The game against Katandra began at a frenetic pace, with both teams trading blows.
Jerilderie edged ahead by two points at the first break, thanks to early majors from Jeff Garlett and Sleigh.
The home side looked composed and clean with their ball use through the middle.
Katandra lifted around the contest in the second term, gaining the ascendancy through repeated forward entries.
Jerilderie managed just one goal as Katandra added three, taking an 11-point lead into the main break.
The third quarter saw Jerilderie lift their pressure, with strong work from Treadway and Diffey around stoppages.
Two more goals brought them back within striking distance, but Katandra responded late in the term to keep the margin at 14 points.
Despite a competitive showing for three quarters, Jerilderie ran out of legs in the final term.
Katandra took control in transition and slammed on four final quarter goals to pull away.
Jerilderie added two of their own but couldn’t close the gap.
Although the final margin didn’t reflect their effort, Jerilderie showed plenty of fight against a strong Katandra side.
The addition Garlett gave the home fans something to cheer about, and the side showed strong periods of contested dominance.
With some fine-tuning ahead, Jerilderie will look to build on the positives as they approach the second half of the season.
Final score: Jerilderie 8.7 (55) def by Katandra 12.10 (82).
Reserves
Jerilderie came up against a strong Katandra side and, being a little short numbered again, were up against it from the first bounce.
Katandra kicked 12 goals in the first quarter, making things very tough for the Demons’ backline.
In the next three quarters, Katandra’s scoring opportunities were slowed a little, keeping them to 4-5 goals per quarter, but unfortunately Jerilderie couldn’t get any goals on the board.
Again, the midfield and backline worked hard all day with Dave Hercus leading the way.
Andrew Neesen was a welcome addition to the side this week, getting his hands on plenty of the ball.
Jimmy Winn and Brad Norton also played good games.
Final score: Jerilderie 0.1 (1) def by Katandra 26.13 (169).
Thirds
Jerilderie took on Katandra bolstered by four talented Narrandera Eagles players who travelled down to help us out.
They got off to a great start, working well together and taking it up to their opposition.
The first half was fairly even, with Jerilderie keen to get ahead on the scoreboard and put pressure on the Katandra boys.
Half-time saw the Dees down 35-13.
They were hoping to come out in the third and get a few early goals, but Katandra were too strong in the midfield and scored two goals to one point.
Katandra ran away in the final term, but as always, the ‘never say die’ attitude shone through, with the Dees playing it out to the end.
Final score: Jerilderie 2.3 (15) def by Katrandra 12.7 (79).
Fourths
A win was essential for Jerilderie to keep their finals hopes alive, and the team delivered in a gritty, hard-fought contest.
In the lead-up, players focused on starting strong, being first to the ball, and sticking to the brand of tough, contested footy.
The team responded well early, controlling the play and locking the ball in their attacking half for much of the first quarter.
When Katandra did manage to push forward, the backline stood firm, limiting them to just a minor score.
However, Jerilderie weren’t quite able to convert the dominance into scoreboard pressure.
The second quarter turned into an arm wrestle.
Katandra lifted their intensity and applied pressure with repeated inside-50s, but the Jerilderie defenders held up brilliantly under fire, allowing just one major.
At the main break, only a single point separated the two sides.
Heading into the third term, it was tough for the Demons, with one player sidelined due to a yellow card.
But they dug deep and outscored Katandra two goals to one in a gutsy quarter.
The final quarter was a tense, pressure-filled battle.
Both teams had their chances, but inaccurate kicking reflected the heat of the contest.
The Jerildrie defence again stood tall, and despite a few nervous moments, the team held firm.
When the final siren sounded, the Jerilderie spectators roared in celebration as the littlest Dees secured a thrilling five-point win.
Final score: Jerilderie 3.12 (30) def Katandra 3.7 (25).
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