Eagles swoop late to end Hawks challenge

A last-term surge gave Boddington the four points in Narrogin on Saturday, ending the Hawks’ five game winning streak.

Lewis Gillespie and Harry Ellis kicked five goals each for the Eagles, while Damian Hayward, Mitchell Salmeri, Chad Wrigley and Michael Humble showed plenty of class across the ground in Boddington’s 18.15 (123) to 9.9 (63) victory.

The Hawks kept up with the reigning premiers for most of the match, heading into the first break at 3.4 (22) each, with Humble setting the tone early for Boddington and Matthew Abraham playing ferociously for the Hawks.

Both sides wasted plenty of opportunities early in the second term. Kaine Riley and Ryan Fleay held up the Hawks back line while Alek Oliver and Dean Hart did the same at the other end.

Goals to Matthew Giumelli, Ellis, Wrigley and Gillespie gave Boddington a three-goal lead at half-time, with Kyle Mead rewarded for his relentless pressure with a goal for Narrogin. A Gillespie goal gave Boddington a four-goal lead early in the third term.

Malachi Bolton started to make an impact for the Hawks, kicking three goals for the term.

Goals to Salmeri and Wrigley blew the margin back out to four goals but a Ryan Gray major just before the three-quarter-time siren reduced the Eagles lead to just under three kicks.

The Eagles ran away with the game in the last quarter, keeping them in second spot. Hayward, Wrigley, Salmeri, Giumelli and Beaux Venables were the difference for Boddington. Bolton, Abraham, Gray and Isaiah Jetta-Bolton stood up for the Hawks.