Match Report: South Bunbury v Harvey
Bulls charge to easy Tigers' victory
South Bunbury's loss of scoring power was bluntly highlighted as Harvey Bulls romped to a 60-point win at a wet Harvey Recreation Ground on Sunday.
Last year's minor premiers could only muster two goals as the hosts comprehensively outplayed them in the 11.11 (77) to 2.5 (17) result.
Craig Hutcheson slotted a first-quarter set-shot from the pocket and Ben Jerez added an easy goal after an off-the-ball 50m penalty in the last term, but they were rare highlights for the Tigers.
They often struggled to get past halfway against the rejuvenated Bulls, who were cleaner, stronger and more efficient in a match played for long periods in heavy rain.
Harvey's forwards took their chances, particularly during the rare dry periods, with Lachlan Sharpe and Jordan Fimmano (three goals each) plus Joshua Krispyn and Mark Cherubino (two goals each) proving the difference.
David Faulkner and Fimmano kicked early goals to set the tempo in a first term mostly devoid of quick ball movement and clean hands due to the conditions.
Sharpe began the second quarter with a 70m long bomb that kept bouncing and skidded through for Harvey's third goal.
Cherubino kicked both of his goals in a two-minute second quarter burst to maintain his side's dominance and enhance the margin to 25 by half-time.
A long period without score started the third quarter, but Harvey finished it in style with five goals, including two well-taken majors from Krispyn and a Fimmano set shot after the siren.
South Bunbury was kept scoreless in the third term and only a cheap goal late in the final term stopped the possibility of three straight goalless quarters as the Tigers' personnel changes from 2014 became painfully apparent.
