GSFL 2025: Railways lock in fifth consecutive Anzac Day win over North Albany despite kicking inaccuracy

Railways player-coach Bodhi Stubber believes his side has plenty to improve on despite their comprehensive Anzac Day victory over North Albany on Friday. The Tigers were wayward in their fifth straight Anzac Day win, kicking 20 behinds, but still proved too classy for the Kangas at Keep the Sheep Stadium in front of a huge crowd. “We probably didn’t win by kicking straight to be honest,” Bodhi Stubber said. “It’s just early on in the year and probably just not enough practice. “We probably put all the emphasis in pre-season into running and getting fit, and then you forget about practising kicking goals, which is most important part. “The upside is we still have plenty of shots on goal, so it’s something we can definitely, definitely try and fix.” The Tigers secured a decisive 49-point victory in the iconic opener for the Great Southern Football League season which has been held since 2014, with the Tigers now boasting eight wins to the Kangas’ two. Despite Liam Bennell and Regan Christensen kicking the first two goals of the game for the Kangas, the Tigers showed their class and skipped clear after booting the next four majors before quarter-time. The Kangas lost star recruit Josh Bootsma to a worrying knee injury early in the game and trailed by 36 points at the main break. The home side lost the third term but kicked four goals to one in the last to seal the victory, 12.20 (92) to 6.7 (43). Late inclusion Dionne Woods and returning star Hayden Parker joined Mohit Jaggi and Dylan Schorer as the Tigers’ first-quarter goal-kickers. In a dour but hostile second quarter, a goal from the agile Dionne Woods and another on the siren from Kane Shepherd were the only majors. The Tigers lost returning star Logan Stubber to a hamstring injury and Schorer (lower leg) finished the game on the bench as the Kangas mounted a comeback in the third. Jyrin Woods notched a goal for the visitors in the first minutes after the main break, followed by a Mikael Philipps conversion that lifted their hopes. But goals from Tigers gun Riley Valli and midfielder Beau Ewen settled the nerves, although a late Christensen major had the Kangas still in the game at 29 points down going into the last change. However the Tigers produced a strong final term to ensure their Anzac Day game dominance continued. Jyrin Woods kicked his second for the Kangas but it was followed by three majors from Parker and one from vice-captain Jayden Scott as the Tigers cruised to victory. Before the special fixture started, the ode was read and the Last Post played in a moving service that was followed by the coin toss as both clubs wore their Anzac Day jumpers. Tigers speedster Ryan Davies was presented with the Peter Gligorevic Medal after a busy day through the midfield. Parker booted four and Dionne Woods added two, while Ryley Valli was again prolific in the middle. Kane Shephard was influential in key moments and Bodhi Stubber cut off countless Kangas attacks. “It was probably just our workman-like attitude that got us across,” Bodhi Stubber said. “Like I explained to the boys early on the year, not everything’s going to go your way so just bit of effort, I reckon, and probably just the will to want the footy, goes a long way early on the season.” The Kangas were best served by skipper Nick Barrow, defender Alec Haskins and midfield pair Anthony Coyne and Jyrin Woods, while Bennell showed promising signs in his first game since 2021. Kangas coach Brad Bootsma said his youthful side’s high turnover rate and lack of practice at reading the game lost them the match. “I think work rate, really in the end, just our ability to work for each other, probably dropped off a fair bit, so I think that’s one thing that was probably a key for me,” he said. “We couldn’t really dominate the forward half and they were pretty good at turnovers too. “We gave them a fair bit back, so they capitalised on our turnovers — it’s probably lucky they didn’t score that well. “But yeah, it is what it is, and they’re a good side.”