MARYBOROUGH Castlemaine got more than what they bargained for when they took on Ellinbank and District Football League in the Worksafe Country Championships.
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Maryborough Castlemaine were expecting a tough game, but when Ellinbank opened the game with three straight goals they were right in thinking it was going to be a long day.
Nicholas Spolding answered with the first major for Maryborough Castlemaine, but from that opening bounce they were forced into catch up football.
Tim Miller kicked another for Ellinbank making it four before Navarre's Cody Driscoll took a big mark and slotted one through just before the quarter time break.
Josh Fowkes was another Navarre player who impressed in the ruck coming out even.
Daniel Parkin who is the Navarre coach and was the interleague captain praised Fowkes for his efforts.
"He probably won 60 per cent of the ruck taps for the day," Parkin said.
"It was a good effort considering it was his first year against the bigger stronger bodies."
Parkin himself played a game he would like to forgot.
Louis Hannett and Ash Driscoll were quiet by their high standards.
Driscoll was coming off a week's break with an ankle injury and looked a little bit underdone.
"Interleague is one of those stages where you can't hide," Parkin said.
"I think there were a couple of players that got caught out. I was probably one of them."
Ellinbank and District were a well drilled team and that was to be expected with former AFL 200 gamer Aussie Jones at the helm.
"They were a bit better than I expected," Parkin said.
"They caught us a bit off guard in the first half and were able to get a bit of a lead."
In the second half Mayborough Castlemaine were able to fight back to make the scoreline look respectable with Carisbrook's Matt Bilton kicking five goals.
Parkin spoke on behalf of all the Navarre players when he said it was a privileged to play with the leagues best.
"We really enjoy playing with guys you normally tag," Parkin said.
"In terms of how we all played we just want to forget about it and get back on the winner's list this weekend."