SWFL 2022: South Bunbury forward Jordan Strahan kicks nine goals in thumping 85-point win over Collie Eagles

A monster nine-goal haul from unstoppable forward Jordan Strahan has helped South Bunbury to a thumping win over the undermanned Collie Eagles. Strahan was far too good for a backline missing key personnel in the 18.7 (115) to 4.6 (30) demolition of the Eagles in Collie on Sunday. But the dominant forward target and some errant kicking for goal were all that stopped the Eagles being right in the game at half-time. Persistent rain had made the ground heavy and marking difficult, but despite the weather concerns, South Bunbury’s talls had combined for three goals by quarter-time. After kicking the first of the day, a quarter-time lead went begging for the Eagles when Adam Bignell and Jack Davidson missed a pair of crucial set shots, while for the Tigers, Ethan Nordahl won a number of big clearances in his first real midfield run of the season. The 10-point quarter-time quickly blew out when full-back Luke Abbott, who had the unenviable job of minding Strahan, was caught holding the ball twice in a minute. A turnover from an Abbott kick-in then gifted Crichton a goal, just minutes after Guy Piggott kicked one of his own to put the Tigers their biggest lead of the day. Shaquille Mackenzie got away from a stoppage and found Fontana over the top with an open goal, but Strahan’s fourth major would cancel that out on the stroke of half-time. Bignell and Sam Russell had lifted in midfield for the Eagles and when Fontana kicked another in the opening moments of the third, they looked to be in the hunt. But Strahan and Bodhi Nordahl added to the lead soon after, before Crichton kicked back-to-back goals himself. Another from Hayden Krikke gave the visitors five unanswered before the final change. The final quarter belonged to Jordan Strahan - who kicked his last three goals in South Bunbury’s late rampage. For three quarters it looked to be a case of going up the hill and grinding out a win against a side they were expected to beat, but the late charge to the line - which blew the lead from 50 points out to 85 - saw the Tigers establish themselves as the absolute premiership favourites. For Collie, having Abbott - who showed something as a forward target last season - and former East Fremantle forward Cam Davidson playing down back is far from ideal and left Fontana and Davidson with too much load to bare, while a quiet day from Liam Reuben made life difficult in midfield. It means the Eagles move to 0-3 under new coach Kade East with a meeting with Carey Park in Bunbury ahead of them.