By Peter Wilkie
The top, the middle and the bottom.
A glance at the Bendigo Bank Central Highlands FL results and ladder after Round 16 shows that the big topics for this week’s Round up come from top, middle and bottom.
Up at the head of the ladder, Daylesford remain unbeaten for all 16 games played this year, and will most likely stay undefeated when crowned minor premier next week.
To put some perspective on the Bulldogs dominance this year, in their 16 wins they have accrued a massive 64 more goals than their nearest rival, second placed Waubra.
Notably, in their only meeting in 2007, Daylesford defeated Waubra by 4 points in a very low scoring affair, but the Bulldogs have easily accounted for all the other likely finalists.
Way down the other end of the table, Gordon scored its first win of a season which has been the polar opposite of Daylesford’s.
Gordon have struggled all year to put a competitive unit on the park, but on Saturday the Eagles finally landed some Premiership points, knocking over Beaufort by 20 points, sparking major celebrations.
Club legend Gary Busittil made one of his rare appearances for 2007 and booted 4 goals.
Perhaps tellingly, Gordon was whipped in the first game of the year to the tune of 204 points by………. you guessed it, Daylesford.
The other point of interest for this week is the “down to the wire race” for the last spots in the Final Five.
3 teams remain in the hunt for 4th and 5th.
*Dunnstown is still a game clear in 4th, but has to contend with the Daylesford juggernaut in the last game.
*Bungaree is 5th after leapfrogging back into the five when they beat Buninyong, but the Demons face up to Waubra this week.
*Learmonth lost to Hepburn and dropped back out of the five, but has a tough, but winnable game against Buninyong to finish off the home and away rounds.
Percentages are also a possible deciding factor in the equation, but the Round up is going to stick its neck out and predict that all 3 will lose, leaving Dunnstown in 4th on points and Bungaree in 5th with a superior percentage to the unlucky Lakies.
Big games, be early to: Buninyong v Learmonth at Buninyong, Dunnstown v Daylesford at Dunnstown, and Waubra v Bungaree at Waubra.
GOAL KICKERS.
Bungaree’s Bryce Nicholson has the chance to kick 100 goals for the home and away season, sitting atop the goal kicking ladder with 94, but booting 6 against the Kangaroos will be no easy task.
Nicholson’s 10 goal bag last week has him leading the two Lee’s, Brown of Waubra and Cox of Hepburn, and it is very possible we could have 3 centurions for the year as all 3 will play into the finals series.
One real long shot is Cox replicating the legendary last round effort of Hepburn champion Greg Barras in 2003. Playing virtually on one leg, with a terribly damaged knee from a goal post collision earlier in the season, Barras kicked a stunning 18 goals in the last game against Creswick to register 101 season goals.
Cox needs 19 goals to make the magical ton.
Leading Goal Kickers
(After Round 16)
B. Nicholson (Bung) 94 (10 this week)
L. Brown (Waubra) 85 (7)
L. Cox (Hepburn) 84 (2)
A. Tranquilli (Spring) 57 (1)
M. Cummings (Dayles) 54 (10)
| Next > |
|---|