Weekly Wrap | While the AFL is celebrating their closest round in a long, long time with an average winning margin of 10 points, it wasn't exactly the same across Victorian country footy leagues this weekend.
Across the state we had the highest average winning margin for the season to date with it hitting 62 points and three leagues had their average winning margin at over 100. The Geelong FNL ended up with an average win of 100 points across their 5 games, the Picola and District FNL registered 108 points for their round of 7 games while it was an incredible 218 point average across the two games played in the Upper Murray FNL.
It’s always good news when a club registers a win, but it’s even better when you are a brand new club celebrating win number 1! Newly formed stand alone club, Gisborne GIants FNC in the Riddell and District FNL sang their club song for the first time in club history after a 15 point win over Lancefield FNC 16.7 103 to 13.10 88. Also celebrating milestone wins this weekend were the Undera FNC in the Kyabram and District FNL who broke a 25 game losing streak with a 5 point win over Avenel FNC 9.12 66 to 8.13 61, while in the Sunraysia FNL South MIldura FNC had a 14 point win over Merbein FNC to break a run of 11 consecutive losses.
With the news during the week that Murray FNL club Moama FNC have decided not to make a move to either the Bendigo FNL or Goulburn Valley FNL next year was good, their next door neighbour, GVFNL powerhouse club Echuca FNL lost for the first time in 21 games going down to big improvers Kyabram FNC by 35 points. However this wasn’t the biggest winning streak to come to an end over the weekends round of matches as Edithvale Aspendale FNC in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean FNL had their run of 23 straight victories end at the hands of Langwarrin FNC in a 2 point thriller, 13.8 86 to 112.12 84
A couple of former AFL premiership stars took to the park across this weekend with former Magpie and Giant Heath Shaw putting on the orange and charcoal again for the Geelong West Giants in their Geelong FNL clash against Lara FNC. Shaw kicked a goal as he helped his side to a 104 point win while ex Richmond premiership player Marlion Pickett, made his long awaited debut for Melton South FNC in the RIddell and District FNL as they took on Romsey FNC. Although he kicked 3 goals, Pickett’s efforts weren’t enough as his side went down by 2 points 12.14 86 to 14.4 88.
Former Blue and Roo Aaron Mullett continued his red hot goal kicking form, bagging 12 for Wandin FNC in their 54 point win over Olinda Ferny Creek FNC in the Outer East FNL, while ex Pie and Crow Ben Crocker kicked 8 for Moe FNC which sees him head up the leagues goal kicking table as Moe look to break a58 year premiership drought.
When it comes to goals, this weekend sees the biggest bag of goals kicked for season 2025 so far, with John Spencer from Cudgewa FNC snagging 23 in his team's big 250 point win over Corryong FNC in the Upper Murray FNL. Other big goal hauls were by Guy Telford from Kiewa Sandy Creek FNC who kicked 13, Luke Gerecke from Thurgoona FNC managed 12 majors while in the North Gippsland FNL Riley Donovan from Traralgon Tyers United FNC ended the afternoon with 11. Special mention goes to Herschelle Carr from the Corio FNC who kicked 10 of his side's 13 goals in their Geelong and District FNL loss against Werribee Centrals FNC.
At the conclusion of this weekend we now have a new overall leader with Jason Wells’s from Longwarry FNC in the Ellinbank & District FNL sitting on top with 40 goals, one ahead of last weeks leader Ben Edwards from Birchip Watchem FNC who has 39, while the 12 goals from Aaron Mullett sees him now sit in third place on the leaderboard with 38 goals for the season so far.
