Bombers off to a flying start for 2023 with hot streak

The mood around Gore Hill Oval is overwhelmingly positive with both the Bombers’ men and women Premier Division squad starting well as they celebrate their 120th season in Sydney’s AFL competition.

Last season, the Men’s Premier squad went all the way to the Grand Final only to fall to the minor premiers UNSW. This year, the boys in red and black haven’t missed a beat, currently sitting atop the ladder. They set the tone from Round 1 at Gore Hill Oval dismantling UTS 117-25 thanks to 4 goals from Max Thomas while both Josh Rayner and Captain Ned Campbell booted 3 goals.

Thomas was at it against the next game at Kenbridge Oval, scoring an incredible 6 goals to lead the Bombers to a 138-46 win over East Coast. Originally a North Ryde Dockers Junior forward Max Thomas joined the Bombers in 2016, debuting in Premier Division in 2017 and recently boasting a league second best 40 goals last season. The star forward has picked up where he left off with 16 goals in the first 5 games.

In round 3, all eyes were on Henson Park for a grand final rematch with UNSW. Outscoring the defending premiers 25-8 in the first quarter set the table for a convincing 87-47 revenge win. Throughout the early rounds, ruckman Sam Barkley has consistently stood out as one of the best on ground. Barkley attended high school at St Ignatius College, Riverview, playing his junior footy with Drummoyne before joining the Bombers in 2015.

With Sydney Swans VFL and Sydney Uni NEAFL experience he is now one of the leaders at North Shore.

Next up against St George back home in St Leonards, Josh Rayner stepped up, booting 4 goals with Max Thomas sidelined. Captain Ned Campbell kicked 3 goals too, providing a strong veteran presence in his 7th season at Gore Hill Oval.

Remaining undefeated so far, the Bombers handled Inner West 125-43 thanks to an impressive 5 goals from new signing Tyson Pratt.

Originally from Port Lincoln, Pratt joined the team after an impressive junior career with South Australian powerhouse club Norwood where he booted 8 goals in 8 games last season. The last time the Bombers’ men won the premiership was in 2007 but with this red hot start this might be the drought breaking season.

The North Shore’s premier Women’s side had a slower start to the year but have bounced back in emphatic fashion in recent weeks. They currently sit 4th on the ladder which is the same position they finished in at the end of the 2022 season before crashing out in round 2 of the finals. In round 1, goals from Arabella Hendricks and Genevieve Love weren’t enough to lift the side, going down 2234 against UTS. It was much the same next week in a sluggish 2-44 loss at the hands of East Coast.

But by round 3 the squad had their first win of the year, taking care of UNSW 39-17. Captain Matilda Eder booted a hat trick in the victory and is in her 6th season in the Bomber’s Premier side. This was only the start of their winning ways as in the next game they seriously decimated the Southern Power by an incredible 162-1 margin.

Meanwhile, Lucy Krimmer is in great form this season as part of one of the deadliest half forward lines in the comp which includes Eder and Love. Her sister Emillie Krimmer has also featured in the squad, shoreing up the half back line. The Bomber’s Women will take consolation in the fact they have only lost to the top 2 teams in the division and have plenty to be optimistic about as they prepare to try to go one all the way this season.

Wordstep

Complete the list by changing one letter at a time to create a new word at each step.

Clams

Quick Crossword

Skint

There may be more than one possible answer.

Codeword

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

The leftover letters will spell out a secret message.

WORD FIND No. 028 ARCTIC BEANIE

Quiz

1 In the tongue-twister, what did Peter Piper pick a peck of?

2 Who wrote the opera Madama Butterfly?

3. For whom was the song Candle in the Wind originally written?

4 Which plant with a bright yellow flower is also known as rapeseed?

5 True or false: The Simpsons characters Comic Book Guy and Barney Gumble are both voiced by Hank Azaria?

6 Who wrote the book Murder on the Orient Express?