozen solid.
Goals to Cody Palmer, Jaiden Wapshot, Jordan Findlay and Beau Close gave the Bloods’ scoreboard some respectability.
Final score: Tocumwal 4.1 (25) def by Jerilderie 8.5 (53).
Toc’s best: D Maxwell, K Wardlaw, C Palmer, W Law, D Eddy, A Lukies.
Under-17s:
After a week off, the Toc thirds were raring to go, and they delivered in a big way.
Despite playing 15-a-side, the boys brought the pressure all day and ran away with a dominant win.
Hunter Groutsch set the tone early, giving the mids first use and setting up a scoreboard frenzy.
Logan White and Liam Sutton slotted six goals each, Phoenix Valente and Rory Shepherd bagged five, Chace Brunskill four, and both Chase Dickins and Cody Palmer chipped in with one.
Toc were too quick out of the centre and piled on many unanswered goals in the first half.
Jerilderie tried hard to get it into their forward line, but they were a step or two behind their opposition, and at half-time hadn’t kicked a goal, down 88-2.
The Dees had more run in the third, and tightened up man on man, which meant more of the game was in their half, leading to their first goal.
The Jerilderie boys gave it their all in the final quarter and kept their heads up, but the young team knew it was going to be a tough result.
Final score: Tocumwal 29.16 (190) def Jerilderie 2.1 (13).
Toc’s best: L Sutton, R Shepherd, C Brunskill, P Valente, C Palmer, D Cameron
Toc’s awards: Pheonix Valente, Rory Shepherd, Cody Palmer, Declan Cameron.
Under-14s:
The Dees came out firing once again, showcasing a strong attacking brand of football in front of their home crowd.
They hit the scoreboard early with three majors in the first quarter, thanks to repeated forward entries and quick ball movement.
Down back, the defensive unit stood tall, repelling several Tocumwal attacks and holding them to just two goals in an impressive opening term.
The second quarter was a real arm-wrestle, with both sides lifting their intensity.
Jerilderie’s pressure around the contest and relentless tackling were a highlight, making life tough for Tocumwal.
Despite numerous inside 50s, Jerilderie could only convert one goal for the quarter.
The defenders continued to work hard, limiting Tocumwal’s scoring opportunities and holding them to just a single point.
Tocumwal came out from the big break a stronger side and were able to pull away in the second half, though the Dees never gave up and continued to fight for every contest.
There were plenty of positives to take from the game, including the attacking structure, defensive resilience, and the team’s ability to apply pressure consistently.
For Tocumwal, Jack Watson sparked the comeback with four majors in a huge third quarter.
The team kept Jerilderie to just two goals for the half.
With momentum on their side, the Bloods finished strong to claim a solid win.
Final score: Tocumwal 10.3 (63) def. Jerilderie 5.7 (37).
Toc’s best: A Chellew, H Wilson, J Watson, N Dickins, O East, S Borg.
Toc’s awards: Nate Dickins, Archie Chellew, Jack Watson, Sam Borg, Joel Harrison, Archie Matters.
Contributed content