The Magpies were winning the rucks and clearances early on and if they could keep that up they could starve their opponents from going forward.

Jarrod Doudle was having a major influence on the game with his fast leads straight up the ground a highlight. He took several telling marks on these leads and this had the effect of straightening Marble Range up to give them better percentage shots on goal.

He finished with three for the quarter with majors also to the young duo of West and Sampson.

Mallee Park kicked only three in return through P. Dudley, B. Johncock and Derrick Wanganeen.

Half time saw Rangers ahead by 10 points, 7-5 to 5-7, and you would have to say they were playing the better football.

Jarrod Doudle was best for Rangers in the first half with Haydn Parker always in the mix, and Darren Francis once again showing his excellent reading of the ball.

Matt Harradine had a huge second quarter with Tim Brooks and Carl Semmler also playing well.

For the Peckers, Joel Tessman, Dean Dudley and Ainsley Betts were firing with several others only contributing bits and pieces. The umpires had control and many free kicks were paid to both sides.

The Magpies went out to start the second half hoping to repeat their effort, but the Peckers had other ideas with a goal to Dean Dudley from a tight angle after a clearance from the first bounce. Another to P. Dudley and the Peckers had all guns blazing as they hit the front.

An avalanche of goals followed, which saw them kick eight for the quarter. P. Dudley added another one, T. Dudley and Derrick Wanganeen two, and J. Blewitt one.

The Rangers were held goalless and were gutted and coach Owen left no-one in doubt as to what he thought of their effort.

The skill and run through that quarter by the young Pecker lads was terrific; they virtually danced around their opponents and something special was required of the Rangers if they were to come back at them from a six-goal deficit.

This was quickly snuffed out as the Peckers scored the first goal through that man Phillip Dudley, who again outpointed Chris Brooks in a marking contest. Goals to Harry Miller and P. Dudley were recorded and, the only majors for the Rangers was through young Boyd West to give him two for the day.

On the back of their second half Mallee Park ran out convincing winners 16-12 to 8-11 and one man who can take a lot of credit was Joel Tessman who provided drive in an all-day effort to earn best on ground.

Harry Miller came into the game very strongly in the second half and his centre clearance work and precision foot-passing was excellent.

The young guns of Dean Dudley, Derrick Wanganeen (three goals) and Joseph Burgoyne were a joy to watch, and Ainsley Betts added his experience in another good game.

For the Rangers it was toss up for me between Jarrod Doudle, who was awesome in the first half, or Haydn Parker for best player. A lot of players dropped out in the second half but Darren Francis, Tim Brooks and Carl Semmler deserve a mention. Other Rangers also did bits from time to time but there were three or four who should have stayed in bed.

Mallee Park were too strong, too fast and too good and deserve to be premiership favourites at this stage of the season.

Port Lincoln

A grade

Wayback 4-2 4-2 6-4 8-5 (53)

Boston 2-2 4-3 8-4 9-7 (61)

Goals: Wayback: M. Kelsh 2, R. Montgomerie, M. Blight, B. Sampson, S. Hammond, J. Whittaker, M. Goodwin. Boston: D. Bryant 3, S. Singh 2, M. Miller 2, R. Marsh, B. Herangi.

Best: Wayback: A. Whittaker, M. Goodwin, J. Whittaker, C. Millard, W. Stevens, R. Hunt. Boston: B. Watherston, R. Marsh, J. Arbon, M. Miller, M. Franklin, J. Hughes, D. Coleman.

Tasman 3-3 5-5 12-8 17-17 (119)

Lincoln South 3-2 4-2 5-5 5-5 (35)

Goals: Tasman: A. Vonow 5, R. Campbell 3, B. Cimarosti 2, P. Davey, H. McKinlay, P. Dowd, M. Dodd, M. James, J. Christian. Lincoln South: J. Williams 3, K. Sims, J. Stoetzer.

Best: Tasman: A. Vonow, M. Dodd, B. Cimarosti, R. Campbell, M. James, H. McKinlay. Lincoln South: A. Jericho, S. Kidney, J. Williams, J. Nagel, K. Hancock, A. Campbell.

Mallee Park 2-4 5-7 13-10 16-12 (108)

Marble Range 2-2 7-5 7-8 8-11 (59)

Goals: Mallee Park: P. Dudley 6, T. Dudley 3, D. Wanganeen 3, B. Johncock, H. Miller. Marble Range: J. Doudle 4, B. West 2, J. Sampson, C. Semmler.

Best: Mallee Park: B. Roderick, J. Tessman, A. Betts, M. Burgoyne, Dwayne Walsh, P. Dudley. Marble Range: J. Doudle, M. Haradine, T. Brooks, H. Parker, J. Sampson, D. Francis.

Reserves

Wayback 2-2 3-6 4-7 8-8 (56)

Boston 2-0 2-3 4-4 4-8 (32)

Goals: Wayback: S. Franklin 3, K. Baldwin 2, N. Costello, L. Westbury, D. Haebich. Boston: A. Searle 2, L. O’Reilly, G. Hughes.

Best: Wayback: S. Turvey, S. Franklin, G. Bawden, J. Klabe, K. Baldwin, J. Bascombe. Boston: H. Montgomerie, G. Hughes, A. Searle, R. Eldridge, J. Fauser, R. Whillas.

Tasman 3-2 7-5 9-7 10-8 (68)

Lincoln South 1-1 2-2 2-5 2-9 (21)

Goals: Tasman: D. Stoeckel 5, D. Baillie 2, T. Sargent 2, S. Ambrose. Lincoln South: NA.

Best: Tasman: S. Ambrose, B. Bartley, R. Gill, D. Stoeckel, D. Baillie, A. Easton. Lincoln South: D. Traeger, A. Richter, L. Cronin, M. Packer, J. Sundquist, A. Hoskins.

Marble Range 3-1 5-1 6-2 8-4 (52)

Mallee Park 1-1 2-2 3-4 4-5 (29)

Goals: Marble Range: R. Webb 4, R. Proude 2, D. King, A. Vasey. Mallee Park: J. Johncock, O. Coffin, A. Kartinyeri, Q. Ware.

Best: Marble Range: A. Pobke, B. Dutschke, R. Webb, A. Jones, R. Proude, D. Murphy. Mallee Park: R. Flavel, G. Dudley, D. Miller, T. Johncock, K. Newcombe, J. Roderick.

Under 17

Lincoln South 5-5 9-8 10-16 15-21 (111)

Tasman 1-0 2-3 3-4 5-6 (36)

Goals: Lincoln South: J. Williams 4, J. Harvey 2, B. Traeger 2, N. McEvoy 2, B. Grocke 2, T. Hill, R. O’Brien, D. Williams. Tasman: T. Forrest 2, C. Collins, B. White, A. Milton.

Best: Lincoln South: J. Harvey, N. McEvoy, B. Grocke, A. Hoskins, B. Traeger. Tasman: J. Travers, D. Williams, R. Bawden, C. Daniels, M. Orbons.

Boston forfeit game to Wayback

Mallee Park 6-1 11-6 15-11 21-14 (140)

Marble Range 1-1 2-1 3-1 10-2 (62)

Goals: Mallee Park: J. Blewitt 3, J. Miller 3, J. Burgoyne 2, Q. Ware 2, P. Nash 2, D. Dudley 2, J. Lindsay, P. Kartinyeri, J. Roderick, J. Lindsay, T. Dudley, K. Stafford, O. Coffin. Marble Range: J. Doudle 8, D. Mitchell, M. Wiseman.

Best: Mallee Park: J. Miller, J. Roderick, D. Dudley, K. Betts, J. Burgoyne. Marble Range: J. Doudle, K. Dufek, D. Mitchell, D. Swaffer, L. Stevens.

Under 15

Mallee Park Mercy Rule 14-6 (90)

Marble Range 1-0 (6)

Goals: Mallee Park: W. Roderick 2, Q. Ahkit-Burgoyne 2, C. Lewis 2, K. Betts, D. Miller, J. Roderick, B. McFarlane, S. Miller, C. Taylor, K. Davey, O. Coffin. Marble Range: B. Keeley.