Sports reports: Ex-local Tom Lewis wins SANFL’s Magarey Medal

This story includes contributions from Michael Potts, Terry Hann and Daniel Irvine.

A dominant mid-season burst has catapulted Sturt superstar – and Unity College old scholar – Tom Lewis to a convincing Magarey Medal victory at the SANFL’s gala event on Monday night.

Widely-tipped by rival coaches to claim the SANFL’s most prestigious individual crown, Lewis asserted himself on the count when he polled maximum votes in five consecutive matches en route to landing a significant tally of 33.

The long-kicking left footer became the 16th Double Blue to win the Magarey after midfield sidekick Will Snelling last year.

• Read more: sanfl.com.au.

Closely fought comp goes to Joshua McPhee

Saturday's Stableford competition at Ritter Street has proven to be a highly competitive event, with Joshua McPhee sneaking the win on a countback from Murray Bridge Golf Club committeeman Luke Woods.

Both players scored 38 points but, with the better back nine, the left-handed McPhee gleefully took the chocolates.

A good field of 80 players competed in fine but cool conditions, with the course holding up well from the good rains that had hit in the days prior.

Woods claimed the A grade while visiting golfers Martin Henderson (Echunga) and Jim Girdler (Mount Osmond) won the B and C grades, respectively.

Local super-veteran Eric Williams, fresh back from his annual sabbatical in England, showed that his big midweek victory with 43 points was no fluke by storming into the placegetters list with a more measured 35 points this time.

Ryan Beinke is newish to competition golf but has found his range and is now also finding the placegetters list on a regular basis, scoring another prize with his 34 points.

It will be stroke time this Saturday with the warmth of spring in the air, so get along and try your luck.

Local horses win at Morphettville

On August 30 at the Morphettville Racecourse, four Murraylands horses were able to take out a prize during their races, including:

• Jessica Tzaferis won on a horse she trained herself, Halliwell
• Rochelle Milnes won on the Michael Hickmott-trained horse Rabtat
• Todd Pannell won on the Gary Boyce-trained horse Anthracite
• Pannell won on the Hickmott-trained horse Cash

Mallee Storm get a chance to go back to back in the RMNA

• Mallee 59 defeated Imperials 53
• Coorong 72 defeated Southern Mallee 56

The Mallee Storm head straight into the grand final; Imperials and Coorong will face off on Saturday, September 6 at Jervois to see who will take the spot against the Storm.

Jervois beat Imps in a three-point stunner

• Qualifying final: Jervois 7.14 (56) beat Imperials 7.111 (53)
  Jervois best: Errin Wasley-Black, Joshua Scott, Josh Hickmott, Bienfait Bigazi, Mackenzie Hansen. Imps best: Jack Penfold, Louis De Michele, Lucas Young, Cameron Ball, Nathan Daish
• Elimination final: Southern Mallee 18.16 (124) beat Tailem Bend 6.6 (42)
  Suns best: Rory O’Driscoll, Josh Smithson, Jack Secomb, Shilo Dabinett, Charlie Hay. Tailem best: Jake Weidemann, Ryan Farnham, Brodie Edwards, Daniel Zander, Damon Paech.

This Saturday, September 6, Jervois will take on the Coorong Cats at Jervois for a spot in the grand final.

On Sunday, September 7, Southern Mallee and Imperials will battle it out at Mypolonga to see who will play against the loser of Saturday's semi final.

MEC Black Swans lose grand final

• MEC Swans 10 lost to Warriors 22

Andrew Heard finishes on top at rifle club

Shooters at Murray Bridge Rifle Club have been met with a cool, but thankfully mostly dry, day this past Saturday as they competed in their annual championship from a range of 300 metres.

Wind was from the right and had to be read carefully for shooters to make the most of the closer range. 

Doing just that were Robert Paech and Greg Traeger, who both shot possibles in their second round, as well as Ryan Yeates and Andrew Heard, who both had scores of one off.

Heard’s 50 was also paired with a one-off 49, giving him the off-rifle and handicap wins in TR, finishing with a 99.13.

Yeates paired his 59 with a 57 in the first round to win F-open on 116.06.

Bryan Robertson topped the group in F-standard with 113.04, but that was enough for him to claim the F-class handicap ahead of Peter Casley and Gordon Harrison.

Steve Howard was unlucky enough to shoot the only “magpie” on the day. 

Club competition will take a break next weekend for the annual state championship at Lower Light, before resuming on September 13 from 500m. 

Murray Bridge United suffer a loss

Aldinga 2 beat Murray Bridge United 1

• Goals: D. August 57'
• Bookings: None

Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.