Sport
28 July, 2026
Dunolly unable to contain elite Harcourt
Harcourt produced its most dominant performance of the season, overwhelming Dunolly by 163 points at Deledio Reserve on Saturday.
The Lions controlled the contest from the opening bounce, piling on 30 goals in a clinical display that saw them tighten their grip on a finals position while leaving the Eagles with few answers.
Harcourt wasted little time stamping its authority on the match, kicking 10 first-quarter goals through slick ball movement and relentless pressure.
Dunolly managed two early majors, but the visitors’ attacking power saw them establish a commanding 53-point lead at the first break.
The Lions continued to dominate in the second term, adding another six goals while completely shutting down the Eagles’ attack. Dunolly was held scoreless for the quarter as Harcourt extended its advantage to 93 points by half-time.
Any hopes of a second-half resurgence were quickly extin-guished after the main break. Although Dunolly managed two goals in the third quarter, Harcourt continued to attack with purpose, adding another six majors to stretch the margin to 120 points at the final change.
The Lions completed the rout with another eight-goal final quarter, while limiting the Eagles to just one goal to finish with an imposing 30.15 (195) to 5.2 (32) victory.
Jed Rodda was outstanding for Harcourt and was named best afield after a dominant performance across half-back and through the midfield. Josh Taig produced another influential display, while Braydon Vaz, Mark Noonan, Mitch Rees and Mitchell McKnight were also among the Lions’ best.
Harcourt’s forward line was potent all afternoon, with Rodda finishing with six goals, Mitchell McKnight adding five and Jack Threlfall four.
Josh Taig and Thomas Walters each contributed three goals as the Lions spread the scoreboard impact across numerous players.
Despite the heavy defeat, Dunolly continued to battle throughout the afternoon. Bailey Morton was named the Eagles’ best player, while Dylan Burt, Jay McDonald, Lachlan Watson, Mathew Bradley and Willem Schepers worked tirelessly against a relentless Harcourt outfit.
The emphatic victory gives Harcourt a significant percentage boost as the race to secure finals positions heats up, while Dunolly will be looking to regroup quickly as it continues to develop a promising young list against some of the competition’s strongest sides.