Sport
27 May, 2025
Natte emerge victorious as Mortlock returns to form
The battle between old Lexton League rivals Lexton and Natte Bealiba went in favour of the Swans, who won very comfortably by 78 points.
The Swans received bad news during the week when leading ruckman, Austin McKenzie, was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury he sustained in the dying moments of the Talbot encounter in the previous round.
Lexton was also without their ruckman in Jaykeb Lench, so Keltyn Rinaldi replaced Lench, against Jake Postle, who filled the boots of McKenzie.
Lexton was first to score for the game when Jordan Madafferi goaled shortly into the opening term.
It was an evenly competitive term, but the signs were there that the Swans were the better team when they kicked the next four goals.
Three came from Trent Mortlock with one from a snapshot, one from a free kick on the goal line and a left-foot snap for his third.
The other goal came from Will Holt, who marked on the lead and kicked truly from a set shot.
Dylan Bourke snapped truly for the Tigers late in the term to be 13 points behind at quarter time.
Due to a player injury from an earlier match, play was temporarily delayed for an hour.
When the second term got underway at 4 pm, it was goal for goal with Nathan Holt goaling with a left-foot snap for the Swans, quickly answered by the Tigers Madafferi with his second of the game.
Will Holt then hit a slick handpass to Mortlock, who kicked his fourth of seven goals for the game.
From this point on it was one-way sailing for the Swans as they kicked the next nine goals and kept the Tigers to one behind for the remainder of the match.
After missing the previous week against Talbot, Mortlock led the way on his return and was named the best player for the visitors.
Aaron Hayes, Stephen Ross, Nathan Holt, Zac Polinelli and Jai Howell were others to shine for the Swans.
Luke Guelen was named the best for Lexton and others to play well were Jackson Kurzman, Will Brand, Jimmy Templeton, Tyler Trickey and Keltyn Rinaldi.