Sport
28 April, 2026
Trentham celebrates Anzac Day with 95-point win
The Trentham Saints had an Anzac Day to remember on Saturday night, as the reigning premiers showcased all of their class to dominate a red-hot Newstead side by 95 points.
Boosted by offseason recruits Cody Young, Samuel Bartels and Jye Adamson, Joel Cowan, Joel Dovaston and AFL legend Brent Harvey ran the show in the midfield as the Saints scored 10 unanswered goals during the second and third quarters.
The double J goal machine of James Regan and Jake Keogh, as well as former Berry Powell medalist Cowan, all booted four goals each as the Saints rose past the Steaders.
Before the opening bounce, senior footballers and netballers from both teams gathered in front of the clubrooms for a brief Anzac service.
When the game got underway, the Saints and Steaders struggled to cement control, with a combined three behinds scored in a nervy opening 10 minutes.
Cowan eventually burst the game into action, slotting a beautiful set shot from outside 50 before adding a second four minutes later, intercepting a Nicholas Woodman kick and making no mistake with the ensuing shot on goal.
The Saints and Steaders were kept goalless for the remainder of the first quarter, with the hosts taking a 15-point advantage into quarter time.
Cowan remained on fire to start the second term, receiving a pack-splitting handpass from Young before snapping his third goal three minutes into the quarter to extend Trentham’s lead to 22 points.
Following several missed opportunities to boost the margin even further, Adamson opened the floodgates with a successful set-shot at the 10-minute mark.
While the Steaders remained goalless in the first half, Regan’s first goal of the night, coupled with a quickfire double from Mark Strickland, soon followed as the margin exploded to 48 points at half time.
The major interval didn’t slow down Trentham’s goal-kicking barrage, as Cowan booted his fourth two minutes into the second half.
Following a prolonged period of Newstead resistance, Regan sent the bumper crowd at Trentham Reserve into raptures with the goal of the night.
After judging an entry kick from Cowan to perfection, Regan dribbled a shot from deep in the forward pocket through the big sticks to boost the Saints’ advantage to 75 points at three-quarter time.
Oliver Daldy and Ethan Maltby finally broke the visitors'’goal drought, but an excellent fourth quarter from Keogh sealed a memorable victory for the Saints.
Cowan was at his game-changing best on Saturday night, named in Trentham’s best players alongside Dovaston, Adamson, Ford, who was brilliant in defence, Dylan Holden and Young.
Michael Dalrymple and Joel Smith were once again the standouts for Newstead, joined by Will Moran, former Saints forward Sam Winnard, Cordie McKendry, and Kyle Yanner as the best players.