Jamie Parsons

Rankins Springs started its season strongly last Friday night despite falling short in a low-scoring affair 8-4 against the resurgent West Wyalong reserve grade side.

The Mallee Men had to pull out of the 2025 Group 20 season due to low numbers, with even their first grade side struggling to field a full team at times.

With a number of young U18s players stepping up to senior football this year, West Wyalong managed to field a full team against the Dragons and look in good stead for the 2026 season.

On the other hand the Dragons had 23 players on hand for their first game, but couldn’t get the job done in similar fashion to several of these fixtures over the last few years.

West Wyalong has now won 5 of 7 of the games between the two sides, with no game ever being decided by more than six points.

The Dragons were captained by new life member Andrew Streat for the first time, who started the game in the front row.

A few West Wyalong alumni also returned to Dragons colours for the first time in years, with Chris Judd playing his first game since the 2024 grand final, and Tyler Davies returning after playing his last game for the side in 2019.

The trial was played in 20-minute thirds, with the Dragons keeping up in their first international-rules game, with the score level at 0-all after 20 minutes, before West Wyalong’s five-eighth Cruze Loudon backed up a break down the Dragons’ right side to make it 4-0 after 40 minutes.

A backline move to the left saw new signing Brad Gilbert dive over for the Dragons’ first try, but West Wyalong hit back not long after through halfback Nick Cooper who slid through two defenders to make it 8-4.

Despite a couple strong attacks on the line by the Springs, West Wyalong held firm and saw out the game.

Wyalong half Nick Cooper was named man of the match, with his opposite number Josh Richards named player’s player for the Dragons.