TOM McKINNON


SWDFL – Football


THE Dartmoor Giants kicked off their Reserves premiership defence on Saturday with a home game against the travelling Westerns Football Club in the reserves grade of the South West District Football League.


The first quarter started as expected with both teams fighting for the footy and struggling to maintain clean possession as each tried to gauge their opponent.


Both sides were able to hit the scoreboard in the first term but it was the second where Dartmoor seemed to find their feet, piling on seven goals to Westerns’ two with the help of forward Jeremy Ellis.


His strong overhead contested marks and straight kicking proved to be a much-needed boost to the giants forward line.


Peter Millard’s tackling ability around tight contests helped keep Dartmoor in the fight with Conan Devereux and Coby Rice proving valuable assets in the backline winning the ball and stifling Westerns attempts.


The westerns midfield of Clint Foster, Frankie Makin and Tyrone Parker fought hard all day for the ball with their speed out of stoppages proving to be pivotal in the third quarter where they visitors were able to put five majors on the board to Dartmoor’s two, putting them within striking distance at the beginning of the final term.


The last quarter was a repeat of the second, with Dartmoor having control of the ball for the majority of the period and putting on four more majors to finish with a 42-point win and starting the season where they finished last year.