Blues buckle under Brumbies blitz

Baldivis Brumbies provided a performance to match the perfect conditions for football with a 21.12 (138) to 8.7 (55) defeat of Centrals Blues at Baldivis Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The game began in the winter sunshine as a close contest, despite a 16-point gap between the fifth-placed Brumbies and the seventh-placed Blues on the Alcoa Peel Football League ladder.

The first four goals of the match were shared evenly between the two teams but by the time Centrals managed their third goal halfway through the second term, Baldivis had kicked nine straight.

The only improvement for the Blues in the second quarter was they managed to restrict the Brumbies to only four goals, but by then the damage had been done and Baldivis led by 51 points at half-time.

Baldivis won every quarter in their 83-point victory and looked a class above in fitness and ability.

Talented left-footer Callum Black spearheaded the 21-goal performance and was well supported by partner in crime Daniel Kimberley. Each player contributed six goals.

Black's ability to outmuscle and outmanoeuvre larger opponents put the finishing touch on a polished Baldivis performance in defence, midfield and attack.

Baldivis coach Michael McCann believed the five goals Manny Collard contributed from midfield were also a key to his side's performance.

Individual moments of brilliance enhanced the Brumbies' efforts, none more so than the spectacular mark taken by midfielder Sam Barndon in the first half.

Ruckman Kyle Westwood complemented Barndon's brilliance in the second half with an impressive effort on the run to beat his man and find Black on a lead, setting him up for another major.

Centrals were lacking in scoreboard pressure and suffered from skill errors throughout the game.

But Blues forward Daniel Wilson's three goals prevented the defeat from reaching a triple-figure margin.

One teammate's third quarter effort summed up the side's day when a shot from only 25 metres out did not reach the required elevation.

The result was the Brumbies' Bradley McGowan marking what should have been a definite goal on the line.

In defence, Baldivis could be thankful for the presence of big-bodied fullback Lenney Hartley as his pressure helped restrict the Blues to less than 10 goals.

Hartley also contributed towards the Brumbies' rebounding attacks, with one such move out of defence leading to swift wing play and a clinical mark and goal for the home side.

McCann was happy with the result against a side that had tested his players last time out in a seven-point win to Baldivis.

"I am really happy," he said.

"It was a close and tight danger game.

"We usually play well against the top teams and struggle against the lower ones, but today we played how we wanted."

Perhaps the best example of this was in the dying moments of the game.

Baldivis player Alex Stuart helped himself to four bounces in the middle of the park, before dishing off a pass to teammate Christopher Smogavec.

Smogavec managed a couple more bounces before launching a shot at goal from 50 metres that was touched right on the line.

But by then, Baldivis were ready to tune up for the team song, the victory long beyond doubt.