Former Collingwood and Sydney midfielder Paul Williams helped Kangaroo Flat to a crucial win over Maryborough in round 16 of the 2008 BFNL season.
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After playing 306 games in a distiguished AFL career, it was Williams' first game of football since retiring from the Sydney Swans midway through 2006.
The 35-year-old Sydney premiership player, wearing No. 1, lined up across half-back on 16-year-old Lachlan Edwards, who wasn't born when Williams played the first of his AFL games for Collingwood against Footscray in 1991.
He also had stints across half-forward and started both the third and last quarters in the centre.
Williams finished with 14 kicks, five handballs and six marks.
''I got rid of the cobwebs as the game went on and I started to run to the right spots. It was good fun today and I really enjoyed it,'' Williams said.
While ex-AFL star Williams was solid in his first outing, Maddern was the match-winner at Dower Park, booting seven goals in Kangaroo Flat's 15.12 (102) to 10.22 (82) victory.
The 20-point win allowed Kangaroo Flat to climb to fifth spot for the first time since round five.
Maddern was the standout in a game of many contributors.
Playing a across half-forward and full-forward, Maddern was nearly unstoppable in one-on-one marking duels.
He kicked two goals in the first half, but then exploded in the third-term with a match-winning burst.
After the Magpies' Ben Jackson kicked the first goal of the third term inside the opening minute to cut Kangaroo Flat's half-time lead from 10 points to four points, Maddern then showed the talent that almost had him rookie-listed by Essendon two years ago.
In the space of three minutes, Maddern kicked three long-range goals on an angle, and all from marks, to push the Roos' lead out to 23 points in what proved to be the most decisive period of the game.
He added a fourth for the quarter at the 15-minute mark after a strong contested mark in the goalsquare to again halt the Magpies' momentum after they had drawn within 10 points, which would be the closest Maryborough would get for the rest of the game.
His seventh goal - the last score of the match - gave Maddern 27 from just six games for his new club.
While Maddern was outstanding for the Roos, so too was their composed backline led by experienced pair Rowan Warfe and Brendan Hehir, while Andrew Gladman did an outstanding job in keeping the dangerous Matt Brown to one goal.
The loss, which cost Maryborough its position in the top five, was a missed opportunity.
The Magpies had more scoring shots (32-27), more inside 50s (57-48) and more centre breaks (17-15).
Kangaroo Flat ...............4,5 7.5 12.9 15.12 (102)
Maryborough ................1.3 3.13 8.16 10.22 (82)
GOALS - Kangaroo Flat: J. Maddern 7, T. Downie 3, P. Lobb 2, R. McNish, J. Wiegard, P. Williams. Maryborough: J. Bond 3, B. Jackson 3, C. Rinaldi 1, M. Brown, G. Chadwick, S. Fisher.
BEST - Kangaroo Flat: A. Gladman, T. Kelly, J. Maddern, M. Holt, T. Downie, B. Hehir. Maryborough: J. Malone, M. Noonan, M. Dell, G. Handley, B. Jackson, L. Bucknall.
Read more: Catch up on all the latest BFNL news
GOLDEN SQUARE v CASTLEMAINE
Golden Square offered a glimpse of why it was rated a premiership contender at the start of the season with a 79-point thumping of Castlemaine.
The 22.12 (144) to 10.5 (65) win was full of class, but the question mark remains as to whether the Bulldogs can repeat that sort of form against top three sides.
Square remains in fourth, but is equal on points with second-placed Gisborne and third-placed South Bendigo - the teams the Bulldogs play in the final two rounds of the season.
Skipper Chris Carter led the way against the Magpies as he kicked seven goals to take his season tally to 51.
The left-footer spent a good percentage of the game in the midfield and had bagged his seven goals by midway through the third term.
Perhaps the most pleasing sign for Square fans was the form of Luke Rosa.
With key defenders Matt Tyrrell and Lachie O'Toole on the sidelines, Rosa played at centre half-back on Magpie star Jason Cordy and took the points clearly.
Square's unheralded backline did a stellar job, with youngster Brayden Dorrington particularly impressive.
Daniel McLaughlin and Mark Lloyd won plenty of the ball through the midfield for Square, while Nick Carter had an entertaining duel with James O'Brien.
Leigh Davies set the tone for the day for Square with three first quarter goals.
The Magpies were most disappointing considering they're fighting for a place in the finals.
Too much was left to too few and it was again teenage sensation Dustin Martin that stood out.
The 17-year-old spent most of the day at full-forward kicking five of his side's 10 goals.
Square coach Mark Adamson was forced to move his premier defender Anthony Holdstock on to Martin in the third quarter after he'd proved too clever for his previous two opponents.
Golden Square ............7.2 13.6 18.9 22.12 (144)
Castlemaine ........................3.1 6.1 7.3 10.5 (65)
GOALS - Golden Square: C. Carter 7, L. Davies 4, N. Carter 2, J. Curtain 2, A. Hawkins 2, C. Malone, D. McLaughlin, M. Lloyd, D. Walsh, J. Griffin. Castlemaine: D. Martin 5, N. McDonald, J. O'Brien, D. Taylor, J. Cordy, A. Culvenor.
BEST - Golden Square: C. Carter, L. Rosa, D. McLaughlin, M. Lloyd, B. Dorrington. Castlemaine: S. Timmins, J. O'Brien, D. Martin, L. Walters, A. Culvenor, W. Rolfe.
KYNETON v SANDHURST
It took 15 attempts, but Kyneton finally broke through for its first win of the season.
In what was a battle of the cellar dwellers at the Kyneton Showgrounds, the Tigers defeated Sandhurst 13.12 (90) to 5.15 (45).
Before Saturday's triumph, Kyneton's previous win was when it defeated North City by 14 points in round 17, 2007.
For first-year Tigers coach Brett Cook, he described the win against an opponent that has dominated Kyneton for the previous nine years as a major relief.
''It was really good for the boys to keep working at it and to enjoy a win,'' an elated Cook said.
''What we did today was we just tackled really well, and the more you tackle the more opportunities you give yourself to win the footy.
''That was the main reason we won the game.
''Once we got a bit of a sniff, the adrenaline kicked in and it just snowballed from there.''
Brian Ruffell provided a strong focal point up forward, kicking six goals to give him 17 for the season.
It was the biggest haul of goals by a Kyneton player since Wayne Eve booted six against Castlemaine in round 16, last year.
Others to play well for the Tigers included experienced pair Brent Dryden, who found plenty of the ball, and captain Darren Chambers, who kicked two goals.
Leigh Erwin in defence, Ben Edmonds, who also kicked two goals, and the classy Brad Else were also prominent for the Tigers.
Tyson Findlay battled hard in the midfield for the Dragons, who also had the in-form Sam McGee, Michael McCarthy, rising star nominee Jarrod Bateson and Lachlan Watts, who finished with three of Sandhurst's five goals, play well.
The Dragons scored just three behinds in the last quarter.
It was the 14th time this season they failed to kick a goal in a quarter
Kyneton ...........................4.4 6.6 12.9 13.12 (90)
Sandhurst .........................2.4 4.8 5.12 5.15 (45)
GOALS - Kyneton: B. Ruffell 6, B. Edmonds 2, D. Chambers 2, B. Else, E. Massina, N. Scholes. Sandhurst: L. Watts 3, T. Findlay, O. Stoltz.
BEST - Kyneton: B. Ruffell, B. Dryden, D. Chambers, L.Erwin, B. Edmonds, B. Else. Sandhurst: K. Nihill, S. McGee, M. McCarthy, J. Bateson, L. Watts.
GISBORNE v SOUTH BENDIGO
Gisborne answered a spirited challenge from South Bendigo to mark a 30th consecutive victory on home turf at Gardiner Reserve.
A hard-fought 18-point win lifted the Bulldogs to second on the ladder and dislodged the Bloods from the top rung.
Gisborne made a flying start as Jordan Barham, Darren Farrugia and Anthony Belcher goaled for a 19-2 lead.
Relentless pressure forced wayward kicks, dropped marks and fumbles by many South Bendigo players.
Despite going into the match without key defenders Michael Leech and Marty Shadbolt, the Bloods fought back superbly.
Aaron Connaughton's tackle on a defensive kick-in was rewarded with a free kick and the Bloods' first goal.
South won the next centre break and Shaun Bergin's long kick was marked by Dayne Frew for a second goal in less than a minute.
The Bloods' run rolled on in the second term. Julian Lake, Gavin Bowles and Frew all capped excellent teamwork as South surged to a 14-point lead.
Momentum then swung back Gisborne's way as Levi Moss and Jordan Barham both goaled on the run.
A great goal by Jackson Ireland from the boundary line made it 40-32 in South's favour.
Bloods' coach Rick Coburn brilliantly roved a contest at half-forward and a bullet-like pass was marked by Frew for another goal.
Moss and Matt Fitzgerald goaled to reduce South's lead to two points at half-time.
It rained goals for Gisborne in the third. The Dogs scored 6.5 to 1.2.
South won the final term, but the margin was too great.
Gisborne coach Marcus Barham said a committed team effort was the key to beating the Bloods.
''South Bendigo is a quality team and we had to work hard all match,'' Barham said.
''They controlled most of the second quarter, but we fought back to be within two points at the break and then went on with it.''
Gisborne .........................3.2 7.4 13.9 14.12 (96)
South Bendigo .................. 2.4 7.6 8.8 11.12 (78)
GOALS - Gisborne: J. Barham 2, D. Farrugia 2, L. Moss 2, M. Fitzgerald 2, R. Sharp, C. Medica, M. Barham, A. Belcher, G. Bowes S. Comerford. South Bendigo: D. Frew 4, G. Bowles 2, A. Connaughton 2, N. Clark, J. Ireland, J. Lake.
BEST - Gisborne: A. Belcher, M. Barham, S. Comerford, G. Bowes, S. Hamilton, C. Summerfield. South Bendigo: A. Connaughton, D. Jones, B. Strange, B. Wright, L. Rees, B. Rohde.
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