Weekly Wrap | The Easter weekend saw several Victorian country football and netball leagues taking advantage of holidaymakers traveling to their region by hosting games, with matches starting on Thursday with a clash under lights between Rennie FNC and Tungamah FNC in the Picola and District FNL and culminating with games on Easter Sunday in the Ovens and Murray FNL.
Whilst there were only 38 games spread across 15 leagues, crowds were big across each of the venues and the occasion produced some cracking contests. It was also an emotional day for the residents of Rochester whose town was devastated by floods last year, but they were able to host their first home game post the disaster suffered by the town and local region. Whilst the Tigers may have come up short on the field, the importance of local football and netball clubs for regional towns and communities was on full display for everyone who attended.
In the Murray FNL, Finley FNC had a last kick 1 point win over Deniliquin FNC whilst the big Good Friday clash between arch rivals Barooga FNC and Cobram FNC saw Barooga FNC trail for most of the game before a come from behind 9 point win and the cross border bragging rights that come with it. There was a similar result in the Colac and DIstrict FNL where Colac Imperials FNC were behind for the majority of the day before a 3 goal to 1 last quarter saw them over run Alvie FNC to win 10.8 68 to 8.14 62.
Good Friday also saw traditional rivals Wangaratta FNC take on Wangaratta Rovers FNC in the Ovens and Murray FNL. Wangaratta FNC, coming off a tumultuous off season where they were stripped of their 2022 premiership, were overrun in the final quarter in a thrilling game, going down by 2 points, 10.11 71 to Rovers 11.7 73. Former Collingwood FC player Sam Murray was best on ground for the victors. This weekend also saw 2 former AFL players make their coaching debuts in the Ovens and Murray FNL, with former Magpie Tim Broomhead for North Albury FNC and former Greater Western Sydney Giant and Geelong FC premiership player and Norm Smith medalist Stevie Johnson taking the reigns at Yarrawonga FNC. Neither coach was able to walk away with a first up victory, with North Albury losing to Wodonga FNC by 53 points and the Pigeons going down to rival Albury FNC by 22.
The weekend saw some tight tussles with two 1 point games, and there was another draw, this time in the Bellarine FNL. Anglesea FNL had many opportunities to win the game, but their wayward kicking kept Drysdale FNC in the contest all day, with scores tied 10.15 75 to 11.9 75 at the final siren. At the other end of the state in the Ovens and King FNL, the season's biggest score for the 2023 season was registered when Bright FNC piled on 31.15 201 in their match against Tarrawingee FNC who only managed 1.3 9.
Bright FNC’s Cooper Thomason managed 9 goals and teammate Jack Dalbosco added another 8 in the win, but both tallies were less the Merrivale FNC’s Dylan Weir who claimed the biggest bag of goals for the weekend with a haul of 12 in the game against Old Collegians FNC in the Warrnambool and District FNL. Weir tops the list of goal kickers across the state with 15, followed by Greta FNC’s Frazer Judd and Rennie FNC’s Chase Strawhorn who both have 14.
