A six-goal haul from Gunnedah Bulldogs player-coach Jakob Vearing wasn’t enough for his team to record its first win of the 2025 AFL North West competition, despite a commendable effort at Wolseley Park last Saturday.
Gunnedah’s defeat was its fourth from as many fixtures, while the Tamworth Swans maintained their unbeaten start to the season as they triumphed 17.18.120 to 11.9.75.
The 45-point margin was much more respectable than the margins of 124 and 78 points which the Bulldogs suffered in the first two rounds, before they had a 30-point loss in round three.
Vearing was the most prolific goal-kicker of the game while Mitchell Small bagged four majors for the victors.
Tamworth registered five behinds to Gunnedah’s two, before Vearing booted the first goal to give the Bulldogs a short-lived three-point lead.
A long range goal to Ben Berger put the Swans back in front, before they took a 1.7.13 to 1.3.9 lead into quarter-time.
The ladder leaders clicked for a while in the second term as they raced to a 5.9.39 to 1.3.9 lead, before Vearing found the target.
Vearing also landed the final goal of the term, although the Swans were on top as they led 6.12.48 to 3.4.22 at half-time.
Gunnedah’s coach landed a well-worked goal in the early stages of the third quarter, before a great snap from Tamworth’s Harrison Hague extended the margin to 39 points.
Following another major to Vearing, the Swans responded with another six-pointer of their own to secure a 40-point lead with one quarter remaining.
The final term produced a flurry of points, with the Swans landing seven majors and two behinds while the Bulldogs managed six goals and three behinds.
Vearing, Daniel Pass, Joe Montague, Malcolm Roberts, Andrew Osmond and Eamon Martin kicked a goal each for Gunnedah in the final term.
The AFL teams have a bye this weekend.
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