Almanac Footy – Western District Football Wrap: Round 8
No matches played in the Hampden FNL or Mininera & District FNL over the Kings Birthday long weekend leaving the South West District FNL to be the focus in the Western District.
South West District FNL – Round 8
As mentioned last week all teams have played each other once now and Saturday saw the second round kick off with the highlights being ‘family and friends day’ at Coleraine and Branxholme, new recruits into the league (many as a one off) and the top team Cavendish remaining undefeated. All games were played in cold wet conditions in the west on Saturday, and with many leagues not having games over the weekend and it still being pre 30 June, there were some ‘player movements’ for the day.
Coleraine at home defeated Heywood 12.12.84 to 10.10.70 with two players doubling their yearly goal total to be amongst those leading Coleraine to victory. Premiership player and best on ground in the club’s 2023 Grand Final victory, Robert Mackinnon, who returned this season after having 2024 away from the game, kicked four goals for the home team while Max Cooper kicked three goals. The game was especially sweet for Cooper who was joined in the team by three family members playing their first game for Coleraine including his father, ex-Hawthorn player Paul coming out of retirement (see the family photo on the club’s Facebook page). Members of the McKenry family also joined local player Will McKenry and the team for the day.
Best player for Coleraine was Marcus Rhook for the second week running.
Heywood was buoyed by the return last week of 2023 SWDFNL League Best and Fairest, Nyawi Moore, who was cleared to the club from Woorinen in the Central Murray FNL and Jeff Garlett was included into the team from Portland FNC for the day, but it wasn’t enough to get them over the line. Coleraine coach, Adam Ward, certainly has his team playing better than many expected, whilst Heywood are probably a little below what was expected and certainly on Saturday with Moore and Garlett in the team. Best player for Heywood was vice-captain, Jarod Donovan.
Cavendish at home continued their unbeaten run this season with an 11 point win over Branxholme Wallacedale, 6.15.51 to 6.4.40. Goals for Cavendish were shared amongst four players including coach Sam Gibson and young forward Jake Hardy with two each. Best player for Cavendish was also a young player in Harry Austin.
Branxholme Wallacedale were again best served in front of goal by Brandon Newton who kicked three goals, and best player on the day was James Cleaver, son of coach Paul Cleaver, who joined the club from Spotswood in the Western FNL where he is a regular senior player. He was also joined by Chris Seymour, another regular senior player with Spotswood and who was also amongst the best players. This was the first game for the season where Brandon Newton hasn’t featured in the clubs best players.
Dartmoor away defeated Westerns 11.18.84 to 6.4.40. Recruit Lachie Glare, in his third game for the club after crossing from Hawkesdale Macarthur in the Mininera and District FNL, kicked four goals and was amongst the clubs best players. Kaleb Bowd was named best player, whilst for Westerns their best player was Oscar Barter who until the weekend had played with Anakie in the Geelong and District FNL. Time will tell whether this game was a one off also. Barter was one of four players playing their first game with Westerns on Saturday, with all possibly being one offs.
In the final game of the round the reigning premiers Tyrendarra at home defeated bottom of the ladder Heathmere by 107 points, 19.8.122 to 2.3.15. Sharp shooter Jordi Withers had a day out kicking nine goals for the home team and being named best player whilst for Heathmere Patrick McGennisken was named best player. Tyrendarra also had a number of players from Portland playing with the club on the weekend.
After eight rounds Cavendish sit on top of the ladder undefeated, two games clear of Dartmoor and Coleraine, whilst Brandon Newton from Branxholme Wallacedale leads the goal kicking with 30 goals after playing all eight games this season. Many would be surprised if he wasn’t also leading the League Best and Fairest count too.
At the other end of the ladder Heathmere are yet to win a game and will be joined by ex-Collingwood and Western Bulldogs key forward, Travis Cloke, on Saturday 28 June when they play a home game against Westerns. The game is part of ‘The Carlton Draft’ program.
Side note: Bringing players into teams for one off games as many clubs did on the weekend is interesting – do you take the potential one off kick in your result at the risk of ‘burning’ players who turn up week in week out? If you’re a top team you don’t need to do it and usually wouldn’t take the risk within the playing group. On the flipside you may have players injured or unavailable which assists bringing the players in. I suppose only time will tell if it’s worth it or not.
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Western Victoria.
Probably stretching the friendship, Dandy, but any chance of some Colac FNL coverage?
Really interesting point about bringing players in for a one off game.
My club’s opponents on the weekend brought in several players from Camperdown and Cobden FC’s, to fill in for a number of injured senior players and to play for their juniors who are struggling for numbers.
As long as no one misses out it’s probably not a huge issue, and may lead to recruitment for the next season?
Of course this can be used to advantage too as may have happened in the South West league.
G’day Smokie,
Apologies, but I don’t know the Colac & DFNL like I do the three leagues around me and time would also be an issue for me. Glad you’re enjoying the coverage though.
Cheers,
Andy
G’day Luke,
Yes, Club’s in our area have topped up particularly their juniors with “permit players” for years when required. It did get to the stage where it had to be controlled (restricted to some extent) so that Club’s weren’t just loading up teams to win on game day (whether or not players (sometimes locals) were missing out on a game).
It was interesting on the weekend at senior level and I’ve got to acknowledge that I don’t know the full situation numbers wise in each Club’s case, but it certainly appears to me that at least two Club’s brought in players for one off games from the point of view of strengthening their sides. (We’ll know for sure when we see the selected teams for this weekend.) They may have had players injured or unavailable but could have certainly brought players up from their reserves (wouldn’t have necessarily been as strong a players as those brought in for the one off games) but they chose not to. In the case of one Club it seems to me that they mainly brought in players from a family point of view (so the various family members could play a game together) and not necessarily from the point of view totally of strengthening their team – it was also interesting that they were the only team I’ve mentioned to win on the weekend.
Cheers,
Andy