Weekly Wrap | It was a relatively quiet off field week compared to the last month, particularly in the club and league movement space.
In the Outer East FNL, Wandin FNC declared that they are no longer looking to seek a move to the Metro Eastern FNL. After submitting their initial request prior to the June 30th deadline, the club as part of its ongoing due diligence, met with the league and post those discussions formally withdrew the request. Two other Outer East FNL clubs, Officer FNC and Pakenham FNC, are still currently seeking a move to the West Gippsland FNC.
The salary cap and player points space has been relatively quiet this season, however Euroa FNC in the Goulburn Valley FNL are the latest club to receive sanctions for indiscretions. The club has been fined $2500 by the AFL Goulburn Murray disciplinary committee after they were found guilty during the week on a total of three charges which included exceeding the salary cap as well as player points irregularities. Two former players, who have since moved to new clubs, have also been suspended for a total of 9 matches which they are currently serving at their new leagues.
As with last week, more clubs finally got to break their losing streaks and sing the club song for the first time this season, as we head into the final rounds of each league's home and away games. In Division 2 of the Mornington Peninsula Nepean FNL , Karingal FNC ended a run of 18 straight defeats that stretched back to Round 13 of last season, with a 22 point win over Hastings FNC, 11.5 71 to 6.13 49. Up in the Picola and District FNL Blighty FNC were victorious for the first time in 13 games, when they defeated fellow winless side Mathoura FNC by 23 points 9.5 59 to 4.12 36. Inaccurate kicking ultimately cost the Timbercutters the chance of their first win.
With most leagues entering the last 4 weeks of football before finals, some teams experienced their first loss for the season, highlighting how close some leagues are as we get towards the pointy end of the home and away season. In the Central Murray FNL Woorinen FNC lost to the second placed Mallee Eagles FNC by 42 points, ending a run of twelve straight wins. It also seemed that having a winning streak of eleven consecutive wins entering this weekend seemed to be a curse for teams, with three previously undefeated teams all experiencing defeat for the first time in 2025.
In the Heathcote & District FNL North Bendigo FNC lost to third placed Mount Pleasant FNC by 3 points and now have to get back on the winners list next week against the second placed Colbinabbin FNC. In the Mininera and District FNL the Ararat Eagles FNC also went down to the team in third place, Penshurst FNC, by 42 points while Traralgon Tyers United FNC in the North Gippsland FNL had their 11 game winning streak halted by fourth placed Rosedale FNC to the tune of 41 points, 12.7 79 to 4.14 38.
It was a quieter weekend in front of the big sticks for the forwards with only five bags of 10 or more goals being kicked. This was headed by Adam Toohey from Gordon FNC in the Central Highlands FNL who bagged 11 in his sides big 220 point win over Beaufort FNC, while Lachie Sharp from Bridgewater FNC in the Loddon Valley FNL also secured a haul of 11 in his teams 22.16 148 to 1.4 10 victory over Calivil United FNC.
However all eyes on the goal kicking front were on former North Melbourne and Carlton player Aaron Mullett from Wandin FNC who only needed 2 goals in the match against Olinda Ferny Creek FNC to be the second player this season to reach the 100 goal milestone. It only took until the 20 minute mark of the first quarter for the 100th goal to sail through and Mullett ended the day with five to take his total to 103 ensuring his second position on the overall goal kicking leaderboard.
He sits behind Longwarry FNC’s Jason Wells who kicked 7 to take his tally to 115, while in third place is Neerim South FNC’s Mason McGarrity who moved to 92 after the weekend's games. McGarrity looks the man most likely to bring up the third ton for the season next weekend, although a bag of 13 from Whorouly FNC’s Michael Newton or 14 from Lachie Sharp in the upcoming games would see them join this season's lists of centurions.
