Almanac Footy: Western District Football Wrap

 

Hampden FNL – Round 10

 

The weekend’s games saw the biggest turn up of the season to date in my opinion, with Cobden at home defeating South Warrnambool, 12-11-83 to 11-7-73. Cobden trailed at the first two changes but a solid third quarter saw them 1 point up at the last change and with double the scoring opportunities in the final quarter the home side ran out 10 point winners. Cobden’s only win of the season before the weekend came in round 8 against Camperdown which got them off the bottom of the ladder at the time but only the staunchest of supporters would have given them a chance of rolling second on the ladder South Warrnambool on the weekend.

 

Eight players shared the goals for Cobden with Arthur Armstrong and Paul Pekin named best players. Armstrong played two VFL games with the Northern Bullants in 2023. For South Warrnambool, Jackson Couch kicked four goals, and Max Irving was named best player. Irving is having a very good season and was only last week named in the Under 23 Inter League squad. The reigning premiers of the last two years, South Warrnambool, have now dropped two games in a row. They didn’t lose consecutive games during 2023 and 2024, years in which they won the premiership.

 

At Bushfield the home team, North Warrnambool, continued on their undefeated winning way defeating Port Fairy by 31 points, 14-8-92 to 8-13-61. Port Fairy couldn’t repeat their form from the week before when they defeated South Warrnambool. Without coach and ex-Geelong and West Coast Eagles ruckman, Nathan Vardy, the Eagles were best served by Reece Scoble and Liam Anders whilst Tom Batten kicked three goals in his 300^th game. Captain Matthew Sully kicked three goals for Port Fairy and George Swarbrick was named best player. Recruit this season, Gary Rohan, kicked one goal to take his tally for the season to 11 from his 9 games played.

 

In somewhat of a surprise Camperdown at home rolled Terang-Mortlake by 2 points, 13-9-87 to 12-13-85. For the home side Bayley Thompson and young Aidan Conheady kicked four goals each and were both named in the best players with Zach Sinnott was named best player. For Terang-Mortlake, mid-season recruit and ex-AFL ruckman Trent West was named best player, along with ex-Sydney Swans VFL player Colin O’Riordan.

 

At Victoria Park in Koroit the home side downed Portland, 11-11-77 to 8-9-57. Premiership player, Taylor McKenry, was named best player in his first senior game for the season. He’d previously played three reserves games and also played one senior game with two of his cousins for Coleraine in the South West District FNL over the King’s Birthday weekend when the Hampden FNL had no games scheduled. Connor Byrne kicked three goals for Koroit. Portland was best served by ruckman, Ben Malcolm, and midfielder Tanner Lovell.

 

In the final game of the round at Reid Oval the home side Warrnambool defeated the Hamilton Kangaroos 10-11-71 to 8-9-57. Reggie Mast kicked five goals for the home side and Amon Radley was named best player whilst for the Kangaroos veteran ruckman Levi Dare was again named best player. At 34 years of age the three time Maskell Medallist (HFNL Senior League Best and Fairest) is showing he can still well and truly mix it with the best in the competition. The Kangaroos were also well served by Sean Barnes who has returned to the Club this season from Geelong West in the Geelong FNL.

 

North Warrnambool sit on top of the ladder still undefeated and will play second on the ladder South Warrnambool this weekend. After there being only five points in their first encounter it will be interesting to see if South can bounce back this week after losing their last two games.

 

Warrnambool small forward, Luke Cody, still leads the goal kicking with 34 but by only one goal now from Portland key forward, Jake Wilson. Koroit’s Connor Byrne has moved into contention in recent weeks and has now kicked 25 goals for the season and interestingly has played every game this season and kicked at least one goal in every game. Cody and Wilson haven’t kicked a goal in every game they’ve played this season.

 

 

South West District FNL – Round 10

 

In the battle between two teams in the five over the weekend, Heywood travelled to Branxholme and took the points over Branxholme-Wallacedale, 10-13-73 to 5-9-39. The goals were shared for Heywood with Jarod Donovan named best player again and he also kicked two goals. Zebb Nield was named best player for Branxholme-Wallacedale.

 

Dartmoor continued on their winning way and after a big win the week before over the previously undefeated Cavendish, they put last year’s premiers, Tyrendarra, to the sword on the weekend winning by 82 points.  Christian Howlett continued his good form kicking six goals and was named in the best players whilst Tully Balshaw was named best player for Dartmoor. Young Connor Stephens playing two games each weekend, also kicked two goals for Dartmoor on the weekend, and was named in the club’s best players. He’s now kicked eight goals from his ten senior games this year and 28 goals from his ten games in the Club’s Under 17 team.

 

Top of the ladder Cavendish travelled to Alexandra Park in Portland to play Westerns and returned to the winners list by 81 points, 20-11-131 to 7-8-50. James Huf led the goal kicking for the winners with four goals and young Cody Glenn was named best player along with Ricky Luhrs. Kane Bates-Russell was named best player for Westerns.

 

Third on the ladder, Coleraine, travelled to Heathmere and ran out winners by 108 points, 24-14-158 to 7-8-50. Kieran Barker returned to the top of the league leading goal kicking table with his seven goals on the weekend and captain, Marcus Rhook, kicked four and both were in their team’s best players with veteran Luke Ferguson named best player. Alexander Geraldene and Cody Driscoll were named best players for Heathmere who are yet to win a game this season.

 

This coming weekend Heathmere will be joined by ex-Collingwood and Western Bulldogs key position player Travis Cloke as part of ‘The Carlton Draft’ when they take on Westerns who have one win for the season to date, after they played finals in 2024.

 

Cavendish remain on top of the ladder one win ahead of both Dartmoor and Coleraine, but the main interest will be who can take 5^th position on the ladder and play finals out of Branxholme-Wallacedale and Tyrendarra. Coleraine’s Kieran Barker now leads Branxholme-Wallacedale’s Brandon Newton by five goals in the leading goal kicking with Barker on 37 goals for the season.

 

 

Mininera & District FNL – Round 9

 

Round 9 saw last season’s premiers, Penshurst, at home, kick the sweep 31-17-203 to defeat Moyston-Willaura 1-6-12. Penshurst kicked 1 goal and 9 behinds in the first quarter but kicked 10 goals in the second quarter and 13 goals in the final quarter to run out 191 point winners. Regular backman, Jack Kruger, led the goal kicking with seven goals and reports from the game say they all came in the final quarter when he was moved forward, with Daniel Rentsch kicking five goals. Best players were midfielder Aaron Glare who is having a very good season and coach, Jayden Watson. Jack Kruger was also named in the best players. Ned Bohner was the solitary goal kicker for Moyston-Willaura and Kaiden Cooper was named best player.

 

Top of the ladder and undefeated Ararat Eagles continued on their winning way at home defeating Hawkesdale-Macarthur by 77 points, 16-21-117 to 6-4-40. Zach Louder and Jack Wilson both kicked five goals for the winners and Thomas Cousins was named best player with Ben Robertson named second best player this week. Benjamin Reid who has been very good for Hawkesdale-Macarthur this season was again named their best player.

 

SMW Rovers at home couldn’t reproduce their winning form of the week before and playing second on the ladder Lismore-Derrinallum went down by 64 points, 16-15-111 to 7-5-47. League leading goal kicker, Lachie Constable, continued his hot form bagging half his teams goals kicking eight goals for the winners and was named in the best players, with ruckman Henry Walsh named best player. Thomas McPhan was named best player for Rovers.

 

Wickliffe-Lake Bolac at home defeated Woorndoo-Mortlake 11-9-75 to 8-5-53. Lewis Chricton kicked five goals for the winners and was named best player whilst Simon Atkinson was named best player for Woorndoo-Mortlake. Bigger things were expected of Woorndoo-Mortlake this season, but they currently sit sixth on the ladder after the weekend’s loss and will battle to make the five at season end.

 

Glenthompson-Dunkeld at home defeated Great Western 16-15-111to 6-5-41. Jacob Hill was again amongst the goals for the home team with five and Tyler Staude was named best player along with Ben Cole. Alexander Bonner was named best player for Great Western.

 

In the final game of the round Tatyoon at home defeated Caramut by 9 points, 9-15-69 to 8-12-60.  Joshua Lee kicked five goals for the winners and was named in their best players with Joshua Brown named best player. Jarvis Bermingham was named best player for Caramut along with Charlie Farrer playing his first game for the Club after playing with the Hamilton Kangaroos in the Hampden FNL earlier this season.

 

After nine rounds Ararat Eagles sit on top of the ladder undefeated, and this week sees them play second placed Lismore-Derrinallum. Lismore-Derrinallum have lost once for the season that being in round two to Wickliffe-Lake Bolac by 9 points. This will be the only home and away game between the two teams in view of there being 12 teams in the league but playing a sixteen game home and away season. The game will be played at Alexandra Oval in Ararat.

 

Lachie Constable of Lismore-Derrinallum leads the league goal kicking with 50 goals from his nine games played. He’s eighteen  goals clear of Wickliffe Lake Bolac’s Liam Zavaglia on 32 with Penshurst’s Josh Rentsch on 29.

 

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE