GSFL 2025: Ben Saunders boots eight goals in dazzling return as Mt Barker thump Royals by 166 points

Mt Barker’s premiership hopes have received a major boost, as the returning Ben Saunders helped hand out a right royal thumping on Saturday afternoon. The Bulls finished 166-point winners in the one-side round 11 Great Southern Football League contest against Royals. In a significant percentage booster for the Bulls, they held Royals to just two goals and kicked 28 of their own as Saunders made an exciting return to his junior club. Saunders, a triple Bernie Naylor medallist and 112-game WAFL player with South Fremantle and Claremont, was a huge addition to the Bulls forward half in his first game of footy since 2019. Transferring back to the club he started his footy career with prior to the June 30 deadline, the 33-year-old feasted on the feeble Lions’ defence as he kicked eight goals in the 28.16 (184) to 2.6 (18) domination. The hefty margin is the biggest this season after the Tigers won by 160 points in round seven and then were 164-point winners in round nine. It was a second 100-point drubbing for the Lions in 2025 and they sit fifth on the ladder with just two wins from 11 games. Saunders easily could have kicked 10 plus but missed a number of gettable shots in the second term and spent the entire final term on the bench. The Bulls started red-hot with seven goals to one in the first term and things got worse in the second as they stretched the margin to 77 points. Playing as a deep forward, Saunders kicked the third goal of the game and had four by the first break. His fifth and three to fellow target Brandon Ugle helped the Bulls put the game to bed by half-time. The floodgates opened in the third as Saunders took his tally to eight and Ugle added a fourth among the carnage as the Bulls kicked eight goals to one. Lions’ Joely Graham was sent off for umpire abuse in the third, adding to the visitors’ dark day, and they registered a single point in the fourth term as the Bulls’ midfield ran rampant. Ugle and the ever-impressive Darcy Wallinger finished with four goals and Camball McMahon was dangerous again with three. Tyreice Brown was superb through the middle of the ground and kicked two goals, while fellow midfielders Brent Parsons were also outstanding and Mitch Jackson played well in the ruck. Tristan Ballard provided great rebound from the back half and the only sour point for the home side was a foot injury to Sam Lehmann. Seth Bocian kicked a goal in his debut for the Lions while Corey Ward, Chandler Askevold-McDonald and Cameron Smith worked hard. Saxon Henrickson went down with a calf injury for the Lions.

GSFL 2025: Ben Saunders boots eight goals in dazzling return as Mt Barker thump Royals by 166 points

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