Port MacDonnell 16.10 def. Kalangadoo 11.1


Reigning minor premier Port MacDonnell showed it will again be a force in the competition when it lowered the colours of reigning premier Kalangadoo by 29 points at the Bay on Saturday.


The Magpies are in the quest for another three-peat of flags and their performance in the opening round signalled they will have some work to do to be the team to beat in the Mid South East Football League in 2024.


The Demons began well to take a 12-point lead into the first break and increased the advantage by a significant amount in the following three terms.


The seasiders had plenty of run, four-time Mail Medallist Will Macdonald did not concede a rucking contest while skipper Tim Sullivan (six goals) and Christian Howlett (three goals) did the heavy lifting in the forward lines.


The visitors were below strength and their only stand-out in attack was returning player Michael Krieger with three goals.


He was back in the black-and-white jumper after a successful season at Casterton Sandford.


Kalangadoo will be counting on Jack Casey and coach Al Lyon to bolster their goal-kicking when they resume.


Looking ahead to round two on Saturday, Port MacDonnell is again at home and hosts Nangwarry which had the bye in round one.


Kalangadoo will be looking to retain the Harry Bott Memorial Trophy in a night game against Mount Burr at Mick and Jean Walker Oval.


Hatherleigh 15.18 def. Glencoe 15.4


Hatherleigh avenged its 93-point defeat at Glencoe at this time a year ago by winning the latest clash by 14 points.


Despite not having the services of five key players due to injury or unavailability, the Eagles came together to get the job done.


The visitors did not have matters all their own way.


After an even first quarter, the home team hit a purple match in the second with five unanswered goals.


Glencoe took a 17-point lead into the long break but Hatherleigh had squared the scores by the last change.


The Eagles regained the lead and held on to win.


With a nearby league not commencing until this Saturday, the crowd was massive.


One Glencoe old-timer has been visiting this ground for around 70 years and said he had never before witnessed a minor round crowd of such magnitude.


Hatherleigh hosts Kongorong in round two and will be unstoppable if the likes of Sam Telfer, Sam Gray, Darcy Bateman, Lyndon Smith and ex-coach Gerard McGrath return to A Grade.


Glencoe heads to Robe where the home team will start as favourites.


Mount Burr 13.9 def. Kongorong 2.7


Clint Gallio marked a successful return to the MSEFL when his Mount Burr Mozzies accounted for the home team at Kongorong by 68 points.


Gallio’s last match in a green and gold guernsey was in the winning grand final in 2016.


His old club now holds top spot of the MSEFL ladder.


Another returning player to the Mozzies was Jake Whitty and it was ironic that he lined up against the club where he had spent the past few seasons.


The scoreboard told the story of the Hawks being unable to penetrate the classy Mount Burr defence led by the Wallis brothers.


In the good conditions and with the home ground advantage, Kongorong could only kick one goal in the first term and one in the last.


Meanwhile, Mount Burr had plenty of players who knew where the goals were including Jack Gregory (four) and Dylan Ridley (three).


Mount Burr hosts Kalangadoo in a night game in round two, while Kongorong heads to Hatherleigh.


Robe 14.12 def. Tantanoola 6.8


Robe looked sharp in winning at Tigerland by 58 points.


The Roosters went on a recruiting spree over summer and overall, the team showed plenty to suggest it will continue in the major round in 2024.


Coach Nathan Brown gave no indication that injury will hamper him as it did for much of his first season in the MSEFL in 2023.


The Tigers showed ample pluck to keep up with the seasiders.


A few minutes before three quarter time, the Tantanoola deficit was not much more than a goal.


Robe kicked two late goals to take an 18-point buffer into the final term.


With the breeze at their backs, Robe added 6.4 in the last term and only conceded two behinds.


The Roosters host the Murphies on Saturday while Tantanoola has the bye.