North Wagga hands out lesson to Narrandera as CSU test awaits

Skye Davey and Ruby Porter both kicked three goals as North Wagga builds toward a long-awaited clash with Charles Sturt University which has been nearly two seasons in the making.

It's the fourth time in five matches this year the Eagles have been kept scoreless, while this week's clash between Collingullie-Glenfield Park and Griffith was also cancelled.

But Dowdle said the less developed will see light at the end of the tunnel if they persevere through the teething period.

"We're pretty fortunate with the numbers side of things being in Wagga, and straight from the word go last year (when North Wagga entered the competition)," Dowdle said.

"To retain half our list and go again, I'm amazed myself. Other clubs just have to stick at it and keep educating the girls.

"We obviously didn't expect that type of outcome (against Narrandera), but we threw some girls around in different positions, tinkered around a bit to try and make the team better.

"To the girls' credit they played some great football all night."

The Saints were due to play CSU in last year's grand final before the COVID pandemic forced the competition to be cancelled.

In a quirk of the draw the Bushsows were the only team they didn't play last year. But this year the two heavyweights will meet in consecutive weeks - in the final round on Wednesday, March 24 before the decider on Easter Thursday.

"We've been in the comp for two years and haven't played them yet," Dowdle said.

"Unfortunately it's the way it's landed but the AFL have done the best they can. We play everyone once this season where last year if COVID hadn't hit, we would have played CSU in the grand final and we didn't play them in the regular season."

Dowdle said they'd focus on ironing out some kinks against Brookdale this Friday before turning their attention to their premiership rivals.

"We know what the future lies and that (grand final) is set in stone," he said.

"But we trained this morning (Sunday) and we'll focus on giving the Lockhart girls all the respect they deserve.

"We've got plenty to work on and we're looking forward to the pointy end of the season because it's coming around fast."

CSU are also unbeaten, but had to work a little harder to maintain their perfect record in a 4.3 (27) to 2.3 (15) win over East Wagga-Kooringal at Gumly Oval, with Kahli Abbott kicking all four of their goals.

In other matches Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong leapt to outright third on the ladder after a 5.8 (38) to 0.0 (0) win over the Bluebells, their third victory in their maiden season.

This week Collingullie-Glenfield Park hosts East Wagga-Kooringal, Brookdale takes on North Wagga, Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong travel to Narrandera while CSU meet Griffith at Peter Hastie Oval.

Charles Sturt University 2.0, 3.1, 4.3, 4.3 (27) def East Wagga Kooringal 0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 2.3 (15)

Goals: Charles Sturt University - Kahli Abbott 4; East Wagga Kooringal - Hannah Finemore, Livinia Jones Best: East Wagga Kooringal - Sophie Crouch, Gabrielle Cocking, Hannah Finemore, Kate Opolski, Bridget Horsley.

North Wagga 7.1, 12.4, 14.7, 19.8 (122) def Narrandera 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 (0)

Goals: North Wagga - Skye Davey 3, Ruby Porter 3, Emma McClelland 2, Serena Mcdonough 2, Megann Davies 2, Megan Porter, Melinda Hyland, Georgia Beard, Nat Creed

Best: North Wagga - Serena Mcdonough, Melinda Hyland, Megann Davies, Katelyn Scroope, Kelsey Leaver, Rosalind O'Reilly; Narrandera - Rebecca Rowlings, Lara DeMamiel , Jasmine Morrison, Daneka Hatty, Alana Harrison, Lucy Hickenbotham

GGGM 0.2, 1.3, 3.8, 5.8 (38) def Brookdale Bluebells 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 (0)

Griffith won by forfeit over Collingullie-Glenfield Park

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