Warriors coach ‘knew a win wasn’t far away’

A FORMER Western Bulldog’s one-off appearance worked wonders for Modewarre who stunned Queenscliff to secure its first win of this year’s BFNL senior footy season.

Roarke Smith, who played in the Bulldogs’ AFL Grand Final loss to Melbourne in 2021, complemented the Warriors’ young line-up as they won 14.10 (94) to 6.15 (51) at home in Round 4.

“He doesn’t fumble, he’s just really clean with his hands,” coach Mark Hovey said.

“He played as an inside mid and you could tell he was probably a step above everybody else.

“But he brought a lot of boys into the game as well.”

Hovey said Smith, who was delisted at the end of the 2023 AFL season after 47 games, is best mates with Warriors captain Morgan Fenton.

He said Balranald cleared him for the week as the team had a bye in the Central Murray Football League.

“He was possibly going to come to us this year but then he got a couple of offers that were probably financially too good for him to refuse, so he took them up the bush,” Hovey said.

Former co-coach Tom Hornsey also starred in his return game from a ruptured adductor with five goals.

“He’s a big key forward and we really missed him, he hurt himself in the pre-season and that was his first game, he helped us a lot,” Hovey said.

The coach is hoping his troops can keep the momentum rolling when they meet Newcomb at Grinter Reserve at 2.10pm tomorrow (Saturday, May 3), who have a 3-1 win-loss record.

Ladder-leader Geelong Amateur host third-placed Drysdale in another big match to watch.