Almanac Footy: Western District Football Wrap – 17/5

Hampden FNL – Round 6

 

The answer to the question posed in last week’s article was ‘no’, Portland couldn’t bounce back to the winners list against Warrnambool. Most of the round 6 results went pretty much as expected, although I was surprised with Warrnambool away defeating Portland, particularly by the margin of 37 points in the end.

 

Warrnambool were out of the blocks well and led from start to finish, with small forward Luke Cody again getting amongst the goals with four and being the games leading goalkicker. Young Amon Radley chipped in with three for the Blues. Radley played three games for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels in 2024 and was a key part of the Warrnambool Under 18 premiership team last season.  Best players for Warrnambool on Saturday were Liam Bidmade and experienced ruckman Daniel Weymouth, whilst recruit Tanner Blackney-Noter who previously played with South Warrnambool and has come to Portland via the Tiwi Bombers in the Northern Territory Football League was best player for Portland. The final score was 11-13-79 to 5-12-42.

 

An interesting addition to the Portland team on Saturday was Adrian Scott, an under 18 player from the Northern Territory who played with Nightcliff in the NTFL Under 18s and Premier League and had played three games for the Northern Territory boys in the Coates Talent League during May, prior to debuting with Portland on Saturday. The “word on the street” is that he has been looked at as a potential draftee by AFL Clubs and so it will be interesting to follow his progression at Portland.

 

Saturday’s loss is Portland’s second in succession, and they will be seriously looking to regroup this week when they travel to take on Camperdown in the Leagues Indigenous Round.

 

Portland held a 40 year reunion of its 1985 Western Border Football League Premiership team on Saturday which was coached by ex Geelong player Leo King. King a ruckman and renowned general on and off the field in his playing coach days also won the League Best and Fairest in 1985 and led Portland to back to back premierships in 1986.

 

North Warrnambool and South Warrnambool both asserted their dominance on the weekend with North defeating Cobden at Cobden by 42 points, 11-10-76 to 4-10-34 and South at home defeating Camperdown by 38 points, 10-11-71 to 5-3-33.

 

Best players for North Warrnambool were well known Wilde Racing employee, Baillie Keast, and Zac Everall who chimed in with three goals, whilst Sam Lucas and Sam Thow were best players for Cobden.

 

Best players for South Warrnambool were Max Irving for the third consecutive game and under 18 player, Hudson Owen, in what I think may have been his first senior game for the Club. Archie Stevens was again back from VFL duties with Carlton and also named in the best players, whilst the best player for Camperdown was Luke Kavenagh.

 

In the remaining games Koroit at home defeated Port Fairy by 66 points, 14-14-98 to 4-8-32, with Sam Dobson starting to run into some form with another 5 goals for the home side and Lachie Rhook with 4 goals of his own was also named in the best players, and Terang Mortlake at home were far too good for the Hamilton Kangaroos, winning 18-12-120 to 7-13-55. Joe Arundell was named best player for the home side with the goals shared amongst 10 players, including Zeke Reeves, Lachlan Wareham (in his return to the Club) and the young Charlie Kenna with 3 goals each.

 

North Warrnambool sit on top of the ladder undefeated after 6 games.

 

Game of the round next week is no doubt North Warrnambool at home against the former league powerhouse Koroit, who seem to be running into some form over recent weeks.

 

 

Mininera & District FNL – Round 5

 

There was a clear cut answer to last weeks question as to who would step up out of Lismore Derrinallum and Woorndoo Mortlake to be the early challenger to top team the Ararat Eagles and that was Lismore Derrinallum who easily account for Woorndoo Mortlake on Saturday, 14-12-96 to 4-7-31.

 

League leading goalkicker had Lachie Constable had a real day out kicking 8 goals to take his season tally to 25 after 5 games and was named best player on the day with Blake Scott and Harry Taylor also amongst the better players. Ethan Mayhew was named best player for Woorndoo Mortlake in a game where seemingly the Woorndoo Mortlake recruits struggled to have any impact.

 

Caramut at home claimed a big scalp defeating last year’s Grand Finalists Wickliffe Lake Bolac, 10-9-69 to 8-11-59, winning their second game of the season. Led by recruits and ex Hampden league players, Jarvis Bermingham and Ryan O’Connor, the Swans were too good on the day with another recruit, Damien Wynd, kicking 5 goals.

 

Wickliffe Lake Bolac will hold a reunion this coming weekend, Saturday 24 May, celebrating 150 years of the Lake Bolac Football Club plus premierships from 1955, 1965 and 2005.

 

Top team, Ararat Eagles kicked the sweep at Great Western to continue on their winning way defeating Great Western, 20-15-135 to 7-6-48. Recruit, Chevy Elliott, kicked 5 goals for the Eagles whilst Ben Robertson (again) and Jack Wilson were named best players and for Great Western, Josh Arkell was named best player.

 

Glenthompson Dunkeld returned to the winners list at Tatyoon with a hard fought 8 point win over Tatyoon, 8-13-61 to 7-11-53. Club stalwart Matt Lowe was named best player along with coach Tom Waters and recruit Jacob Hill kicked 3 goals, whilst for Tatyoon Josh Bibby was named best player.

 

In the remaining games Hawkesdale Macarthur away defeated Moyston Willaura 12-12-84 to 5-8-38, with Pat Sinnott kicking 5 goals for the winners and reigning premiers Penshurst away defeated SMW Rovers, 14-13-97 to 7-6-48, with Nathan Rentsch named best player for Penshurst and Daniel Rentsch kicking 4 goals.

 

Ararat Eagles sit on top of the ladder undefeated after 5 games while the game of the round next week will be Glenthompson Dunkeld at home taking on Lismore Derrinallum.

 

 

South West District FNL

 

There were no games played in the South West District FNL on the weekend with the league hosting a junior football carnival involving under 17 and under 14 inter league games on Sunday.

 

The games were played over two 15-minute halves with each team playing four round robin games and the top two teams at the end of those games playing off in a Grand Final.

 

The competition was made up from 8 teams with Hampden fielding two teams (East and West), the Mininera & District FNL, Warrnambool & District FNL, Horsham & District FNL, Wimmera FNL, Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara FL and the South West League itself. The KNTFL only fielded a team in the under 17 competition.

 

Hampden West (with a team made up from the Hamilton Kangaroos, Portland, Port Fairy, Koroit and South Warrnambool clubs) ran out winners in both age groups.

 

Red hot premiership favourites, Cavendish, sit on top of the ladder undefeated after 5 games and the question posed for round 6 of the SWDFNL next week is can Branxholme Wallacedale roll Dartmoor and claim a big scalp.

 

 

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