Almanac Footy: Western District Football Wrap

 

Big bags of goals and inter league were the order of the weekend in the Western District.

 

Hampden FNL

 

There were no games played in the Hampden League over the weekend with the league playing inter-league games against the Ballarat FNL in Ballarat.

 

Ballarat won an under 23 game comfortably, whilst Hampden won an under 17 game, and an under 19 women’s game.

 

South West District FNL – Round 12

The biggest bag of goals over the weekend was kicked by Tyrendarra’s Jordi Withers, who booted 16 of his teams 20 goals to lead his team to an away victory over Westerns, 20-14-134 to 6-4-40. It was all Tyrendarra, and Withers obviously, with the team kicking 7 goals in the first quarter to jump out to a 42 point lead by quarter time and it was all one way traffic from there. Withers isn’t a big player but uses his speed around goal to be a focal point and is a regular goal kicker. Tyrendarra won the premiership in 2024, and Withers booted 91 goals for the season to follow 66 the year before and see him win the goal kicking or tie it in each of the last two seasons. Many say he could be playing a higher level of football.

 

Best for Tyrendarra were Withers, obviously, and Patty Haylock, whilst Jesse Wilkinson and Hunter Oakley were named best for Westerns. Tyrendarra have kept their final five hopes alive and their results have certainly improved in recent weeks, whilst Westerns would be disappointed with their season after making finals last year and were seen to be a team on the improve before the season started.

 

The form team of the competition at the moment, second on the ladder Dartmoor, at home, continued their good form with a 46 point defeat of third placed, Coleraine, 14-11-95 to 7-7-49. Nathan Bell kicked four goals and was named best player for the winners, along with Alex O’Connell, and for Coleraine Harry Armstrong and Marcus Rhook were named best players.

 

As mentioned last week playing coach of Dartmoor, Jayden Polaski, has been re-appointed as coach for 2026 and that will take him to ten years as senior coach of the club, a great record in country football.

 

Top team, Cavendish, at home, defeated fourth placed Heywood, 14-11-95 to 7-7-49. Jayden Hendry kicked three goals for the winners and was named in the best players with young Harry Austin named best. Heywood was best served by big man and a fella also known in the region for his basketball prowess, Nathan Hardingham, and vice-captain, Jarod Donovan.

 

In the final game, Branxholme-Wallacedale at home kept a hold of fifth spot on the ladder for now with a 92 point defeat of Heathmere who couldn’t make it back to back wins after their win the previous week when Travis Cloke kicked five goals for them. Brandon Newton returned to goal kicking form with nine goals for the home team and was named best player with Sam Lambevski, whilst Blake Schwarz and Jed Barclay were named best players for Heathmere.

 

With no games scheduled in the league for this coming weekend before a four game stretch then leading into finals, with a final five played, Cavendish sit one game clear on top of the ladder from Dartmoor. Coleraine sit safely in third spot on the ladder and any of Heywood, Branxholme-Wallacedale and Tyrendarra will fill the final two spots in the five at season end. Westerns and Heathmere are out of finals contention.

 

Brandon Newton’s nine goals on the weekend sees him move back to the top of the league goal kicking table with 46, one ahead of Jordi Withers who has jumped up the table with his 16 goals on the weekend and a further one goal back to Coleraine’s Kieran Barker who was on top of the table last week.

 

 

Mininera & District FNL – Round 11

Top team Ararat Eagles defeated Wickliffe-Lake Bolac to remain undefeated, and the personal performance of the round was Lismore-Derrinallum’s Lachie Constable kicking 15 goals.

 

Ararat Eagles away defeated Wickliffe-Lake Bolac, 12-16-88 to 10-14-74. Jack Wilson, who played with Chelsea Heights in the Southern Football League in 2024, kicked four goals for the ladder leaders, and Ben Robertson and Jake Peters were named best players. I stand by a comment I made a few weeks ago now that if Robertson is on half-friendly terms with the umpires, he will go very close to winning the League Best and Fairest this season. Best players for the home team were Tyler Trickey and Charles Vallance.

 

Second on the ladder, Lismore-Derrinallum, at home, hammered Caramut 26-16-172 to 1-2-8 with league leading goal kicker Lachie Constable booting 15 goals. He was named best player along with Henry Walsh, brother of Carlton’s Sam. For Caramut captain Nathan Murphy, and Charlie Farrer were named best players. Scott Judd was the solitary goal kicker.

 

Penshurst at home had much the better of neighbouring Hawkesdale-Macarthur, 20-21-141 to 9-8-62. Key forwards Josh Rentsch and Jacob Mibus kicked five goals each for the home team and coach, Jayden Watson, and Josh Rentsch were named best players. Brady Purcell was named best player for the visitors.

 

Sam Rentsch, brother of Josh, and a very good footballer in his own right played his first senior game, and third game overall, for some time on the weekend. He will be an interesting inclusion for Penshurst in the run towards finals now.

 

I mentioned Andy Munro and his ‘Former Footy Grounds’ Facebook and Instagram pages last week in regard to the game at Heathmere involving Travis Cloke, and this week he visited Penshurst, so to see some of the action from this game have a look at Andy’s social media. Josh Rentsch is certainly one of the best district league players in country football and as I’ve said before Jacob Mibus is one of the best stories in country football.

 

Glenthompson-Dunkeld at home consolidated their spot in the five with a 22 point win over Woorndoo-Mortlake, 12-14-86 to 9-10-64. Big man, Sam McDonald, booted eight of his teams twelve goals to lead the goal kicking, and was named best player, along with DJ Woods. Whilst for Woorndoo-Mortlake, joint captain Thomas Gough was named best player.

 

Tatyoon at home were too good for Moyston-Willaura winning 17-18-120 to 7-7-49. Joshua Lee continued his good form kicking seven goals and being named best player for the home team along with Logan Dixon. Captain Liam Kane and Izaiyah Turner kicked two goals each for Moyston-Willaura and no best players were provided.

 

SMW Rovers at home defeated Great Western, 19-5-119 to 13-5-83. Alonzo Soloman kicked four goals for Rovers and Joel Moriarty was named best players along with Mike Bleicher, whilst for Great Western Lochie Morrissey was named best player.

 

With no games scheduled for this coming weekend, Ararat Eagles go into the break on top of the ladder and undefeated to this stage, with Lismore-Derrinallum second on the ladder on equal points with Penshurst, two games behind Ararat. The battle for fifth spot is on and with five rounds remaining any of four teams are still a chance to finish fifth but Wickliffe-Lake Bolac currently have it. Glenthompson-Dunkeld are safely in fourth spot on the ladder. Game of the round in two week’s time will no doubt be Penshurst at home to Ararat Eagles. Ararat have taken all before them this season, but the reigning premiers are running into form, and their key forwards are in good goal kicking form at the moment.

 

Lachie Constable of Lismore-Derrinallum leads the goal kicking with 66 and has really consolidated the position with his 15 goals on the weekend. Josh Rentsch of Penshurst has 41 goals and is in a rich vein of form having kicked 38 goals in the last six games.

 

 

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