Almanac Footy: Western District Football Wrap

 

Wow, the weekend’s round of matches certainly saw a couple of big turn ups across two leagues in the Western District and in one case has really breathed some life into the competition.

 

Hampden FNL – Round 9

 

The first turn up and the minor of the two in my opinion saw 7^th placed Port Fairy at home comfortably defeat the reigning premiers and team currently second on the ladder South Warrnambool, 13-11-89 to 7-9-51. Port Fairy who recruited heavily in the off season have performed below expectations, but the weekend’s win could be a result that turns their season around. They still sit 7^th on the ladder four points behind both Warrnambool and Terang-Mortlake who are 4^th and 5^th respectively, and equal on points with Koroit who sit 6^th.

 

It’s fair to say there is some huge games coming in the second round which begins this weekend. All teams have now played each other once.

 

James Edmonds, recruited from Leopold in the Geelong FNL over the off season and a son of south west football great, Mick Edmonds, kicked three goals and Kaine Mercovich was named best for the home team whilst Isaac Thomas was named best for the Roosters. Archie Stevens, who has dominated for South in recent weeks, didn’t play on the weekend due to VFL commitments with Carlton.

 

Terang-Mortlake journeyed to the Reid Oval in Warrnambool to take on the Blues and got an important win for them, 10-15-75 to 8-5-53. Warrnambool were well out of the blocks to kick five goals straight in the first quarter but from there it was one way traffic with Warrnambool kicking 1 goal 5 behinds over the next two quarters to the Bloods 7 goals 10 behinds. With both sides kicking two goals in the last quarter a 22 point win from nearly double the scoring opportunities was enough to see Terang-Mortlake hold onto 5^th position on the ladder. Rhys Buck kicked 4 goals for the winners with league leading goal kicker Luke Cody, and young key forward Reggie Mast, kicking two goals each for the Blues who sit 4^th on the ladder ahead of Terang Mortlake on percentage.

 

The Portland Tigers at home kicked the score of the round defeating Cobden, 16-18-114 to 7-14-56. Big Jake Wilson kicked 5 goals the Tigers, whilst the best players included the regulars in coach Lachie Huppatz, Jay Moody and Daniel Jackson. Young Tom Burns was also in the best along with Jeff Garlett, who it seems may be staying with Portland for the remainder of the season now, although that is still to be confirmed after it was initially indicated he would be moving on before 30 June. Best players for Cobden were Sam Lucas and Matthew Drayton.

 

Elsewhere North Warrnambool at home maintained their undefeated season with a 57 point hammering of the Hamilton Kangaroos, 11-11-77 to 2-8-20. Tom Batten kicked four goals for the Eagles whilst Lachie Wines was named best player. Two under 18 players were named best for the Kangaroos, in Ted Hunter who played under 18s with North Warrnambool in 2024 and attends school in Hamilton, and Hunter Van Someren.

 

At Leura Oval in Camperdown the home side went down to Koroit, 8-12-60 to 8-9-57. In the absence of joint coach Sam Dobson, young gun Connor Byrne kicked four goals for Koroit and captain Liam Hoy was named best player. Interestingly Ben Dobson, brother of Sam, and a player who has numerous accolades at the Club, along with having played at St Mary’s in the Geelong FNL and with Essendon in the VFL, played his first game with Koroit since the 2022 premiership win.

 

At the half way mark of the season North Warrnambool sit on top of the ladder undefeated (with wins by under 10 points against South Warrnambool and Portland) and Warrnambool small forward Luke Cody leads the goal kicking with 34, four ahead of Portland key forward Jake Wilson who has 30.

 

 

South West District FNL – Round 9

 

What a turn up here with 2^nd placed Dartmoor away defeating the previously undefeated Cavendish. It wasn’t so much that Dartmoor won the game it was the way they did it, hammering Cavendish 17-13-115 to 4-3-27. It could only be described in football terms as a thrashing.

 

Dartmoor started well to kick 6 goals to 1 goal in the first quarter and extended their lead at every break to run out easy winners in a one sided affair. Christian Howlett kicked 5 goals for Dartmoor and mid-season recruit Lachie Glare kicked 4 goals. Glare as mentioned previously crossed over from Mininera & District League Club Hawkesdale Macarthur where he kicked 52 goals last year and has now kicked 12 goals in four games with Dartmoor and been named in the best players in three of those games. Glare also has Hampden League experience having played a few seasons with Port Fairy. Best player for Dartmoor was Kaleb Bowd for the second match running.

 

Best players for Cavendish were Oli Dinges and coach/ex Box Hill Hawk, Sam Gibson. Cavendish did have possibly three players out of their best team, but 88 points was a big margin on Saturday. No doubt they are better than that but the ease of the win by Dartmoor has certainly breathed some life into the competition.

 

Two teams who brought players in for one off matches over the King’s Birthday long weekend in Westerns and Branxholme Wallacedale both went down this round.

 

Coleraine at home not unexpectedly defeated Westerns 18-20-128 to 4-9-33. Kieran Barker returned to goal kicking form with five for Coleraine and stalwart, Luke Ferguson, was named best player along with Harry Armstrong. Best player for Westerns was Noah Knight again.

 

In a surprise to me Tyrendarra at home defeated Branxholme-Wallacedale by 12 points, 6-6-42 to 4-6-30. These two teams and Heywood are locked in a battle for 4^th and 5^th spots, with Tyrendarra still in 6^th after their win on the weekend but now level on points with Branxholme-Wallacedale and both four points behind Heywood.

 

Jordie Withers again led the goal kicking charge for Tyrendarra with four of the teams six goals and their best players were Josh Atwell and Tom Haylock. Best player for Branxholme-Wallacedale was Sam Lambevski. League leading goal kicker Brandon Newton kicked one goal for Branxholme Wallacedale.

 

At Heywood, the home team defeated bottom of the ladder Heathmere by 71 points, 18-11-119 to 7-6-48. In the absence of coach and ex Collingwood small forward Leon Davis, Mathew Sailor stepped up in his first senior game for many years kicking 7 goals and being named in the best players with Jarod Donovan being named best player for the second consecutive match. Best player for Heathmere was Dillon Berry, whilst Callum McNabb kicked four of his teams seven goals.

 

After nine rounds Cavendish sit on top of the ladder with one defeat now, four points clear of Dartmoor and there will be a battle for the 4^th and 5^th spot on the ladder as mentioned earlier. Brandon Newton, who has been a little quieter over the last two rounds, still leads the goals kicking with 31, one ahead of Coleraine’s Kieran Barker on 30.

 

As a side note to football in the SWDFNL, ex Collingwood player and current Heywood coach Leon Davis, was last week named in the Victorian state darts team and will represent Victoria at the Australian Championships played over two Sunday’s in mid to late July. Davis has kicked 21 goals for Heywood this season.

 

 

Mininera & District FNL – Round 8

 

SMW Rovers getting their first win of the season over neighbours Tatyoon and big wins to Penshurst, Lismore-Derrinallum, Wickliffe Lake Bolac and Glenthompson-Dunkeld highlighted the round.

 

SMW Rovers at home defeated close neighbour Tatyoon, 11-6-72 to 9-10-64, in what I’m sure would have been a sweet victory for the Club. Behind all day the home team finished stronger kicking four goals to one goal in the final quarter to win by 8 points. Alonzo Soloman, who has Ballarat FNL experience, kicked four goals and with captain Sam Fisher was named best players for Rovers. Joshua Lee kicked four of his teams nine goals to also be Tatyoon’s only multiple goal kicker on the day and no best players were provided, which to me means one thing.

 

Penshurst, without coach Jayden Watson and playing away, kicked the score of the round defeating Great Western 30-16-196 to 4-8-32. Penshurst assistant coach and key forward Josh Rentsch continued his hot run of form kicking 8 goals and was very well supported by Jacob Mibus with 6 goals. Rentsch and mid fielder, Aaron Glare, were again named best players for Penshurst. Jayden McCartney was named best player for Great Western.

 

Top team Ararat Eagles away continued their undefeated run by defeating 4^th placed Woorndoo Mortlake by 25 points, 8-16-64 to 5-9-39. Goals were shared around for Ararat and Ben Robertson was again named best player for the top team, along with Damian Joiner. Robertson is having a very good season and unless he’s on the wrong side of the umpires on match day will be one of the favourites for the League Best & Fairest come the end of the season.  Otto Opperman was again named best player for Woorndoo Mortlake.

 

Second placed Lismore-Derrinallum at home defeated Hawkesdale-Macarthur by 103 points, 21-13-133 to 4-6-30. League leading goal kicker Lachie Constable kicked 7 goals for the home team and Austen Humphrey kicked 5, whilst Zack Mongelli who joined the Club this season was named best player. Mongelli has previously played with Wickliffe-Lake Bolac, St Joseph’s in the Geelong FNL and Lorne in the Colac FNL. Aaron Seabrook was named best player for Hawkesdale Macarthur.

 

Wickliffe Lake Bolac away defeated Moyston-Willaura, 19-17-131 to 6-2-38. Ex Geelong FNL player Liam Zavaglia again led the goal kicking with 7 goals for the winners and was named best player along with Michael Zelencich who joined the club from Wedderburn this season. Brad Uwland was named best player for Moyston-Willaura.

 

Glenthompson-Dunkeld away defeated Caramut 18-17-125 to 6-9-45. Jacob Hill kicked 5 goals for the Rams and recruit from Leopold  this season, Sam McDonald, 4 goals. McDonald was also named best player. Scott Judd kicked 3 of his teams 6 goals and Joel Harriss was named best for Caramut.

 

After 8 rounds Ararat Eagles remain on top of the ladder undefeated, with all teams now having won a game this season, and Lismore-Derrinallum’s Lachie Constable leads the goal kicking with 42 goals from his 8 games played. The battle for 4^th and 5^th spot on the ladder come the end of the season will be hotly contested by four teams with Lismore Derrinallum and Penshurst looking reasonably secure in the five with Ararat Eagles.

 

 

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