Almanac Footy: Western District Football Wrap

 

Hampden FNL – Round 17

 

Koroit away stamped their authority with a 47 point win over fellow final five contender Warrnambool, 17-10-112 to 8-17-65. 27 scoring opportunities to 25, but a 47 point winning margin. Fly in fly out player, Lachie Rhook, kicked two goals for the Saints and was named best player, whilst Connor Byrne continued his goal kicking run by kicking three goals and has now kicked at least one goal in each of the 17 rounds to date. Best players for Warrnambool were Heath Morgan-Morris and Austin Steere.

 

Warrnambool seem to have dropped away since I said they were my surprise packet of 2025 about 4-6 weeks ago, when they were playing better than I expected of them this season.

 

South Warrnambool away defeated Portland in a low scoring affair, 6-8-44 to 4-5-29. Portland led narrowly for much of the game but were held goalless in the last quarter whilst South booted four goals to come from 10 points down at three quarter time and win. South were best served by Sam Thompson and the VFL listed, Archie Stevens. Another VFL listed player in Jamieson Ballantyne was best player for Portland along with Jay Moody. Portland now sits seventh on the ladder but if they can beat Cobden at Cobden and other results go their way in this weekend’s final round, they can still play finals.

 

Top team North Warrnambool at home had a 12 point win over Terang-Mortlake, 11-6-72 to 8-12-60. Jackson Grundy and Harry Keast were named best players for North whilst Sam Crawley and captain, Alexander Moloney, were named best players for the Bloods. If Terang-Mortlake at home can beat Warrnambool in the final round they will play finals. Its got very tight though for a team that many tipped to win the premiership before the season.

 

Camperdown at home defeated Cobden, 12-9-81 to 7-13-55. Joshua Place and Matthew Field were named best players for the home team whilst Angus Uwland was named best player for Cobden. Camperdown would need to beat Koroit in the final round and have other results go there way to play finals.

 

Port Fairy at home were too good for the Hamilton Kangaroos, 11-9-75 to 8-5-53. Newly appointed senior coach for 2026, Tyrone Ross, in his second senior game this season due to injury, kicked three goals for Port Fairy, while young Harry Pollock was named best player along with Lochie Gunning. Young key forward, Hamish Cook, kicked three goals for the visitors and their best players were Cam Pither and Sean Barnes.

 

There is plenty of interest in this weekends final round with sixth placed Camperdown and seventh placed Portland still a chance to play finals. Fifth placed Terang-Mortlake holds their own destiny in their hands, and a win will guarantee their place in the finals, but a loss would leave them relying on other results.

 

Koroit’s Sam Dobson leads the goal kicking with 49, one ahead of Warrnambool’s Luke Cody on 48 and three ahead of his Koroit team mate Connor Byrne on 46.

 

 

South West District FNL – 2^nd SF and 1^st SF

 

Top team, Dartmoor, led all day on Saturday for an impressive 48 point win over Cavendish, 15-16-106 to 9-4-58 to book their place in the Grand Final and another shot at an elusive premiership. Veteran, Jordan Murphy, and Christian Howlett kicked three goals each for Dartmoor and Kyle Carlin was named best player along with Dale Bachmann. Jayden Hendry kicked four goals for Cavendish and captain Aiden Luhrs was named best player along with Oli Dinges.

 

In the first semi final on Sunday Coleraine defeated Tyrendarra by 22 points, 11-9-75 to 8-5-53. Charlie Youngman and Kieran Barker kicked three goals each for the victors and Youngman was named best player with Harry Armstrong. Jordi Withers booted three goals for the Darra’s and joint captain, Josh Atwell, was named best player along with Rhys Weber.

 

Dartmoor now progress to their third Grand Final in four seasons and a shot at an elusive premiership after losing to Tyrendarra in 2024 and Cavendish in 2022. In a rematch of 2023 Grand Finalists, Cavendish and Coleraine will play off in this weekend’s Preliminary Final at Heathmere for the right to take on Dartmoor on Grand Final day at Melville Oval in Hamilton.

 

 

Mininera & District FNL – Qualifying Final and Elimination Final

 

Second placed Ararat Eagles were too good for third placed Penshurst at Great Western on Saturday in the Qualifying Final, winning by 36 points in the end, 13-14-92 to 7-14-56. Thomas Cousins kicked three goals for the Eagles and captain Jackson Taurau and Jesse Bennett were named best players. For Penshurst William Bester and Josh Rentsch were named best players. Key forwards Rentsch and Jacob Mibus were held to one goal between them.

 

In Sunday’s first semi-final at Penshurst fifth placed Tatyoon ran out 20 point winners over fourth placed Glenthompson-Dunkeld, 9-12-66 to 6-10-46. Captain, Josh Bibby, kicked three goals for Tatyoon and was named best player along with Lachie McGrath. Carl Joyce and James Lloyd were named best for Glenthompson-Dunkeld.

 

Ararat Eagles now take on top team Lismore-Derrinallum, who had last weekend off, in this Saturday’s second semi-final at Willaura, whilst on Sunday Penshurst will take on Tatyoon in a knockout first semi final at Lismore. For anyone interested it is worth noting that all Mininera & District  Football Netball League finals are live streamed via the League Facebook page and so if you’re interested in having a look at these games you can tune in.

 

It would also be remiss of me not to mention the terrific effort of Lismore-Derrinallum key forward, Lachie Constable, in kicking 102 goals during the home and away season. Whilst I was out of action with the weekly wrap, he booted three goals in the final home and away round to take his season tally to 102 from his 16 games played.

 

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