Weekly Wrap | This weekend saw Interleague football take the stage in a couple of competitions across the state.
In another classic match between arch rivals, the Ovens and Murray FNL and the Goulburn Valley FNL, it was the former league that held aloft the Ash-Wilson trophy when the siren sounded. After a blistering first quarter from the OMFNL, it was the GVFNL who steadily pegged back the home side as the game progressed. The GVFNL would actually get in front by 15 points in the early stages of the final quarter. In a see-sawing affair, the OMFNL was able to string together crucial goals to wrest control of the game back as the final quarter rolled on, eventually running out 7 point winners of the thrilling contest 13.14 92 to 13.7 85. It was an incredible match of football and a ringing endorsement for the interleague format to come back into serious discussion across all leagues for the near future.
Down in the Gippsland FNL it was a new concept with an All Stars game between two teams of the best under 25 year old talent from across the competition. Team Navy had players from the Bairnsdale, Maffra, Sale,Traralgon, and Morwell FNC’s take on & Team Red which comprised players from Leongatha, Wonthaggi, Moe, Warragul and Drouin FNC’s. At the end of the games it was Team Navy coming away with a 12.12-84 to Team Red’s 7.8-50.
Staying in the Gippsland region, the game between Stony Creek FNC and Toora FNC took an unusual turn when one of the field umpires stopped the game and awarded a free kick and 50m penalty to Stony Creek when they believed they had been abused by a Toora official from over the boundary line. Confusion reigned and at 3 quarter time the umpires threatened to call off the game if the official did not leave the ground. The game continued after this happened and Stony Creek ran out 31 point winners in the end. It will be interesting to see if this incident has any further developments as the week progresses as reports of what were said were not believed to be over the top, but it is a reminder that all supporters need to be mindful of how they support their teams. A few country leagues are trialing the white card system as a way to deal with incidents of this nature.
This week another two former AFL players graced Victorian country footy fields. Brownlow medallist and premiership player Jason Akermanis played for Werrimull FNC in their Millewa FNL clash against Meringur FNC where the former Lion and Bulldog kicked 4 goals in his sides 143 point win. In the Mininera and District FNL it was another former premiership player, in Port Adelaide FC’s Kane Cornes who suited up for Moyston Willaura FNC. Unlike Akermanis, Cornes wasn;t able to hit the scoreboard or help his side as they went down 1.9 15 to Hawkesdale Macarthur FNC who managed 20.14 134 to run out 119 point victors.
This week's closest game and highest score both took place in the Geelong and District FNL. Firstly it was Bell Post Hill FNC holding on for a 1 point win 10.13 73 to Thomson FNC 10.12 72. The same couldn’t be said for the clash between Winchelsea FNC and Anakie FNC, where it was Winchelsea kicking 40.18 258, to end up big 239 point winners on the day.
The game was also a big one for Winchelsea FNC’s Leigh Ellis who managed 16 goals in the match, to be the biggest haul for the weekend, 2 more than Alvie FNC’s Dominc Dare who kicked 14 in the Colac and District FNL match against the Western Eagles. Dare’s bag of 14 takes him to second overall on the list of leading goal kickers across country Victoria, one behind Mitta United FNC’s Ethan Redcliffe who has 46 and 6 ahead of Carisbrook FNC’s Anthony Zelencich who is in third place with 39.
